Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Growth and New Beginnings at Otby House Farm
As 2024 draws to a close, it’s a perfect time to pause and reflect on what’s been an incredibly busy and rewarding year for us here at Otby House Farm. It’s been a year of change, growth, and new ventures, and as we begin planning for an exciting 2025, we’re taking a moment to share some of the highlights from this year.
Diversification at the Heart of Otby
One of the main focuses of 2024 has been our diversification projects. These projects have been the driving force behind much of the activity here on the farm, and we’ve made great strides toward creating a sustainable and thriving future.
Rebranding & Website Overhaul
At the start of the year, we decided it was time for a fresh new look to represent the evolving direction of Otby House Farm. We worked hard to create a brand and website that not only reflects who we are but also provides a solid platform for our new enterprises. We’re thrilled with the result and can’t wait to show it off in the years to come!
Fishing Improvements
Though we’ve not been open for fishing this year due to ongoing building works, we’ve been busy behind the scenes developing a new booking system in partnership with GoCatch. This system will make it easier for you to book your fishing trips at Otby in the future. We can’t wait to get the fishing season back up and running with this exciting new system in place.
Otby Caravan & Camping
Otby Caravan and Camping, is nearly ready to launch in Spring 2025. We’ve been working diligently to create a peaceful, welcoming space for guests to enjoy the beauty of the Lincolnshire Wolds in a relaxed, outdoor setting. Lace up your walking boots and come and use us a base from which to explore the Lincolnshire Wolds.
Simulated Game Days
Our Simulated Game Days continue to be a popular activity. It’s been fantastic to see so many people come together to enjoy the thrill of the shoot in a safe, friendly environment. These days have become a much-loved part of our calendar, and we look forward to offering even more opportunities next Spring.
The Boat House Renovation
Perhaps one of the most exciting projects of the year has been the renovation of the Boat House. This long-awaited project has been years in the making, and we are incredibly proud of the transformation. The Boat House is now almost ready, and we can’t wait for you to experience it.
A Year of Firsts
2024 has also been a year of firsts, with many new opportunities and connections helping to shape the future of Otby House Farm.
Family Photoshoot
This year, we had the chance to capture some special memories with our very first family photoshoot.
Film Location Partnerships
We’ve taken steps to showcase Otby House Farm as a potential film location, linking up with location agencies to promote the farm’s unique beauty and charm. It’s been exciting to explore this new avenue, and we’re hopeful that 2025 will bring some filming opportunities to the farm.
Our First Wedding Booking
We’re thrilled to share that 2024 marked our very first wedding booking! We’re excited to offer Otby House Farm as a unique and beautiful wedding venue for couples looking to celebrate their big day in a scenic and peaceful setting.
Building Local Partnerships
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and in 2024, we’ve worked hard to create new partnerships with local suppliers. By strengthening these relationships, we’re committed to supporting local businesses and contributing to the sustainability of both the farm and the wider community.
Farming at Otby
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true reflection of the year without mentioning the work we do on the farm itself. It’s been another successful year in the fields and with our livestock in what have been diffcult conditions for a whole host of reasons.
Successful Harvests & Sowing for the Future
With our crops brought in and safely stored. We’ve also sown the seeds for next year’s harvest, ensuring that we’re ready for the season ahead.
Lambing Season
This year, we welcomed new lambs into our commercial sheep flock. It’s always a busy but exciting time on the farm, and we’ve been dedicated to caring for the flock throughout the year to ensure their health and well-being.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As we turn our attention to 2025, we’re filled with excitement and anticipation for what’s to come. The plans we’ve set in motion this year are just the beginning, and we can’t wait to share all that we have in store for the year ahead.
Whether it’s opening Otby Caravan and Camping, welcoming guests to the renovated Boat House, or offering more memorable experiences at our Simulated Game Days, 2025 promises to be another exciting year.
From all of us here at Otby House Farm, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you in 2025!
Building is such a messy process! Its amazing how we move from piles of rubble and tangles of electrical cables to the shiny finished product. Our vision, to create a memorable site for a holiday totally away from it all with touches of rustic mixed in with elements of luxury is definitely coming together.
We are firmly in the messy stage at the moment but getting tantalising glimpses of how the building is going to sit in the landscape once we are finished.
