Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Habitat First Group, so having already installed electric vehicle charging points on our estates and investing in electric buggies for use by our housekeeping team, we felt it was time to add a pair of Jaguar I-PACE cars to our electrically powered fleet. The Jaguar…
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Twenty-five years ago, our parent company, Habitat First Group, set about transforming Lower Mill Estate into something never seen before. A lakeside holiday home community where families could enjoy the beauty of the Cotswold countryside, within the safety of a private estate. Designed for maximum ease, the estate set about creating a nature trail, a…
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If you’re currently back in the conundrum of juggling work and home-schooling, why not challenge the kids to become an Eco Explorer? To do this activity, have a look at our wildlife video page and download a little comprehension activity to answer some questions about some of the creatures that you’ve seen. Once your children have finished, you can…
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We are absolutely delighted to announce that our charity, The Habitat First Foundation is one step closer to its goal of raising the £1m needed to build two holidays homes, providing respite holidays for underprivileged, sick or terminally ill children. Donations to the fund from the Habitat First Group have now grown to a fantastic £49,205. Red Paxton…
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Now more than ever, nature is a great source of comfort and joy to many of us. And living with nature is at the heart of everything we do at Lower Mill Estate. With nine lakes and acres of nature trails, there is so much to discover at any time of year, making the estate the…
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We’re really excited to let you know that we’ll be ready to welcome you to Ballihoo, starting with alfresco dining, from 12th April. We have many dining options available over the spring and summer, so here’s our guide to what’s happening on the estate. For early birds, we’re serving up ice creams and cocktails at 25% off…
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We are delighted to introduce a new business to the family group, Habitat Resales. Designed for those who like instant gratification, Habitat Resales offers ready-made Holiday Homes at Lower Mill Estate and Silverlake in Dorset, so owners can start to enjoy the lifestyle that the estates have to offer right away. Properties on the market…
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We’re thrilled to be able to welcome guests old and new to our estates, and look forward to hosting reunions and long-awaited celebrations over the coming months. In line with the Government roadmap, from 17th May extra areas of our outdoor and indoor spaces will open up. How will the rules change for accommodation and facilities?…
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Creating lasting memories for you and your family has never been more important. As a result of the current pandemic, more families are looking to enjoy year-round UK staycations in a Covid safe bubble. Red Paxton, co-owner and Strategy and Marketing Director at Habitat First Group, joined a panel of property experts hosted by Kirstie…
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If you’re aching for something to look forward to at the moment and have had to cancel an important celebration in recent months, you may be in luck. This autumn, we are giving you the opportunity to celebrate your missed milestone in style. Whether you have missed your 40th, your anniversary or a reunion, we…
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At Habitat First Group, we’re passionate about sustainability and ethical living. Our on-site restaurant and shop, Ballihoo, is no exception. To support our quest to reduce food miles, Bob, our Handyman, and our dedicated team of groundskeepers, have worked hard over the last 12 months to develop our very own onsite allotment. With a field-to-fork…
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Despite very tricky times in the past 12 months, we have continued to work hard to deliver the same attention to detail and personalised service our guests are used to. With life slowly returning to some normality, and with the very welcome return of guests on our estates, we’re bringing out regular updates from our…
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With Government restrictions set to ease on Monday 19th July, we are excited to be able to open our doors a little more while you are staying with us. As we all relax into this new way of life, our highest priority is safety for our guests and staff. Life at Lower Mill Estate will…
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Lower Mill Estate offers a wide variety of activities on site to keep everyone entertained. The estate is ideally situated in the Cotswolds, surrounded by areas of natural beauty and there are many days out to be had nearby. Enjoy a spot of shopping in nearby Cirencester. Often referred to as the ‘Capital of the…
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Back in June, we shared with you the beginnings of our humble allotment, created by handyman Bob and our wonderful team of groundskeepers. Fast forward a few months to August, and our in-house project has blossomed into a bespoke kitchen garden. Having expanded from its modest beginnings, the garden is now being prepared for expansion…
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It’s a been a while since we’ve all been able to come together, so we’re excited to finally celebrate with an exclusive event at Ballihoo, Lower Mill Estate, on Thursday 26th August. Live music will come from Mr Wilson’s Second Liners: a vibrant marching band, renowned for getting audiences dancing wherever they play. Accompanying the live…
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Lower Mill Estate is proudly celebrating 25 years of living with nature. To mark this momentous occasion, we look back at how the estate has grown and developed into a captivating, holiday community. Creating a fabulous one-off podcast; Diane Wynell-Sutherland, who joined the journey at the very beginning, looks back over her time with Habitat…
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This summer we were delighted to welcome the return of events to the estate, having not had a celebration together since Christmas 2019, they had been eagerly anticipated. On Wednesday 25th August we hosted a taste of summer at the Hurricane Terrace. Residents and guests at Silverlake enjoyed an array of tea-time delicacies: from finger…
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Throughout June we held a competition to win your ultimate celebration: an opportunity for one lucky winner to host the ultimate celebration for 3 nights, for up to 12 guests at either Silverlake (Dorset) or Lower Mill Estate (The Cotswolds). The prize came with an incredible package including: LAKESIDE SUNDOWNER AFTERNOON PICNIC COCKTAIL NIGHT PRIVATE…
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