Things to note before your stay at Lower Mill Estate

We're looking forward to welcoming you to Lower Mill Estate. Nestled within 550 acres of lakes, meadows and protected nature reserve, the Estate is designed to help you slow down, reconnect with nature and enjoy a more relaxed pace of life. Before you travel, we'd like to share a few helpful things to know so you can make the most of your stay from the moment you arrive.

Arrival information

The following arrival information applies to guests who have booked through Habitat Escapes or Lower Mill Estate. If you booked through another provider, please contact them for details of your arrival.

• Check-in days are typically Monday, Friday or Saturday (depending on your booking).
• Check-in is from 1600, but you're welcome to arrive from 1400 and start enjoying the Estate facilities. Please note that access to your property will be available from 1600, unless you've arranged an early check-in.
• Check-out is 0900 during peak periods and 1000 during non-peak periods.
• Full arrival details, including directions and access information, will be emailed before your stay, and our team will contact you 1-2 days before arrival to answer any questions and ensure everything is in place for a smooth arrival.

Getting to and around Lower Mill Estate

Lower Mill Estate is designed to be a safe, relaxing environment for everyone:

• Please use the following address for directions to the estate entrance: Lower Mill Estate, Mill Lane, Somerford Keynes, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BG. When you arrive at the gates, please have your access code ready for entry (this will be sent ahead of your arrival).
• Please drive slowly – the Estate speed limit is 10mph, with some areas being 5mph.
• Be aware of pedestrians, cyclists and children playing throughout the Estate.

Parking at Lower Mill Estate

Parking arrangements vary across the Estate. All properties include allocated parking, although the number of spaces available differs by property. Please refer to your property's webpage for further details. If this information is not shown, please contact the Habitat Escapes team.

If your property doesn't have sufficient parking for everyone in your group, additional visitor parking is available in spaces marked with a "V", as well as in designated overflow parking areas around the Estate, including Mill Village, Millstone Park and Minety Lake.

Parking permits are required for all vehicles. You'll find permits in your property, ready to complete and display on arrival.

To help keep roads, pathways and emergency access routes clear, we ask all guests to park in allocated spaces or designated visitor car parks only. If you're travelling in multiple vehicles, it's worth checking your property's parking allocation before you arrive so you can plan ahead and make the most of the additional parking available across the Estate.

Deliveries and planning ahead

Lower Mill Estate enjoys a peaceful countryside setting and has a small on-site shop for everyday essentials. If you're planning a larger food shop for your stay, we recommend bringing supplies with you or arranging a supermarket delivery after you arrive. Supermarket deliveries can often be booked in advance and are a convenient way to stock up once you've settled in.

When organising deliveries, please ensure you provide the house number or name as well as the village you are staying in. You must be at the property to receive any deliveries, and we ask that you schedule deliveries to arrive after 1800 on the day of arrival.

Every home is unique

Every holiday home at Lower Mill Estate is privately owned and reflects the style, tastes and preferences of its owner.

As a result, no two properties are exactly the same. Furnishings, décor, kitchen equipment and other features will vary from one home to another. This individuality is part of the charm of staying at Lower Mill Estate and helps create a more personal, home-from-home experience.

All properties are self-catering and include a small welcome pack to help you settle in. Additional household supplies, such as dishwasher tablets, washing-up liquid and other consumables, are not routinely provided. If you need extra essentials during your stay, these can be purchased from Ballihoo Market in the heart of the Estate.

We kindly ask all guests to treat their holiday home with the same care and respect they would their own, helping us preserve these special spaces for homeowners and future guests alike.

Staying connected

While Wi-Fi is available within properties and select locations across the Estate, mobile phone signal can vary depending on where you are and your network provider. Before you arrive, we recommend downloading the Lower Mill Estate app, where you'll find useful information to help you make the most of your stay.

Swimming at Lower Mill Estate

The Leisure & Wellness Club is one of the most popular facilities on the Estate, particularly during school holidays and bank holiday weekends. Unless stated otherwise, we ask guests to book swim sessions in advance. Details of how to reserve your sessions will be provided before your arrival, and we recommend booking ahead to avoid disappointment.

If you're looking for a more spontaneous swim, the heated outdoor pool in Mill Village is open from 0800 until dusk throughout the year and does not require advance booking. Tucked away among the greenery, it's a peaceful spot for an early morning dip, a family swim or simply unwinding close to nature.

Use of facilities

During your stay, you may have access to estate facilities such as the Leisure & Wellness Club. Guests who book directly with Habitat Escapes or Lower Mill Estate enjoy access to the Leisure & Wellness Club as part of their stay. If you booked through another provider, please check with them whether access is included.

• Access is for registered guests only.
• Do not share access cards or allow non-guests to enter.
• Children must be accompanied in all leisure areas.
• Please be considerate of other guests when using shared spaces.

Opening hours

Opening hours for the Activity Hub, Ballihoo, the Leisure & Wellness Club and other on-site facilities vary throughout the year. For the latest opening hours, please visit our FAQs page, where you'll find up-to-date opening hours for all Estate facilities in one place.

