Enjoy a peaceful, relaxing, self-catering holiday in a secluded mobile home situated in the heart of the countryside with spectacular views across the Cotswolds and floodlit wildlife watching facilities within 50 metres of the accommodation

During your stay, you will be able to have EXCLUSIVE use of three heated hides from which to observe badgers and other wildlife throughout the day & by floodlight after dusk at College Barn Farm, Sibford Gower, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 5RY

The conservation project at College Barn Farm commenced in 1987 when Richard and Sandra Butt bought the farm. It includes the planting of trees and shrubs as well as encouraging and, as far as possible, protecting and preserving the resident wildlife.

Their aim is to establish and sustain a wildlife area containing as many different varieties of trees and wildlife as possible. Currently there is 13 acres of woodland, 5 acres of winter bird seed, 27 acres of wildflower meadow, two lakes & two ponds included within this area.

The provision of mobile-home accommodation and wildlife watching facilities for visitors not only helps to fund their conservation project, but also enables other wildlife enthusiasts to share their enjoyment of such.

During the day there are many other varieties of wildlife, from small birds to grass snakes to roe/fallow/muntjac deer (subject to the season) to be observed at College Barn Farm. One visitor spotted a total of 47 different kinds of birds during her stay, which included kingfishers, woodpeckers, red kites, buzzards, kestrels and owls.

The ‘Top Wildlife Hide’, which is heated and can seat four persons, is on ground level at the entrance, but 10ft. above ground on the viewing side where the field below slopes away.

Above this hide is a balcony which allows visitors an elevated, open-air view of the surrounding area, day and night, when the weather is fine. The nocturnal wildlife can be clearly seen as there are two floodlights mounted above the hide, which do not seem to bother the wildlife in any way.

A second hide, ‘Running Water Hide’ which is sunk into the ground and seats three/four, is situated by the end of the largest pond. This location provides an unrestricted eye-level view of both land & aquatic wildlife. Photography flaps are located to the front and side of the hide. This hide is also heated and has two reclining seats and two cushion seats.

A third hide, which also seats three/four people, is situated further down the field, just outside the floodlit area

In 2022 the farm was enrolled into a countryside stewardship scheme. The idea of the scheme being that instead of growing normal cereal crops like wheat & barley, it will be planted with different types of wildflower & grasses/legumes that will benefit and nourish wildlife.

Winter Bird Food – The two smaller fields adjacent to the wooded areas have been growing various small seed-bearing crops.
They provide important food resources for farmland birds throughout the winter. There is two feeding sites where supplementary seed is scattered every week during this period.
The flowering plants also benefit insects including bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Legume Fallow – The four larger plots have been sewn with a mix of 6 flowering species (including Ryegrass, Clover, Trefoil & Vetch).
This crop is to provide food for farmland wildlife, again providing pollen and nectar for pollinators including bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies. It will also provide invertebrate chick food for farmland birds around the sown fallow between April and July .