Guest Reviews

“Ed and Rowena magically integrate craft with everyday life ”

Kevin McCloud, Grand Designs

“I fell in love with this wonderful hidden gem, you won't want to leave!”

Tasha Krestova, Artist

“Being here will bring out the very best in you. Step out of time, relax and be inspired as you immerse yourself in the beauty and creativity that surrounds and inhabits the house. This is so much more than a 'Grand Design'.”

Steve & Jill, Family Friends

“Amazing views, so peaceful and quiet! Just amazed by the beautiful blend of nature with human. Very clean, with an unique taste in style, The Dug Out House is such a poetic place, full of surprises, ready for anyone to come and discover them. From the light switches, that are just a pleasure to touch, to the all the good books you can read or exchange, to the amazing view from the comfortable bathtub! Absolutely loved it, including the companionship of all the pets around the fairy tale house!”

Iulia

“Fabulous place, really peaceful, better than ‘home from home.’ So loved all the design features. Thank you so much for a wonderful wedding anniversary experience. We’’ll be back and will promote it. Good luck with the venture.”

Sarah and Ed

“The Dug Out combines fairy-tale magic and delight with comfort and cosiness. Rowena thoughtfully leaves treats including home-made cake, jam, and delicious organic bread, and the Tump shop is close by for other provisions. You can enjoy all of this while taking in the panoramic view in your private garden and admiring the wonderful structure of this unique house. Rowena and Ed couldn’t be more welcoming and charming hosts, and are happy to show you the animals and share their experiences of building the Dug Out . Heath Robinson would have felt very much at home here and so did we as we discovered all the beautifully crafted fittings that Ed has fashioned. This is a very special place and we left full of admiration and wonder for what they have achieved.”

Mary and Chris

“Firstly, I'd just like to say thank you so much for your warm welcome and your hospitality - we enjoyed meeting you all and hearing about your Grand Design adventure over tea. We LOVE the Dugout. We must have spent the first hour just looking at all the quirky and imaginative elements around the house, from the light switches to the magnificent bed (made even more impressive after Ed's workshop - really seeing the work involved in creating these pieces) We found the Dugout so cosy – and not much is better after a long drive than relaxing in front of a fire and eating homemade brownies … although a candlelit bath with a view and the luxurious pillow laden bed came close. It was nice to be able to pick a couple of ready meals for supper from the Tump Shop and have the wherewithal for breakfast (lovely homemade bread) without having to bring our own. It all adds to the relaxing time. When the sun came out (between the showers) we were almost tempted to sit out, light the fire pit and enjoy the amazing view but even for us it was a bit chilly! Thank you again ”

Sue & Archie

“The Dugout is simply wonderful - utterly charming; inviting and very comfortable. It is probably one of the cleanest places we have ever stayed too. To be truthful, we have really struggled with whether to submit a review or not, as there is a part of us that would prefer keep it to ourselves rather than alert others to its existence. However, Ed and Rowena made us so welcome, and the Dugout is SO lovely, that we concluded it would be churlish not to endorse the place. The cottage is set into the hillside in a very tranquil location with wonderful views (in our case only for one evening when the rain stopped / the cloud rose). The surrounding countryside is very pretty and we found plenty to do even though the weather was not great, though we could just as happily have bunkered down to savour the atmosphere and our books. This cottage would be perfect for anyone wanting to unwind and relax and we will most definately be returning. ”

Jake

“Staying in this BnB is like staying inside a work of art. What looks so small and quaint from the inside is extraordinarily spacious on the inside. No from how far it has been dug into the hill but in its wonderful and sensible use of space. Almost every corner is individually custom made, there are books galore for your reading leisure but one cannot help but be surprised time and again by the beauty of new realisations of Dugout's unique construction. And the view whether inside or out the landscape just piles on the beauty of the environment surrounded by animals, plants and Midnight the cat who when I showed affection to, stayed by my side watching the hills for hours. To stay in this accommodation feels not just an investment in leisure but an investment in your mental well being.”

Kurt

“"Another wonderfully relaxing and inspiring stay at the DugOut. A week of surprisingly glorious Indian summer weather, lying on our backs on the lawn at night to watch the glorious display of stars. As ever, Rowena and Ed are superb hosts."”

John and Barbara 2020