Our Story - Oaksbrook

If you have dogs, this accommodation is fantastic, great walks, secure accommodation. spacious, relaxing environment. loved it

Eileen
A wonderful place to stay home from home. Made to feel very welcome by he owners. It is a great location central to either Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, London. Generous welcome basket. We look forward to staying again.

V
This cottage is perfect, a real converted barn. Very spacious. Mr and Mrs Gilbey could be more welcoming and heloful. If you have dogs lovely place to walk round the farm. The owners dogs are very welcoming. Really could not this place and will definitely be returning.

Suzanne
Just returned from spending a lovely week at Brook Farm with my dog. I would highly recommend it! Lovely cottage and beautiful surroundings, best of all its very dog friendly. I’m hoping to return next year.

Jodie Hicks
Had a lovely relaxing short stay at The Herdsman over the weekend. A fabulous setup in a beautiful setting with a warm welcome on arrival. I combined my stay with a workshop held at the farm and enjoyed the surroundings during the stay we were even lucky enough to see the Red Kite fly overhead whilst eating breakfast!

Vicky Slack
Just returned from spending a lovely week at Brook Farm with my dog. I would highly recommend it! Lovely cottage and beautiful surroundings, best of all its very dog friendly. I’m hoping to return next year.

Jodie Hicks
Jane was there to welcome us when we arrived and showed us around the property, everything we needed was there even for the dog, she made the dog feel welcome and all very comfortable for him, this was his first holiday and had lots of space for a run,cannot fault it at all..definitely would visit again.

Susan
What an amazing peaceful break away! No need to worry about anything as Jane is very helpful and great with recommendations. The barn is so cosy like a home from home. Lots of walking to do with dogs. Jack and barley are super friendly too (hosts dogs) and like to play and come walking with you. We loved every minute and hope to be back next year!

Annie
Great hospitality and county location. Well appointed accommodation with all creature comforts. Perfect for our two Cockerpoos who felt right at home. Will definitely be back!

Paul
Just had a great week with my dog Barnie at The Herdsman, a real home from home. Jane was a fantastic host, very welcoming, nothing seemed too much trouble. Barnie loved running through the fields with Jack and Barley, he didnt want to come home. Looking forward to returning soon.

Stuart
We were very happy with the cottage, it was the perfect weekend away. Jane, our host, was most attentive and informative about the cottage and its features. There is plenty of space to stretch your legs in the surroundings, our 3 dogs were very content! Would high recommend!

Megan
The barn conversion is very comfortable and spacious. Ideal place to take dogs on holiday with many lovely walks on the doorstop. The owner is very friendly and helpful. Loved seeing the horses in the paddock from the patio doors.

Jenny
A very nice quite location and a very nice and helpful owner. (Jane) Reviewed by Trevor, 17th May 2019 It was ok as a base but it would have been nice to have had a better outlook that's our opinion. Garden fence is rather low if you have a dog that can jump!

Garry
Great Place,Great Hosts,Great Price. What more can you say !!!!

Jason
Everything was very pleasantly comfortable. Nice touches in case you forget a few personal items. It is an ideal tranquil place to escape to. Jane is qualified to offer plenty of relaxing therapies to help you unwind. Dogs and horses are friendly and happy to have visitors nearby. Wellies are useful! Great property and great owners.

Donna
Wonderful quiet place and perfect escape from the rat race! Very well equipped property and extremely comfortable. Definitely hoping to come back.

Adrian and Vicky
Amazing place to just chill out and have adventures. Fantastic place, fantastic animals, fantastic property and fantastic people. Thank you 😊

Adrian and Vicky
Wow! This place is amazing. The dogs had such an amazing time, so quiet and relaxing. We will definitely be coming back.

Neil, Fiona, Bentley and Bella
Really enjoyed our stay. Great for the dogs to have so much space to run around. Lovely house, had everything we needed.

