Flying Horse Cottage

To help you plan your holiday here is a list of what’s included in the price of your stay

• Underfloor gas central heating
• A large basket of logs for woodburning stove
• Wifi (please note that as the cottage is in a rural location the connection can be slow at times)
• DVD player and a selection of DVD’s
• Books and maps
• Bedding and towels
• Complimentary soap, hand lotion, shampoo and shower gel
• Small quantities of ground coffee,tea and a selection of marmalade and jam

FOR THE BIRD-HIDE

• Wicker drinks holder
• Thermos
• Glasses and mugs
• Rechargeable Torch

Bond’s Cottage Barn

• underfloor gas heating
• Wifi (please note that as the cottage is in a rural location the connection can be slow at times)
• Places to visit folder and maps
• Bedding and towels
• Complimentary soap, hand lotion, shampoo and shower gel
• small quantities of ground coffee, tea, marmalade and biscuits

Flying Horse Cottage has been designed to suit guests of all ages, those with limited mobility and wheelchair users. The cottage is on one level and has no steps inside. There is a small step from the terrace to the front door, but we have a ramp available for wheelchair users upon request. At the rear there is a ramp from the decking area outside the kitchen down into the meadow.

Bond’s Cottage Barn is on one level and has accessible doors; the wetroom has a raised w/c and a walk in shower with a grab rail.  A shower seat is available upon request.

We have incorporated the following features into the design of the cottage to aid accessibility and below is our Access Statement for Flying Horse Cottage

• The front door, the doors into Bedrooms 1 and 2, and door into wetroom are all suitable for wheelchair users.
• There are TV’s in both bedrooms and the living area and are all operated with remote controls
• Easy to open, sliding patio doors in bedroom 2 and living room area
• Turning spaces into all rooms are suitable for wheelchair users.
• Both the bathroom and wetroom have raised wc’s
• Sliding door into wetroom suitable for wheelchair access
• The wetroom is fully-open plan and is equipped with grab rails
• Both bathroom and wetroom have swing-bins
• A shower seat is available upon request
• The open-plan living area is well lit with spots above the kitchen area, angled spot lights onto dining area and sitting area and wall lights in the sitting area
• The doors and windows are painted a different colour to aid the visually impaired
• There are French Windows to access the decking area outside the dining area at the rear of cottage and also a ramp from the decking area down into the meadow

Outside

• There is a designated and level parking area outside the cottage close to the front door
• Level terrace area with chairs and table suitable for wheelchair users
• Outside lights by the front door and French windows at rear and external lights come on automatically on approaching from the drive
• Bird hide across Broadwater Forest Lane on Bond’s Heath is fully accessible with ramp and the interior of the hide is designed to be wheelchair friendly
• 450 acre RSPB nature reserve adjacent to Bond’s Heath has forestry roads suitable for wheelchair use and a number of wheelchair friendly viewing points that the RSPB has created

Equality Act 2010

As well as making special provision for those visitors with disabilities the owners welcome visitors regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religion or belief, and all guests are treated fairly without making assumptions about the characteristics of the individual.

At Flying Horse Cottage and Bond’s Cottage Barn we look to encourage sustainable living and in particular drawing on the skills of local craftsmen to keep a traditional Sussex feel to the building.

INSIDE FLYING HORSE COTTAGE

• Flying Horse Cottage has been converted from a former stable block by Gordon Boylett and Terry Fuller two skilled local Sussex carpenters. They have ensured the building has the vital modern comforts and that the building is well insulated throughout The Floor has 100 mm of insulation, the walls have 100 mm of insulation and there is 150 mm insulation in the roof.
• The gas under-floor central heating has an  energy efficiency rating of A and the system put in by local heating engineer Lance Savage brings a high level of comfort with low energy use, there are separate thermostatic controls in the living room and each bedroom which helps to minimise heating waste.
• There is a woodburning stove in the living room supplied by Ripley Forge of Robertsbridge which uses renewable logs. The logs for the stove are felled from our own trees at Broadwater Forest Cottages.
• All lighting uses LED bulbs and the lighting in the living room area is operated by dimmer switches to aid electricity efficiency on a system designed by Graham Black.
• A recycling box is provided for guests to separate glass from paper, plastics and other recyclables.
• We are keen to support local artists and craftsman:
  • We have commissioned a triangular stained glass panel for the living area in Flying Horse Cottage which has been designed and made by local artist Stoney Parsons whose studio is on the Eridge Estate
  • The kitchen cabinets are hand crafted in oak by local cabinet maker Andrew Robinson

INSIDE BOND’S COTTAGE BARN

• Bond’s Cottage Barn has been refurbished by Gordon Boylett and Terry Fuller and they have ensured that the building has modern comforts with good insultation throughout. The gas underfloor heating has an energy efficiency rating of A.  There are separate thermostatic controls in the living area and bedroom
•   There are 8 solar panels on the roof and during the summer months these panels provide most of the electricity needed for the cottage.
• All lighting uses LED bulbs.
• A recycling bag is provided for guests to encourage them to recycle waste.

OUTSIDE

• Fuller’s Farm Shop on Bunny Lane (a 7 minute walk) is well stocked with high quality meats, game, cheeses, fresh fruit, vegetables and groceries. Much of their meat and cheese is locally sourced including Venison from Eridge Park.  The Farm Shop is situated on the northern edge of the Eridge Estate so there is not need to drive large distances for supplies.
• Bond’s Heath is a long-term project where we have felled a coniferous plantation taking out non-native Western Hemlock and we are now witnessing the exciting results as the land regenerates into native heathland species. Alongside the resurgence of the heather and grasses are Scots Pine and there is a proliferation of wildlife including a wide variety of bird species.  Across Bond’s Heath and the larger areas of RSPB Broadwater Warren on summers evenings you can listen to the churring of the Nightjar and heathland birds such as the Dartford Warbler, Snipe, Tree Pipits, Woodlark and Woodcock are also present. Some 92 bird species have been recorded by the RSPB since 2007.  Other species include deer, lizards, and a wide range of butterflies.
• At Flying Horse Cottage we have a feeding station for birds in the garden immediately outside the cottage. This attracts a variety of garden birds all year round most notably the Greater Spotted Woodpecker.  There are buzzards flying over the cottage that nest in adjacent woodland and you can often see a Buzzard perched in the large oak tree visible from the patio garden.

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

• Bond’s Bird Hide on Bond’s Heath (5 minutes walk) is the perfect place to take a sketchpad, bring a picnic, listen to the birds or enjoy the setting sun over the tower of East Grinstead church some 12 miles to the west.
• Flying Horse Cottage provides many other activities from the cottage without needing a car. You can walk, cycle, climb, enjoy local landmarks and explore Tunbridge Wells.  There are a wide number of places to eat and drink all within an hour’s walk of the cottage.  Details of these are on our website broadwaterforestcottages.com/activities

TRANSPORT

• There is a bus stop at the junction of Broadwater Forest Lane and Bunny Lane (5 minute walk) Buses go to Tunbridge Wells and Brighton