# Peak District Retreat at Shawbottom Farm

> A private Retreat in a secluded area of the south-west Peak District National Park, England. Available for hire for self-catering private groups such as meditation, yoga, taichi and similar retreats, and for family/friendship group holidays and activities. Capacity up to 26 people. 

## Site map

- [Sitemap](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/sitemap/): 

## General Information

- [Peak District Retreat, group accommodation up to 26 people](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/): Secluded private retreat or self-catering holiday accommodation for groups of up to 26 people in a beautiful landscape and nature with abundant wildlife

- [About Peak District Retreat at Shawbottom](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/about/): The history and present of Peak District Retreat at Shawbottom, from its origins as a 'squatter' building to present day modern retreat / holiday accomodation

- [Live camera feeds from a barn owl nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/live-owl-cams/): Our cameras monitor the inside and outside of a barn owl nesting box. They generally run 24/7, but may be offline sometimes.

## Location, hiring, booking and enquiring

- [Accommodation details for Peak District Retreat](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/accommodation/): View the photos and read the details about the accommodation, kitchen, dining, bedrooms and bathrooms and accessible features at Peak District Retreat

- [Peak District Retreat terms, conditions, policies](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/documents/): Read about our terms and conditions for booking, policies, information about the retreat facilities and appliances, and similar documents

- [Directions to Peak District Retreat](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/directions/): Directions to Peak District Retreat at Shawbottom Farm, with map and information on car, train, bus and coach, and planes

- [Contact Peak District Retreat for group accommodation](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/contact/): Large group accommodation (up to 26 people). Enquire about booking, to discuss or request facilities available, or contact for any other matter.

## What to do and see

- [Peak District Retreat - Activities](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/activities/): There are many potential destinations and activities available to you when you stay at Peak District Retreat.

- [Wildlife at Peak District Retreat](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/wildlife/): We are nestled within a wildlife corridor sandwiched between two nature reserves. We are very fortunate to have so much wildlife all around us.

- [Galleries - videos and photos of Peak District Retreat](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/galleries/): Galleries of images of Peak District Retreat at Shawbottom Farm, the accommodation, the location and wildlife

## Blog on wildlife and our local environment

- [Peak District Retreat Blog](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/): A blog to share barn owl and other wildlife and general news about the Retreat and its environment. Photos, videos, and information.

- [Black redstart - an unusual sighting on winter moorland](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/black-redstart-an-unusual-sighting-on-winter-moorland/): An unusual bird to see in the UK, and particularly unusual to see it on moorland in December/January when they are usually found (if at all) on the coast.

- [Kestrel swoops on stock dove, twice in a few seconds](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/kestrel-swoops-on-stock-dove-twice-in-a-few-seconds/): A female kestrel swooped, claws out, grabbing for the dove, but it took sharp evasive action. The kestrel looped around and swooped again four seconds later.

- [Barn owls try to recover their nestbox from stock doves](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/barn-owls-try-to-recover-their-nestbox-from-stock-doves/): One dove was sitting on the eggs when suddenly a large barn owl crashed into the box, seemingly summoned by the smaller owl, and smothered the dove briefly.

- [A female kestrel visits the barn owl nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-female-kestrel-visits-the-barn-owl-nest-box/): Barn owls and kestrels can be serious adversaries. Kestrels may attack barn owls on the wing in an attempt to steal their prey, or fight over a nesting space

- [The Ghost of a Barn Owl? (just a camera artefact)](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/the-ghost-of-a-barn-owl-just-a-camera-artefact/): The see-through appearance is due to how these cameras work, not updating the whole image every frame, only partially seeing the fast owl which just appeared

- [Video of brown hare enjoying exploring a land-drain pipe](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/video-of-brown-hare-enjoying-exploring-a-land-drain-pipe/): We often see brown hares exploring a 12 inch land drain which passes under our track. Sometimes they circle around overground and go through the pipe again!

- [A female sparrowhawk visits the barn owl nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-female-sparrowhawk-visits-the-barn-owl-nest-box/): A female sparrowhawk visits the barn owl nest box. We consider it a barn owl box, but several other species are interested in it too.

- [2023 Barn owl nesting success - 4 eggs, 4 fledging](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/2023-barn-owl-nesting-success-4-eggs-4-fledging/): 2023 has been a successful year for our barn owls. Four eggs were laid, four eggs all hatched, and four owlets all grew and fledged successfully

- [Barn owl nesting 2024 - end of season activity report](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/barn-owl-nesting-2024-end-of-season-activity-report/): During 2024 there was no owl breeding in our barn owl nest box even though we had one owl roosting here very regularly over the winter.

- [Barn owl backlit by sun behind as she returns with prey](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/barn-owl-backlit-by-sun-behind-as-she-returns-with-prey/): Our resident barn owl returns to the nest box early one morning, bringing some prey with her, and is backlit by the sun behind her as she lands.

- [Red deer are quite commonly seen here, by day or by night](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/red-deer-are-quite-commonly-seen-here-by-day-or-by-night/): We can see the local red deer any time of year. Sometimes we see them naked-eye in in the daytime. We also catch them on wildlife/security cameras at night.