Exploring the Estate and lakes

Lower Mill Estate is designed to be explored on foot, by bike and from the water. As you wander through the Estate you'll encounter lakes, nature trails and open green spaces, all shared by guests, homeowners and wildlife. While the Estate spans 550 acres, many of its facilities and amenities are within comfortable walking distance.

The lakes are one of Lower Mill Estate's most loved features, providing the perfect setting for kayaking, paddleboarding and exploring the Estate from a different perspective. Whether you're hiring equipment from our on-site Activity Hub or bringing your own craft, we ask all guests to enjoy the lakes responsibly and put safety first.

Buoyancy aids must be worn at all times on the lakes, regardless of experience level. Guests hiring equipment from the Activity Hub will be provided with buoyancy aids, while those bringing their own equipment must ensure suitable buoyancy aids are available for all participants. For the safety of all guests, anyone not following the relevant rules will be asked to leave the lakes.

If you plan to use your own paddleboard, kayak or other watercraft during your stay, you'll need proof of appropriate third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover limit of £1 million. We also recommend taking a moment to familiarise yourself with our safety information and guidance before heading onto the water.

Safety around the Estate

Your safety is important, especially in a natural lakeside setting:

• Children must be supervised at all times, particularly near water.
• Follow all safety signage around lakes, play areas and facilities.
• Pools, spa areas and activity spaces have their own safety rules – please observe them at all times.
• Only use lakes and facilities where activities are explicitly permitted.

A naturally dark estate

One of the things guests love most about Lower Mill Estate is its peaceful, natural setting. To protect local wildlife and preserve the character of the nature reserve, outdoor lighting is intentionally kept to a minimum across much of the Estate. As a result, pathways and lakeside areas can be much darker than you might be used to. We recommend bringing a torch for evening walks and taking extra care near the water after dark.

The Estate's low-light approach also helps support local wildlife, including bats, otters, owls and other nocturnal species, allowing them to move more naturally through the landscape and along important wildlife corridors. If you’re lucky enough to be joining us on a clear night, the lack of light pollution provides a fantastic opportunity for stargazing.

Living alongside nature

Nature sits at the heart of everything we do. Throughout your stay, you may encounter a variety of wildlife, from ducks, swans and dragonflies to deer, bats and a wide range of native bird species. As a protected nature reserve, Lower Mill Estate is home to wildlife year-round, and we take a nature-first approach to managing the environment around us.

As a result, you may occasionally notice signs of our wild residents during your stay. Some properties are popular nesting spots for birds, particularly House Martins during the spring and summer months. Once established, nests are protected by law and cannot be moved or disturbed. These remarkable birds migrate from Africa each year and often return to the same nest, reusing it season after season. Spider webs can also appear quickly in sheltered outdoor areas, especially during warmer weather. While our teams work hard to keep properties and communal spaces looking their best, spiders play an important role in supporting local wildlife and we avoid the use of unnecessary chemicals wherever possible to help protect the habitats and species that call Lower Mill Estate home.

We hope these small reminders of the natural world only add to the charm of your stay, and help tell the story of the thriving ecosystem that makes Lower Mill Estate so special. Thank you for your understanding if you encounter the occasional bird's nest, spider web or other evidence that you're sharing the Estate with some of its other residents.

Wildlife and nature

Lower Mill Estate is a protected natural environment:

• Please do not feed wildlife.
• Stick to designated paths and respect any seasonal restrictions.
• Help us protect local habitats, especially around lakes and reed beds.
• Keep dogs under control and away from sensitive wildlife areas.

Important estate rules

To maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone:

• Properties are for holiday use only.
• Parties, events, stag or hen groups are not permitted.
• Do not exceed the maximum occupancy of your property.
• Do not enter private areas or other properties.
• Fireworks are not allowed on the Estate.

If things go wrong

Failure to follow estate guidelines may result in:

• Charges for damage or disturbance.
• Loss of deposit.
• In serious cases, removal from the Estate.

Respecting the peace and quiet

Lower Mill Estate is a tranquil, nature-led environment, so we ask all guests to be considerate:

• Keep noise to a minimum, especially outdoors and on balconies.
• No external amplified music at any time.
• Indoor noise should be kept low, particularly after 2300.
• Please be mindful of neighbouring properties – noise travels easily across water.

If you need help

We hope your stay is relaxing and trouble-free, but help is always available if you need it.

Emergency contact information, together with useful numbers for Habitat Escapes' friendly Guest Relations team, Lower Mill Estate Guest Relations, Ballihoo, the Leisure & Wellness Club, the Activity Hub and Security, can be found in the guest directory provided in Habitat Escapes-managed properties.

Guests who have booked directly with Habitat Escapes, the official holiday booking partner for Lower Mill Estate, will also find these details in their pre-arrival information. If you cannot locate the information you need, please contact our team. If there is an immediate threat to life or property, call 999.

Now, relax and enjoy your stay

Lower Mill Estate is a place to unwind, explore and spend quality time together. Whether you're here for a family holiday, a romantic escape or a break with friends, we hope these tips help you arrive prepared and ready to enjoy everything the Estate has to offer.