LACKAN COTTAGE FARM
Home of the Off Grid Horsebox and Birch Cottage, wonderfully unusual places to stay in Northern Ireland. Unique four star self catering eco accommodation, and Green Tourism Gold rated.
LACKAN COTTAGE FARM
Home of the Off Grid Horsebox and Birch Cottage, wonderfully unusual places to stay in Northern Ireland. Unique four star self catering eco accommodation, and Green Tourism Gold rated.
Tranquil and unusual places to stay
You can wake to a view of the beautiful birch woods outside your window, and enjoy the peace and quiet. Here you are surrounded by birdsong, clean air, and wonderful views. Walk in the woods, feed the hens, and enjoy fresh produce from our gardens. As a result, Birch Cottage and the Off Grid Horse box are really unusual places to stay.
Some of the most stunning countryside in Northern Ireland is on your doorstep. The Mourne Mountains, Tollymore and Castlewellan forest parks, Newcastle beach and stunning Silent Valley are just a short drive away.
Come and stay in Northern Ireland’s only off-grid self catering cottage and upcycled horse truck. Visitors can sample life on our pioneering low impact smallholding.
The good life experience
When you stay in Birch Cottage or the Off Grid Horsebox, you are free to explore our smallholding, meet the horses and hens. Walk in the private birch woodlands, and explore the gardens and unique spaces that you’ll find here.
We are pioneers of the growing ecotourism and green tourism movement here in Northern Ireland. Consequently, sharing our lifestyle, fresh produce, and experiences with visitors is all part of the experience.
The Off Grid Horsebox has an amazing upcycled interior, and also offers a cosy hideaway where you can unplug from the outside world completely.
Birch Cottage is off grid accommodation without compromise – hand crafted, comfortable, and it has wonderful views. It really is the greenest holiday cottage in Northern Ireland.
Birch Eco Cottage
You can unwind and escape to another world here at Birch Cottage. It’s unique, cosy atmosphere is a result of the hand crafted interior. Here, everything has a story and above all is chosen to be natural, which gives the cottage it’s homely feel.
Birch Eco Cottage
You can unwind and escape to another world here at Birch Cottage. It’s unique, cosy atmosphere is a result of the hand crafted interior. Here, everything has a story and above all is chosen to be natural, which gives the cottage it’s homely feel.
Birch Cottage is a little piece of heaven. The landscape is full of round hills and small boggy hollows, all overlooked by the Mournes. Clare and Steve’s smallholding is an inspiring space of hard-won diversity and fertility. Their ponies and birch wood are at the door, and the magical Lacken bog green road is a small step away. The cottage is warm, comfortable, very well thought out and has everything you could need, even a guitar !
Claire’s cottage is really the most beautiful retreat in the countryside. She was there to welcome us into their pristine cottage – which had everything you could want for – and kept and eye out for us over our stay. Great area for cycling and walking. Lovely quiet weekend away and definitely recommend. Thank you!
We absolutely loved staying in this little hideaway at the foot of the Mournes. We were greated by our host Claire who had made sure the cottage was warm and cosey for us arriving after a bit of drive on a cool Friday evening. The little cottage is just what we hoped for; a little retreat for the weekend to unplug and relax. Everything is finished to such a high standard – you can notice the quality and craftsmanship in everything you see and touch.
Off Grid Horse Truck
There are few more unusual places to stay than in a converted horse truck. You’ll feel at home here because we made it a place that we would want to escape to ourselves. The quirky, cosy interior is a result of using upcycled and natural materials. You can watch the stars from the comfort of the box bed, play the guitar, or chill out by the woodburning stove. Maybe you’ll just sit on the deck and look at the mountains, because this is an especally peaceful corner of Lackan Cottage Farm.
Off Grid Horse Truck
There are few more unusual places to stay than in a converted horse truck. You’ll feel at home here because we made it a place that we would want to escape to ourselves. The quirky, cosy interior is a result of using upcycled and natural materials. You can watch the stars from the comfort of the box bed, play the guitar, or chill out by the woodburning stove. Maybe you’ll just sit on the deck and look at the mountains, because this is an especally peaceful corner of Lackan Cottage Farm.
Making a greener lifestyle a reality
Lackan Cottage Farm is our family home, where we are living as sustainably as we can. We have established an organic smallholding so we can grow our own food, make our own energy, and promote the idea of self reliance. With its woodland and views over the Co Down drumlins to the Mourne Mountains beyond, this is also a place that we want to share with as many people as possible, because we know how it can inspire them.
Our response to a changing world
On the farm, and here on the website, we share our experiences of living a green lifestyle, and also many projects that we’ve undertaken to try and achieve that. You’ll find everything here. From our solar and wind power and a straw bale barn to composting toilets. We also run regular courses on topics such as wood turning, off grid living, basket making and permaculture.
Sharing experiences
We are fortunate to have this opportunity and as a result be able to live the way we do. It is becoming increasingly apparent that as a society, we can’t go on the way we have been.Consequently something has to give. As we talk to people, their frustration at inequality and instability is obvious. Furthermore, environmental and economic worries serve to highlight the need for alternative solutions.
Lackan Cottage Farm is our response to that. Consequently, as well as upskilling ourselves to be better able to cope, we are empowering others to do the same. Likewise, we provide unusual places to stay so that they can come and experience it for themselves. Therefore everything we offer here comes from our own experience and is created to be really special, whether it be a day of winemaking, or the interior of the horsebox. We hope you will love it as much as we do.
Steve & Claire Golemboski-Byrne
Sharing experiences
We are fortunate to have this opportunity and as a result be able to live the way we do. It is becoming increasingly apparent that as a society, we can’t go on the way we have been.Consequently something has to give. As we talk to people, their frustration at inequality and instability is obvious. Furthermore, environmental and economic worries serve to highlight the need for alternative solutions.
Lackan Cottage Farm is our response to that. Consequently, as well as upskilling ourselves to be better able to cope, we are empowering others to do the same. Likewise, we provide unusual places to stay so that they can come and experience it for themselves. Therefore everything we offer here comes from our own experience and is created to be really special, whether it be a day of winemaking, or the interior of the horsebox. We hope you will love it as much as we do.
Steve & Claire Golemboski-Byrne
News and events from Lackan
Accommodation closed until further notice
We've now closed Birch Cottage and the Off Grid Horse box until June at the earliest, and we'll take a decision on reopening based on government advice. Thanks for your understanding.
Looking forward to spring
A busy week in the garden, we've tidied up all the beds that have crops in - the chickens had been wandering and taken advantage of the lack of netting on one or two things, so we've covered those properly, and cleaned up decomposing leaves that are such an attraction...
True North
Back in 2019 we spent a few days filming with Jon Thompson and he made this excellent short film for the BBC True North series, about our life off grid. We're really pleased with the way its turned out, and were delighted to take part in a well attended Q&A...
Come and learn
Ever wanted to make your own wine? Grow your own food? How about making your own basket, or a wooden stool? These are the kinds of practical opportunities that we offer on our regular courses, taught by people we respect and who are expert at what they do. In addition we run broader courses in subjects such as Off Grid and ‘DIY’ living, Permaculture and Natural Building where you can discover more about ways to be more self reliant.
Come and learn
Ever wanted to make your own wine? Grow your own food? How about making your own basket, or a wooden stool? These are the kinds of practical opportunities that we offer on our regular courses, taught by people we respect and who are expert at what they do. In addition we run broader courses in subjects such as Off Grid and ‘DIY’ living, Permaculture and Natural Building where you can discover more about ways to be more self reliant.