Freshwater Bay House
| This page is about the house itself. For other information about staying at Freshwater Bay House see the page here. |
There is something about traveling by ferry to start the holiday.
Freshwater Bay House is on the coast and it is one of the larger HF houses with 43 rooms. It was a purpose-built hotel and it has had various name changes over the years such as The George Inn and Plumley’s Post House. It has been extended over the years and had a 3rd floor added. It had many famous guests such as George Bernard Shaw, Lewis Carroll, Anthony Trollope, and Lord Tennyson. HF acquired it in 1956.
A few rooms face the sea but most face inland or over an inner courtyard.
There are a few rooms with sea views, the sun rise is very good to wake up to. One time I stayed there I got a room with this view. This was before HF had the concept of premium rooms and Tony allocated the rooms himself:
More rooms have nice inland views toward Dimbola Museum:
If you are unlucky, like I usually am because I don't tend to pay for premium rooms, then you get a room looking out to an inner courtyard with views over the fire escape and the kitchens:
I'm not complaining though because if I looked up I could just see Fort Redoubt. Also I did have single use of a double bed and a bath rather than a shower:
The managers and leaders house:
Gathering in the morning for a led walk. This was once a Dandelion Cafe more about this here.
In the garden is this gate to some steep steps down:
to a small beach
There are often there are often spectacular waves by the Albion Hotel:
and then the sun came out:
 |
Fort Redoubt is near Freshwater Bay House. I don't know the history of these tunnels under the Fort. |
The lifeboat returning:
One time I visited the house was floodlit in the evening:
This is where most of the activities take place. It has good views over the bay. This was once a Dandelion Cafe more about this here. It is now named the Wootton Room in honour of Tony's long tenure as manager:
The bar extends from here:
There are a couple of small lounges, I think the discovery point is going to be moved into one as it is very small at the moment.
This is the bigger lounge:
Dining room. Its good that they have still got carpets and blinds to deaden the sound.
This gives the layout of the house:
Boot room:
There is a lot of coastal erosion on the island. I don't think you can walk back to the house this way now. I think you have to go up to the golf course.
Near the HF house is Dimbola Museum, my pictures of Dimbola Museum on the page here
| This page is about the house itself. For other information about staying at Freshwater Bay House see the page here. |
Other Documents on this site
Click on the following for more information
| Former HF Houses | |
|---|---|
| Conwy (1914- 2011) |  |
| Newlands (1914- 1987) |  |
| Swanage (1947- 1995) |  |
| Isle of Arran (1925- ) |  |
| Scarborough (1954- 1998) |  |
| Lulworth |  |
| Beddgelert |  |
| New Inns |  |
| Penrith |  |
| Milford-on-Sea |  |
About This SiteHere is some information I have gathered together about getting to and walking from HF houses when leaving the car at home. On these pages I have also put some history about former HF houses I have visited. The information here is based on my visits to HF houses over the years. It may be out of date so don't rely on anything here without checking. If you find any errors why not let others know by putting a post on the HF Holiday Fans ( unofficial) Facebook forum. I will try to quote such posts here so they don't get lost. This is information I have discovered over the years which would have been useful to know before. Unfortunately the travel information on the HF website, for getting to houses by public transport, is poor. I think it would be better if the information on this page were on the HF website. |
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