Laigh Hapton Farm Holidays

Farm holidays near Darvel in rural Ayrshire

Laigh Hapton Farm Holidays operates two self-catering properties, the Chaff House and the Hayloft, on a farm set outside the village of Darvel. The business presents itself as a base for friends and families exploring the Ayrshire countryside, and also for guests seeking quiet surroundings, countryside views and a hot tub. The accommodation sits next to Whitelee Forest and Windfarm, which the site describes as the UK's largest onshore windfarm, with direct off-road access and more than 130 kilometres of trails for walking, cycling and horse riding.

The two cottages

The Chaff House is laid out entirely on the ground floor with level access throughout. It has an open-plan living space with a Smart TV and an Amazon Alexa virtual assistant, a kitchen area with electric oven, electric hob, microwave, fridge, kettle and toaster, and an accessible wet room with shower, W.C. and wash basin. Sleeping arrangements consist of a twin room with electric profileable single beds and a double room with a zip-and-link superkingsize bed that can be made up as twins on request. Outside there is a private garden and decking with barbecue, fire pit and a private six-person hot tub. Two dogs are welcome, to be kept on a lead around the farm, with off-lead forest walks directly adjacent.

The Hayloft has an open-plan living area with sofa, Smart TV and Amazon Alexa virtual assistant, a dining area, and a luxury shower room with shower cubicle, W.C. and wash basin. A solid wooden staircase leads to a galleried bedroom with a zip-and-link superkingsize bed that can be converted to twins on request. Its private four-person hot tub sits within a fully enclosed seating area with countryside views, alongside a fire pit and barbecue. One dog is welcome, again on a lead around the farm. Both cottages have eco-friendly under-floor central heating, on-site or off-road parking and an EV charger.

What the cottages include

The site lists the following as provided for guests:

• Free WiFi and a welcome pack with local foods and snacks
• Tea, coffee and sugar
• All bedding, including for the sofa bed if required
• Hand towel and bath towel per guest
• Toilet roll, hand wash, shampoo and shower gel
• Cleaning products and equipment, including brush and pan, mop and bucket
• Hair dryer
• Iron and ironing board (Chaff House only)
• Clothes dryer
• Games compendium, books and local information guides

Holidays with horses

Guests may bring a horse as well as a dog. Adjacent to the cottages is a new wooden stable block reserved for holiday guests, with two large stables and an attached storeroom for tack and other essential items. A further stable block with five stables can be made available, accommodating up to seven equines in total. Stables are booked separately as an addition to either cottage at £20 per night per horse, and bedding or haylage can be purchased on site. All horses staying must be fully vaccinated and insured, and no grazing is available, only stabling and a turnout area.

Riding facilities include an all-weather carpet gallop, a floodlit outdoor arena and a wood chip turnout paddock. An on-site Accredited Professional Coach offers lessons, training and advice on riding and horse care. Hacking routes take in quiet country roads, river rides where horses can splash and drink in the Mucks water, canter tracks and access to Whitelee Windfarm, whose restricted vehicle access the site highlights as an advantage for riding, mountain biking and walking.

Animals and bookable activities

The farm keeps a named collection of animals: the pygmy goats Snowball, Fudge and Oreo; the alpacas Alex, Louis and Paul; the donkeys Dolly and Jack with foals Domino and Dallas; the rabbits Houdini and Elvis; the guinea pigs Sausage, Ham and Chips; the Fallabellas Tolka and Tollin; Bonnie the Jack Russell Terrier and Smokey the German Shepherd, alongside chickens, peacocks and horses. Interactive animal sessions and horse riding lessons or countryside hacks can be booked separately with the on-site owners, Angela and Ryan.

Guest feedback and booking notes

The site reproduces a testimonial from Staci and family, who stayed in February 2022 and praised the helpfulness of Angela and Ryan, the equipment in the cottage and the activities. The business asks guests to book the human accommodation first and then contact it by email or through the enquiry form to arrange stables or raise horse-related questions.