Once the extension steels were up it was clear that the original block work was a little wonkier than we had hoped, and so for a while we had a little less Boat House than we started with, as the existing walls came down to floor level. Once that section came down the timber structure has come together very quickly giving rise to a brand-new building. The space we have created is bigger than we anticipated allowing plenty of room for living and moving around. As the builders continue to do a fantastic job, insulating every inch of the building to make sure guests stay nice and warm, we have started to make exciting internal design decisions. Most excitingly commissioning a huge bespoke oak framed bed to be created by @whitehouse_joiner_and_maker to make sure guests have the best nights sleep in these amazing surroundings. Log burners have been selected and the kitchen area commissioned!
There is still someway to go and as with every project we are problem solving as we go. The latest ‘additional’ project comes in the form of a very functional store cupboard to hide the boring electricals and functional side of the building. And slightly more exciting the addition of an outside shower to wash off the lake water should guests fancy a swim!
The next phase will be the cladding and the installation of the solar panels which will add to the off grid experience of a stay at The Boat House!
Things must look worse before they get better.
In order to document our latest project we are going to create a blog series to showcase the progress of our Boat House renovations and bring new and old guests along for the ride.
Having stood the test of time the current Boat House, which was built by Great Aunt Tim and Great Uncle Rex in 1962, holds a huge amount of sentimentality for the family. Its such a unique spot and so the renovations come with the added pressure of ‘doing the right thing’ to keep the integrity of the original building whilst updating it to create a modern, beautiful space for guests to stay.
As happens with all projects, it was decided that the patio area, which has previously been used for shoot parties and fisherman to sit and take in the views, needed a face lift before we blocked off access with an extension to the Boat House. So, in the pouring February rain we took up the existing patio slabs and started the creation of what has turned out to be the most fantastic structure. I say structure because we are still arguing about what to call it, patio isn’t right, pagoda? Maybe our guests will help us to decide! Luckily the weather improved enabling the builders to erect the larch legs and create an amazing fireplace that gives the space another dimension. Think roasting marshmallows or grilling a steak our vision is that guests will be able to use the space come rain or shine to enjoy the lake views. As an added bonus and on a good day you can just make out the outline of Lincoln Cathedral many miles away.
Meanwhile the Boat House renovation didn’t get off to the greatest start. Having lowered the water at the lake in February we finally poured concrete for the foundations in July. For those of you that know Otby Lake you can well imagine the tension on site as a full concrete lorry made its way down the steep hill to make its pour. We are happy to report that it went without a hitch and the lads from Optima created the extension foundations within hours. Next followed the steel structure that forms the base of the extension and will eventually be the bedroom and bathroom of the luxury Boat House.
Currently, there’s a little bitless Boat House than there was when we started but the scaffold is up and the builders are starting work on building the timber structure, that will be the new accommodation. Whilst they crack on we are busy researching and making decisions on what the interiors are going to look like. It all feels like its finally starting to come together.
The Boat House has stood unchanged since 1962. The time has come for this lake-side building, the site of many Cooper family celebrations, to enjoy a new lease of life. Here, we’ll be keeping you up-to-date with all the renovation work as we work to create a luxury self-catered accommodation that allows guests to soak up the peace and tranquillity of the surroundings, in line with our plans for further diversification.
Originally dammed in the early 1960s by the Cooper family, a move that was motivated by the family’s vision to see a six-acre lake created in the valley, the lake was established as a private fishery for the family to retreat to in the summer months as well as for private family parties and quiet evenings by the water.
An early diversification project, the fly-fishing began to contribute towards the costs of maintaining the lake with the first syndicate group being set up in the 1990s. Its popularity grew and operations subsequently developed into Otby offering a day ticket fishery, which in turn gently grew in popularity.
Today, the lake is regularly stocked with brown and rainbow trout, with the aim of keeping the lake as the dry-fly fishery envisaged by previous generations of the Cooper family. That said, the future of The Boat House and the idea to turn it into a unique accommodation offering has long been talked about around the family table.
It has stood relatively unchanged since 1962, and the time has finally come for The Boat House to enjoy a new lease of life as the family’s plans for further diversification continue.
With planning now having been secured, and an exciting scheme of work drawn up by local architects, we’ll be creating luxury self-catered accommodation that allows guests to soak up the peace and tranquillity of the surroundings.
Taking inspiration from the original building and expanding it to double the size, when work has been completed guests will be able to enjoy a spacious living area and a bedroom. Think lazy mornings looking out over the lake, and cosy nights on the balcony area, spent dining on pizza from the brick oven and toasting marshmallows over the fire as the sun goes down.
We are really excited to see this area come to life and share it with new guests.
*Working side-by-side, the new accommodation will complement the trout fishery which will reopen once all building work has been completed.