Hello! I am in need of dog and country loving house sitter/s (single, couple and with kids all considered) for a month to look after our smallholding in Herefordshire. The house is a 17th century cottage sitting nicely along a stream outside a small village, within 6 miles of Ledbury.
We have 7 acres that include a wildlife pond, a lovely veggie garden and a poly tunnel (hopefully there should be some fresh veggies on offer). I have 4 Border Collies (very friendly) and 1 cat and a few chickens.
The dogs will need playing with and cuddles (athletic and very affectionate) but they do not need to go anywhere by car as they get quite a lot of running on our and the adjacent property. They need at least a half hour ball play or walk two a day. This is easy and doesnt have to be strenuous! You can take them off-lead ('off-leash' for Americans) everywhere on the property and adjacent walks so you do not need to worry about them dragging you about. They do sleep indoors. We are near public footpaths so you can go walking for kilometres outside the house or go up into the adjacent Malvern Hills for a real stretch.
I also have one self-reliant cat and a few chickens - not a lot of work there! We do have high speed internet so it is idyllic place to work from home.
As for the property, the garden around the house will need bits of flower picking and deadheading but weeding optional. There is a small amount of grass in the house garden that will need a mow once a week (about 1 hr). Mowing around the orchard on a ride-on is negotiable.
For those new to Herefordshire, this is lovely scenic middle England. Rolling hills, rivers and historic towns. The local village has a 16th C pub you can walk to, and there are two towns within 6 miles that have supermarkets, theatre, interesting antique and art/craft shops etc. Public transport to the town is easy by train, but to the farm is not great but can be done by bus. Bikes are available for use at the farm. Probably best if you have a car as well and so you get a chance to explore the local area.
If you are at all interested please drop me a line - I am happy to provide more information.
Warm regards!