Jackie, Derrick, Fred, Marbles and Ozzie
Thanks you Jane and Steve, we loved and enjoyed our restful weekend. Our 2nd visit enjoyed as much as the 1st.

Sue and Phil Pellatt
Very beautiful cottage, perfect for the relaxing two weeks we had planned. Enjoyed watching the horses and Vegas and Phoebe loved their walks and space to play especially when Jack and Barley joined us. Big thank you to Jane and Steve.

Becky and Dale Dawson
Had a relaxing time at the barn, so quiet and the dogs had a ball out in the fields. Jane was so welcoming and so were her beautiful dogs. Hope to return soon.

Stuart, Carole, Rory, Cooper and Gideon

Oaksbrook is a nature inspired, wellness retreat at Brook Farm in the North Essex countryside. Brook Farm is home to Steve and Jane Gilbey, their two Golden Retrievers Jack and Barley, Janes horses and pet sheep, chickens and cats. Our dog friendly, “Herdsman” self catering barn, boasts spacious open plan living with a separate king size bedroom and ensuite, its own enclosed small courtyard garden and on site walks on our beautiful 20 acre farm.

In addition to the Herdsman barn we will soon be adding a Luxury Shepherd Hut which will be sited in a secluded wooded meadow, nestled behind a protective shelter of mature Pines. Wild flowers grow among the trees in little clearings. The Ryeland Hut, our first hut will provide a luxury Glamping experience. Further huts may follow in the future so we have a flock of three! We hope to be adding a log burning hot tub and fire pit, picnic table and a central outdoor seating area. The huts will be our very own, hand built by Steve at Oaksbrook Shepherd Huts. We are very excited to be creating this wonderful new venture. the site will be a “Woodland Champions Club” site. We are pleased to be partnering with Woodland Champions who share our ethos in creating new native woodlands. So far we have planted over 1000 metres of native hedge and in 2017 we planted 1000 trees to create a WW1 Memorial Wood in conjunction with the Woodland Trust.

Oaksbrook will also be hosting nature and animal based workshops and trainings, crafts, nature activities and day retreats. In addition our guests can enjoy a range of Holistic Complimentary therapies by Jane Gilbey. Jane is qualified in a number of therapies for people and animals and has her own business page dedicated to the animals @naturalanswer. Flower and Vibrational Essences, Reiki and other energy healing techniques, Equine Touch, Meditation and incorporating Equine Facilitated Learning.

The horses at Brook Farm and the other animals are the centre of Jane and Steves lives. Our lifestyle and our business are inspired by them. Our love of nature has also shaped the way Brook Farm has evolved in the last 12 years since we have lived here. We have created so much habitat for wildlife and that has been so gratifying as we now are seeing so many species of Flora and Forna at the farm.

Our visitors and guests will be able to purchase from our new range of own label jams, honey, chutneys, biscuits, nibbles and fudge plus the lovely Belvoir cordials and Presses and some other tasty snacks. In addition we have a range of our own greetings cards, hand made craft items and Neals Yard Organic skin care products.

Although primarily an adult retreat for holidays and short breaks for the accommodation, we will be organising some children friendly activities and nature days. Our Glamping area when not in use by overnight visitors will also be used as an out door forest school and Day retreat facility. We would encourage interested parties to get in touch as our outdoor spaces are flexible for a number of uses from Corporate staff get away days, hen or birthday activity retreats and for talking therapies, outdoor group play and learning. Brook Farm is spacious enough to allow space for all. Our mission is to help people connect with nature, to relax, re balance and unwind and to be refreshed when they leave.

We decided to create a brand in Oaksbrook as between us we have multi faceted ideas and services, like petals on a flower or like the facets of a crystal. The name Oaksbrook was first created many years ago for our pony that was born here who we named Oaksbrook Little Scarlet. That was inspired by our huge Oak ( Home Tree ) that overlooks the brook running through the property. So Brook Farm is host to all of our ventures.

From your hosts Steve and Jane Gilbey

Welcome to Oaksbrook!!