Looking Back on 2025
As this year fast draws to a close, we’ve been taking a moment to look back on what’s been yet another busy, rewarding and eventful year here at Brackenthwaite Farm. From exciting milestones and behind-the-scenes improvements to runaway livestock and some very welcome recognition, there’s been a lot happening.
The Long Barn: A Space to Share
We’ve continued to make improvements to The Long Barn as a shared party space for celebrations, get-togethers, retreats, relaxing on rainy days, playing games, and so much more. We have had Wi-Fi extended into the barn and courtyard, and completed the grand fireplace with a large wood burning stove. This year saw several big birthday celebrations held in The Long Barn: two 70ths; one 50th; and a 75th, and it has been wonderful to see it used in so many different ways. We love seeing the space evolve into a truly flexible, welcoming place for bringing people together.
A Wedding on the Horizon
One of our standout moments this year was securing our very first wedding booking set for summer 2027. While it may seem a long way off, it’s a huge milestone for us and a sign of exciting things to come. With a bit of luck we’ll get some other weddings booked in before then, though! See our Special Occasions page
Welcome Back, The Old Farmhouse
Another big step this year was welcoming The Old Farmhouse back as a holiday cottage, making four cottages in total and a capacity for up to 18 people. It’s lovely to see it once again hosting guests and being part of the Brackenthwaite offering. The Old Farmhouse is our most spacious cottage and on a par with the The Dairy for its level of comfort and finish, though the style is different with fine country character and charm. With a planned hot tub for 2026, we are confident The Old Farmhouse will be a popular choice for many of you.
Exclusive Use (Full Site) Bookings on the Rise
Exclusive use has been a big success this year, with six full site bookings and more already lined up for 2026. Seeing groups of families and friends take over the whole farm and make Brackenthwaite their own has been a real highlight, and it’s an offer we are excited to be developing. Get in touch about your exclusive booking – the earlier the better to reserve the full site for your special event. Full site bookings are the best way to truly enjoy the full ‘Brackenthwaite experience’.
Awards & Recognition
We were thrilled to see The Dairy win an Innovation and Excellence from CorporateLiveWire, alongside being shortlisted as finalists in two categories with Lancashire Tourism: Self-Catering Accommodation and Dog-Friendly Business. Recognition like this means a great deal to us and reflects all the care, effort, hard work and attention to detail that goes into everything we do. We will find out in February if we have won in either category (or both!)
Practical Improvements (and a New Driveway)
It wasn’t all parties and sunbathing – we also rolled up our sleeves and got on with some important practical improvements. A new driveway entrance has been created to make access in and out of the farm infinitely easier, along with allocated and additional visitor parking, making arrivals for new visitors especially far less hair-raising and enabling us to make the courtyard a vehicle free space for safer children and doggy play, and a more pleasing space for sitting out and enjoying.
Growing Our Online Presence
This year saw further work on our marketing and online presence, with updates to the website and a fair bit of technical wizardry going on quietly in the background. While it may not always be the most visible work, it is an important part of helping more people discover Brackenthwaite Farm and understand what makes it special. You can see what improvements we’ve made at www.brackenthwaite.com.
The Year of the Escaped Pig
Finally, no review would be complete without mentioning our beloved Pigs. This year, Pepper Pig was very mischievous and went AWOL for almost two weeks. Naughty Pepper! An impressive escape artist and adventurer. She didn’t go far; she just fancied hanging out with some cows and couple of fields down, and when she’d had enough of them, she wandered back and greeted us with her typical affectionate grunts and a wagging tail.
And that’s almost a wrap…
As ever, we’re hugely grateful to everyone who’s stayed with us, celebrated with us, worked with us, or followed along from afar. We’re already looking ahead to next year with plenty of plans, bookings, and ideas taking shape so remember to watch this space!
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and our very best wishes for 2026.
We hope to see you here!