Rest, relax and recharge on the farm: why enchanting Baston Hall – nestled in the Malvern Hills – is much more than just a big house in the countryside

My footsteps crunch over the light frost and I can see my breath in the cold morning air. I reach the end of the farm path, turn and look back.

The fields and hedgerows are covered in a glistening white, yet to melt with the first sunlight.

The tree line hugs the ridge to my right and a meadow stretches beyond.

In a field next to me, a few curious Aberdeen Angus cattle wander around casually. It is a quiet morning, the peace broken only by the quiet sounds of nature.

I smile to myself and start jogging down the path that leads to the warm bed I had left.

A few minutes later, Baston Hall – an Elizabethan mansion with nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms – comes into view.

We had escaped to the Worcestershire hills for a long weekend and looked at the 400 year old house in the heart of this beautiful estate, which is a regenerative farmI didn't want to go back.

From the outside, the house looks like something out of a fairy tale or a historical TV drama.

Inside, it has been beautifully restored and can accommodate up to 18 guests, with a mix of original character and modern luxury.

Set on 140 acres in the Malvern Hills, an area of ​​outstanding natural beauty, it is the perfect spot for multi-generational families looking for a British holiday with a difference.

The seasons bring different pleasures and activities for children and anyone who wants to have fun on the farm.

As the winter chill gives way to spring, visitors can help bottle-feed the lambs or lend a hand during the calving season.

There is always sheepdog training and guests can forage for wild garlic and make their own pesto.

Children on family holidays or colleagues in corporate groups can try their hand at bushcraft – where they learn survival skills such as how to start a fire in the wild – or take part in building dens, planting trees or laying hedges.

Those brave enough can go paddle boarding on the lake or even take a wild dip. And then there is a tennis court, croquet, badminton, archery or clay pigeon shooting.

The property is also a haven for wellness weekends and those who just want a chance to reset and reground.

And if you just want to stroll around a gigantic house, walk the grounds, sit in the courtyard and arrange catering, this is the place.

It quickly became clear to us that Baston Hall is much more than just a large house in the countryside.

While it is undoubtedly an incredible location to host large groups or parties, it is our children who have made us realize what a special place it is.

They immediately fell in love with life on the farm.

They loved the wild ducks, chickens and guinea fowl, but their favorites were the playful farm dogs. It was unclear who was more excited to see whom.

And when we went on a farm tour, they were in heaven.

“Sheep, daddy!” my two-year-old daughter shouted, in an explosion of excitement, as she set out to chase fourteen four-legged fluffy friends across a field.

The sheep were good sports. They scampered around to avoid her outstretched arms as she frantically tried to hug them, her bright yellow boots buzzing in the morning dew.

During our few days on the estate the children fed the animals, explored the woods, played in the shepherd's hut and loved the ride-on tractor.

It was a completely different experience than any other holiday they have been on – and the house is just as enchanting it's grand.

A local artist has painted 14 cute cartoon mice in different nooks and crannies and the little ones loved running around on their treasure hunt, desperate to find them all.

When night fell and they were safely tucked away in super king size beds, exhausted from the day's activities, we lit the fire and enjoyed a few well-deserved glasses of wine.

Our hosts, Rosanna and Ian Horsley, left London's rat race for the countryside and bought the estate in 2017.

They are passionate about regenerative agriculture, where farmers put the land first to improve biodiversity while producing the most nutritious food possible.

“We want to farm in an environmentally friendly way and the house is our way of making it financially viable,” says Rosanna, holding a hot cup of tea in her hand.

“Farming as a business is an extremely difficult life, and you have to diversify.

'When we bought the property, we immediately started upgrading the space to make it luxury hotel quality, but in a 400-year-old house.

'That meant installing new bathrooms, new heating systems, and we brought in local companies to help with everything – even reupholstering furniture.

'It's all about sustainability and supporting the local community is a big part of our ethos – and we want to create a sustainable life for our family.

“We have to support the country and the home. Agriculture is 24/7.'

Ian explained as he took us on a farm tour: 'Regenerative farming is about leaving the land and our patch of countryside in a better state than we found it.

'Building the soil and creating meadows, hedgerows, woodland meadows and woodlands provides the essential varied habitat that insects, birds and mammals need to live.

'We have to create a habitat, but also take into account that we have to provide ourselves with food. Creating nature reserves and importing our food from abroad only exports the destruction of our habitats abroad.

'It is so important to improve our agricultural practices and envelope them in nature, for the benefit of everyone. This is what underpins our farming ethos at Baston Hall.”

It's a noble philosophy and witnessing it for yourself gives you a clear perspective of what a demanding life it is.

We walked back onto the track feeling like we had learned a lot in a short time.

The excited barks of the dogs and the joyful squeals of the children caught us up and we enjoyed feeling calm and content away from the city.

Our trip left a deep impression on all of us and since then the only question on the children's lips has been a simple one: 'When are we going back to the farm?'

Hopefully soon.