Blog

Spring has most definitely sprung and as always on the Farm it’s one of the busiest times of the year. As well as swathes of daffodils and spring flowers for us to enjoy, the farm animals have loved getting out to new grass and fresh air, and Willow and Bracken the goats, Nutty the Valais Blacknose ram and Pixie the pony have been enjoying their walks. In other animal (and bird) news we...

Here on the sunny Isle of Wight we’re blessed not just with spectacular countryside, beaches and scenery, but a myriad of different events that take place throughout the year which means that there’s always something to do! Far many, live music is at the top of the agenda and with the iconic Isle of Wight Festival in June with its top-notch headliners, to smaller music festivals...

Post pandemic, wellbeing is at the forefront of all of our minds. Whether we go for a walk, join a sports team or have a quiet, reflective yoga session or a massage, we are all feeling the need for some time to reboot our systems, minds and bodies. Here at Nettlecombe, we can offer you lots of great stuff to boost your wellbeing whilst you’re on holiday with us so that you leave feeling...

We were delighted to welcome four Valais Black nose sheep to Nettlecombe farm who arrived in late July. Acknowledged widely as the cutest sheep breed in existence, Valais Blacknose sheep are famous for their shaggy coats and spiral horns. Globally, Valais Blacknose sheep have been endangered through nature and human activity over the years. The first of the...

Here at Nettlecombe Farm we are passionate about the land and our animals and love to share this with others. We offer the opportunity for local community youth groups and schools to come and learn about our animals on a tour with our animal keepers. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for children to get up close with our animals, feed them and learn all about them, which gives them a...

The wonderful local artist Zoe Sadler has created 5 wonderful colouring sheets for Nettlecombe Farm guests to enjoy. These are available to be downloaded free of charge from our website and will be printed out in the arrival packs for our guests. https://nettlecombefarm.co.uk/farm/252/Downloadable_colouring_pages.php We love how Zoe has perfectly captured each animal and their...

Keep your eyes peeled around the farm for our specially painted pebbles with pictures of our animals on. We've set up a treasure hunt around the farm for you to hunt the pebbles. Get your treasure map from one of the animal keepers, find the pebbles and write down which animal you find and where. The take your answers back to the animal keeper and they'll give you a little prize for...

It's awards time of year again and we'd love you to vote for us in the upcoming Isle of Wight Awards, which are kindly held by Red Funnel. Year on year we make changes and improvements to the farm and its facilities as we know that sustainability and growth is not possible by just standing still. We also feel that we owe it to our regular guests not only to keep the farm to a very high...

Who doesn’t love a nature walk? The chance to get outside and really appreciate the countryside, the local flora, wildlife, seashore and everything in between. And what better than a nature walk with a guide… With that in mind, we have partnered with Natural Links and experienced nature walk guide Dave Fairlamb to take you on a fabulous route from the farm known as the Stenbury...

Did you know that from certain points on the Island, you can see constellations of stars? Through the Dark Wight Skies Initiative the IW AONB is working in partnership with the Vectis Astronomical Society and Campaign to Protect Rural England to achieve international recognition for the Island’s night sky. So what is a dark sky? Dark Skies are special areas across the world where...

It's International Women's day on the 8th of March and here on the farm we're delighted to tell you that over 80% of our staff are female and we have just taken on a new apprentice Tallulah. We're passionate about girl power and when we decided to take on a new apprentice we looked no further than Tallulah who has been with us for a couple of years doing farm tours. She's...

Walking and running are brilliant not just for your physical health but also for your mental wellbeing, and with both of those in mind we’ve devised some wonderful circular routes from Nettlecombe Farm at the very heart of the Isle of Wight, with countryside, coastal and woodland views all within easy reach. The perfect way to unwind and recharge. If you’re hooked up to the Strava...

Travel is very much at the forefront of the Isle of Wight’s sustainability drive and the ‘Drive Less See More’ campaign is one that we at Nettlecombe Farm wholeheartedly support. So much so, that we have reinforced green transport initiatives and we include free transport to and from Shanklin Station if you decide not to bring your car, and free bus travel so that you can see...

When you go on holiday, the last thing you want to do is worry about shopping or having bring a carload of groceries with you and so we’ve come up with some great ideas for deliveries to your door so that you don’t have to. Here on the Isle of Wight we’re blessed with an abundance of local produce and independent shops, restaurants and takeaways that can cater to your every...

We love our furry friends here on the farm and we’re always delighted when you bring your canine family with you to visit us. Nettlecombe Farm is perfectly equipped to welcome dogs and with nine award winning dog friendly self-catering cottages you’ll really be spoiled for choice as we can accommodate parties from three to ten people and their canine friends. We do of course, ask...

There were shepherds, wise men, angels and Mary and Joseph as well as sheep, alpacas and of course donkeys and reindeer performing at the St Francis Catholic and Church of England Academy’s nativity which took place at the Farm in December. There’s nothing like a real stable and real animals to put on the best nativity play ever and it was clear that the children from St Francis...

The 2020 winners of the Isle of Wight Rural Business Awards have been announced. – Isle of Wight Observer News (iwobserver.co.uk)

Nettlecombe Farm is a birdspotter's paradise, we have just dug out a list of all the birds that one of our guests spotted during his stay with us between August 21st - October 1st. If you have spotted any others then plese do let us know!  Robin  Dunnock  Great Tit   Blue Tit  Long Tailed Tit  Grey Heron  Kestrel  Common...

We have seen a significant increase in the number of people enjoying fishing at our lakes and it’s clear to see that we have a real community at the lakes, so we have created a community group for everyone to share their photos and tips on. Regardless of numbers, booking is never required, the space allows everyone to enjoy a secluded and tranquil day of fishing. We...

Nettlecombe Farm has been rewarded for its sustainable approach.   A rural Island business has become the latest to reach the gold standard in Visit IW's green tourism awards.  Nettlecombe Farm has been awarded the Green Star Gold Award due to its sustainable approach to tourism.  Nettlecombe has a number of self catering cottages set in the countryside at Whitwell...

If you visit the Isle of Wight regularly or perhaps have a home here, you will hardly need reminding that it’s a very special place. But in 2019, it was recognised by UNESCO (perhaps better known for awarding World Heritage Sites) as a biosphere reserve. For many, this will immediately bring to mind Cornwall’s Eden Project, but a biosphere designation is much more than that and...

Over the years we have supported many charities close to our hearts. This year we have chosen The Farming Community Network (FCN) - a voluntary organisation and charity that works tirelessly to support farmers and their families across England and Wales through tough times. This year marks FCN’s 25th anniversary. FCN runs a free, confidential Helpline (03000 111 999) and helps thousands...

Visit England has rated Nettlecombe Farm as number 2 in the UK for farm stays for a family break. In the heart of the island is a working farm home to charming self-catering barns, stables and cottages – full of rustic touches. The ideal spot for a holiday with toddlers, there are lots of opportunities to meet the furry residents, from chickens and turkeys to piglets and reindeer. As...

Isle of Wight farm-stay, Nettlecombe Farm, has been named The Best Rural Tourism Business after winning national final of this Rural Business Award. Rural businesses from across Britain are celebrating following the Rural Business Awards’ National Final, held on 27th February at the exceptional grade II heritage building, The Monastery. The awards aim to recognise and celebrate the...

We have been named one of the best rural businesses in the South East after winning a regional Rural Business Award. Nettlecombe Farm was named Best Rural Tourism Business at the South East regional finals of the Rural Business Awards in partnership with Amazon which were held at Canterbury Cathedral and regionally sponsored by Openreach. Following the impressive achievement at the...