Balnab Farm

Escape to a simpler life with Chloe and Gavin
Chloe and Gavin Vance and their eight children started with Feather Down in the summer of 2021 and what a start it has been! It is not the first Feather Down farm we’ve had in Scotland but it’s the most southerly just a couple of miles from the Solway Firth. And within just a couple of months, their Feather Down experience has been written up in the Guardian and the Scotsman as a go-to family holiday in Scotland. Their third-generation farm can lay claim to have one of the oldest continuous dairy herds in the UK, their 120 head of Holstein Friesians producing milk that goes into the ‘Seriously Strong Cheddar’ you see on the supermarket shelves.

Fresh sea air
Even at the height of the summer you’ll find gorgeous spots just a short drive from the farm that will have your wondering where the crowds are. The fishing village of The Isle of Whithorn would be rammed if it were in Cornwall, the seaside town of Garlieston and beaches like Rigg Bay too. There are many out-of-season attractions too. The Wigtown Book Festival in September could go toe-to-toe with its equivalent in Hay and the Galloway House Gardens are worth a visit at any time. All in all, a stay at Balnab farms makes the ideal family holiday in Scotland.

What to do at Balnab Farm
The farm is a veritable menagerie with dairy calves, pygmy goats and Shetland ponies to name but a few within view of your canvas hideaway. You and your children could experience helping feeding and grooming the animals or take a tractor ride around the farm, unforgettable moments to share together (select dates and additional cost). Also at the centre of the encampment is a play area with climbing, water play and straw bales giving all the space and imagination that children need on holiday. And when it comes to more adult play, new for 2022 is a hot tub that you can book in advance or on site. Tractor rides and Shetland pony rides (what other breed would you have for a family holiday in Scotland?) are all extras available to book at regular times, so everyone will be worn out by the time night falls and you all retire to your comfy Feather Down beds.