A Weekend In at Linnaeus Farm
There’s no doubt a weekend spent exploring Berry, with all its heritage charm, will wind your clock up in the most delightful way. And then there’s Linnaeus Farm, our luxury escape set in 3.5 hectares of lush, fertile, manicured grounds and just 5 minutes from the heart of the bustle of the village.
Just what would a ‘Weekend In’ at Linnaeus Farm look like? This is how we’d do it, but getting creative with how you’d spend your days and nights is something you’ll have the time to decide for yourself.
Day one
It starts with just a bit of planning. Perhaps pre-arrange catering with your own personal chef coming in to cook up a feast or stop off in Berry on the way in and fill your basket with supplies of the freshest, seasonal gourmet produce. A stop at The Berry Bottle Shop is a great kick start to your break away too. It’s where you’ll find Justin Lill and his always effervescent staff to help you with a selection of interesting wines, specialist craft beers and more.
Then it’s to the Farm where you’ll instantly shrug off the everyday business of life and immerse yourself in that holiday feeling from the minute you drive through the imposing stone entryway and down the tree-lined driveway. It’s here your every need has been carefully considered and the decisions you make are completely in your control. A walk up the aged timber steps and through the tall French doors poses the first question. Will it be upstairs or downstairs? Either way there’s a fully-provisioned kitchen on both floors so you can share the cooking with family or friends during your stay.
Unpack, then decide, is it going straight to the pool or taking the time to enjoy a mezze plate and a glass of champagne while you take in the 360 degree views. If you've got kids in tow, it’ll be the pool, and with a soaring fantasy tree house with a pirate’s walk, long twisty slide and adventure playground on the other side of the pool fence. It’ll be hours before they resurface.
Head down to Jamie’s Barn, enjoy an infra-red sauna and take the time for ‘self’. You’ll be in awe at the structure of the barn with its soaring posts and beams timber structure, handcrafted and held in place with dowelling that only a true artisan can create. No nails here! And the smell…well it’s something you just have to experience first hand. The Barn will become your go-to place throughout your stay with its dining areas, table tennis, games, music and of course the healing benefits of that sauna.
Soon it’ll be time to take a G&T, wine or coffee to the pool deck and watch the sun slowly setting at the end of the paddocks. Dinner then games, a night tuning into your favourite Netflix series, or switch on the in-house music system for a soundtrack to a night, sitting on the top deck soaking up the 360 degree view of the night sky. Turn off. Relax. Unwind.
Next day…
Wake up when you're ready, throw open the windows and listen to the sweet sounds of birdsong.
Make a brew and take a wander through the edible garden to check out the latest seasonal crops. Pluck a sprig or two of mint or rosemary, a few berries or a plump orange or lime to mix into a cocktail later in the day. Or mindfully select something seasonal which could become the inspiration for a farm-to-plate salad for lunch.
Take a walk to the back of Jamie’s Barn to say good morning to the cows.
Breakfast. Maybe it’s fresh fruit, granola and yoghurt with a drizzle of maple syrup, served on the balcony looking out over the hills. Or is it the full cook-up on the BBQ starting with free range eggs and house-cured bacon on Berry Organic Sourdough from the Milkwood Bakery.
Time for a spot of yoga, meditation or Tai Chi in the serenity of the beautiful, timber lake house which hovers gracefully over the pond. Say hello to the resident ducks and ducklings as you walk over the bridge to the hut. If you spot Geoff, our resident groundskeeper, it’s worth taking a minute or two for a chat about the history of the property and what’s happening around town too.
Chill time with the book you’ve been going to read for months. Claim a cosy nook inside, throw a rug on the sprawling lawn, pull up a lounge chair in Jamie’s Barn, pick a spot on the pool deck. Your call.
Lunch - a grazing platter under the towering branches of the ancient fig tree which frames the resort-style pool or sitting at the table looking out through the massive barn doors of Jamie’s Barn perhaps.
Post-lunch snooze? A game of bocce on the petanque court with the soaring escarpment and rolling green hills as your backdrop? Board games, table tennis, darts, a bit of your favourite sport on the TV? Mmmm….
A sundowners watching the horizon turn all shades of yellow, orange and blush pink. It’s just a given.
Dinner. Maybe a bbq of fresh seafood or your favourite cut of meat, with a fresh, crunchy salad. Then toast marshmallows on the fire pit, dip them in chocolate or caramel sauce and add a crunchy topping of toasted nuts and crushed pretzels. It’s an irresistible, sweet/salty combo. And then turn your eyes skyward for some stargazing.
Step under the big rainshower heads in the beautifully appointed bathrooms for a little while, or wash the day away in a looong, slow bath.
Back into that welcoming bed, wrap yourself up in the luxury feel of Cultiver linen sheets and the softest, fluffiest doona.
The next day…
Repeat. More pool, sauna, bocce, games, reading, talking, slow walks around the property, yoga, or just time soaking up the expansive views of the rural countryside, the escarpment and Saddleback Mountain beyond.
It’s about making time, taking time and that truly is the best kind of luxury holiday stay isn’t it?
