A whistle stop tour of Chettle Lodge, with MUCH more to see! 🌳🪻🐝 Have the entire place to yourselves, whether it’s a family getaway with a difference - a special get together with friends, or any kind of event you have in mind… we’re here to tailor the perfect stay for you here in Chettle 💚
Chettle Lodge gardens are looking so green and inviting at the moment with all this May sunshine.
We had a wonderful gardener, Jan, who was part of the team since the beginning in 1996, she did all the flower borders and general weeding. We haven’t done anything to the flower and shrub areas round the edges since we shut The Castleman Hotel & Restaurant in Oct ‘22!! But because she’d done such a great job over the years it’s held up well from us neglecting it.
Luckily we still have June, who was the restaurants veg grower, lawn mower and pruner and still does the lawn mowing and pruning, despite being 84 years ‘old’. Luckily she doesn’t have social media so she won’t know I’m revealing her age to the world. She’s the fittest 84 year old I’ve met and a legend who only wears pink and purple and occasionally blue.
As always, thanks to all the amazing ladies of Chettle, past and present, for always showing up, and doing a good job. 💪🙌🥰
Christmas 2026 dates are still available!!
It’s minimum 4 nights for 8 large ensuite bedrooms (and the possibility of 5 extra beds). Stable Loft is also possibly available which is an extra 2 bedrooms. So you could stay Wed 23rd or Thu 24th onwards and check out is on 28th Dec at the latest.
And don’t forget we have a 6-8 seater hot tub too. And 2 wood burning stoves to get cosy in front of. And a piano, so make sure one of the guests can play it 😂
Finally, some weather that shows the best side of this glorious house!!
We only have 3 empty weekends left between now and the end of summer. And Christmas 🎄 is still not confirmed. I have lots of people wanting 3 nights but I need 4 nights to make December work for us.
(Free weekends - 24th-26th July, 7th-9th Aug, 14th-16th Aug)
“What kind of Valentine’s gift could you possibly find in a humble village shop, you ask?
Turns out… quite a lot, if you’re willing to read between the shelves 👀💘
We’re always quiet in the first few months of the year so use it as a time to do all the maintenance jobs…. This is fixing the gutters, downpipes and porch drain. Nothing like a bit of rain to show all the issues up.
Plus we’ve been carpet, rug and furniture cleaning with our new Vax, v exciting to see the water colour change over time.
The building is going to be sparkly ✨
Day 11 “Cry, Cry Baby”
#adventweddingchallenge2025
“Sorry to be a pain…”
“There’s a few changes I’d like to make…”
“When we met, I decided on a matte look, I think I’d like to go with more of a brighter look now…”
“Have definitely decided against any waves, so blow dried straight with a little bit of volume is brilliant! “
(Just some of the feedback shared with us this year …)
At Barnet + Boatrace, we know that wedding hair and makeup plans can change — and honestly, we’re totally cool 😎 with it.
No cry babies here. ❌😭👶
If you change your mind, we’ll take it on the chin, switch the vibe, zero drama.
Your wedding morning should feel fun 🤩, flexible and very you, and we’re all about adapting to whatever plot twist comes our way (within reason).😉
From tweaking your hairstyle to rethinking your lipstick shade 💄, we’re here for the innovation — bring on the plot twists! 🌪️🙌
Images by @robingoodladphotography (First look is often a tear jerker!)
Makeup by @modelmakeoversmua
Hair by @katiepattersonbridalhair
Makeup + Hair coordinated by Barnet + Boatrace
Venue @chettle_lodge
Flowers @mad_hatter_floral
#hairandmakeupteam
#blandford
#weddingsindorset
It’s tomorrow! 🎄✨ we hope to see you there… for a mulled cider or two and a peruse of all our wonderful stalls! Swipe for parking info, a bit all over the place Chettle style 😎
Our Chettle Christmas Market is just over a week away! 🎄
Here’s a little glimpse of the wonderful stallholders joining us this year - a hand-picked selection of local, ethical makers offering beautiful gifts and treats.
📍 Chettle Lodge DT11 8DB
📅 Saturday 6th December
⏰ 10am – 4pm
✨ Free entry and parking
We can’t wait to see you 🌟
Loved teaching today’s sourdough workshop @chettle_lodge and helping more people feel confident creating nourishing food at home.
Whether I’m supporting a client’s digestion or showing them how to bake, it all comes back to the same thing:
small, simple choices that help your body feel better. #nutrition #sourdough_mania #sourdoughbread #learntobake #eatrealfood
Satisfying weeding Timelapse! 🌱 thanks to Chettle resident Richard for this amazing clean up at The Lodge. What an amazing difference it makes and with community help on hand for these kind of jobs it means we can keep The Lodge rental prices down 💪 #communitysupport
We are hosting Kate’s Kitchen Sourdough for Beginners! A 3 hour hands-on workshop at Chettle Lodge on Wednesday 26th November 12-3pm 🍞 🥖 ❤️ Link in bio to book or at kates-kitchen.com
Ready to bake your own sourdough bread? In this 3-hour workshop, you’ll learn every step of the sourdough process, from mixing dough to baking a perfect loaf.
What’s Included:
❤️ Freshly Baked Loaf: Take home a loaf you’ve baked yourself.
❤️ Loaf to Bake at Home: A second loaf to bake in your oven.
❤️ Dough to Ferment: Start your sourdough journey with dough to ferment at home.
❤️ Starter & Kit: Take home your own sourdough starter and a kit to continue baking at home.
❤️ Lunch & Tasting: Enjoy a light lunch with a glass of bubbles and sample different sourdough flavours.
This hands-on class is perfect for beginners, with small group sizes for personal attention. Learn the craft of sourdough baking from an expert and leave with the confidence and tools to bake at home.
Join us and discover the joy of baking sourdough from scratch! 🍞 🌾
Link in bio to book or at kates-kitchen.com