- [A tawny owl makes a first visit to our barn owl nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-tawny-owl-makes-a-first-visit-to-our-barn-owl-nest-box/): We often hear tawny owls hooting, particularly over the last 18 months, but this is the first time we have caught one on camera at our barn owl nest box

- [A Wren visits our empty snow-bound barn owl nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-wren-visits-our-empty-snow-bound-barn-owl-nest-box/): It snowed last night and the barn owl nest box was covered in deep snow. Fortunately no owls were trapped inside as the box was not inhabited last night.

- [Barn owls 2025: will we have a breeding pair this year?](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/barn-owls-2025-will-we-have-a-breeding-pair-this-year/): Will we have a breeding pair this year. A barn owl (female we think) has roosted here most daytimes over the winter (though not as regularly as last winter).

- [The curlews have returned to our breeding grounds](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/the-curlews-have-returned-to-our-breeding-grounds/): Each year the curlews return to the moorlands around us to nest on the wet moorland ground which is ideal feeding grounds for them and their chicks.

- [A pair of tawny owls try out our barn owl nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-pair-of-tawny-owls-try-out-our-barn-owl-nest-box/): There's a lot of interest in this barn owl nest box. This evening, for the first time, we have seen a tawny owl inside the box, and its mate looked in too.

- [Barn owl doing stretching exercises on the nest box ledge](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/barn-owl-doing-stretching-exercises-on-the-nest-box-ledge/): When the barn owls leave the box at dusk after a day of roosting, they often do some limbering up and stretching exercises on the nest box ledge.

- [Our resident barn owl has laid a second egg in our nestbox](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/our-resident-barn-owl-has-laid-a-second-egg-in-our-nestbox/): A second egg has been laid by our resident barn owl. There are likely to be more laid over the next few days - watch this space

- [Our first barn owl egg hatches - our first hatchling](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/our-first-barn-owl-egg-hatches-our-first-hatchling/): The first of our four barn owl eggs hatched about an hour before this photo was taken. The hatchling is the pink blob under the owl, next to the eggs.

- [Red deer visiting a stream for a drink in hot weather](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/red-deer-visiting-a-stream-for-a-drink-in-hot-weather/): It's warm dry weather. The red deer have visited this stream in this position a few times in the last couple of weeks. This time we caught them on camera.

- [Third barn owl egg hatches successfully](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/third-barn-owl-egg-hatches-successfully/): The third egg has hatched this evening. Not a very clear picture, but there are three hatchlings and one egg. One more egg to hatch, due in the next 3-5 days.

- [More barn owl box visitors - swallows, magpie, stock dove](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/more-barn-owl-box-visitors-swallows-magpie-stock-dove/): The barn owl nest box continues to attract attention from other birds, even though it is permanently inhabited by a barn owl sitting on four eggs

- [Caught on camera: A red-legged partridge in our farmyard](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/caught-on-camera-a-red-legged-partridge-in-our-farmyard/): I've seen these around the land occasionally. But this is the first time I've got a photo of a red-legged partridge. I saw it pecking around our farmyard.

- [Barn owl egg number three was laid this afternoon](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/barn-owl-egg-number-three-was-laid-this-afternoon/): There may yet be more to come, though the male owl is not doing a good job of bringing food to the female and that may inhibit further egg production.

- [The two day barn owl hatchling is growing and active](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/the-two-day-barn-owl-hatchling-is-growing-and-active/): Not yet 48 hours since hatching, the young barn owlet (the pink blob next to the remaining eggs) is clearly growing and moving - a good sign.

- [Magpies trying to steal prey from barn owl](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/magpies-trying-to-steal-prey-from-barn-owl/): Magpies sometimes attack barn owls in flight to try to steal their prey. On this occasion a pair of magpies followed the owl all the way back to the nest box

- [Newly hatched Canada goose goslings](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/newly-hatched-canada-goose-goslings/): Photos of our newly hatched Canada goose goslings. We've been expecting them as a goose has been sitting on a well-hidden nest of the last several weeks.

- [Visit our Barn owl nest box live camera feeds now](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/visit-our-barn-owl-nest-box-live-camera-feeds-now/): We have live streaming camera feeds from our barn owl nest box. Roosting occurs any time, nesting and raising young typically in spring/summer but variable

- [The barn owl pair perch together on the nest box ledge](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/the-barn-owl-pair-perch-together-on-the-nest-box-ledge/): Both barn owls left the box briefly to perch on the ledge, with the female to the left and the male to the right. Inside the box there are four eggs.

- [A courting barn owl pair settles into the nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-courting-barn-owl-pair-settles-into-the-nest-box/): The barn owls won the tussle with stock doves and others to occupy the barn owl nest box. A pair moved in a week ago and seem settled in for the season.

- [Our four barn owlets are active and developing](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/our-four-barn-owlets-are-active-and-developing/): These barn owlets range in age from 19 days to 4 weeks. They are beginning to replace their down with feathers e.g. look at the video at about 12 seconds in.

- [A stock dove attacks a barn owl roosting in the nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-stock-dove-attacks-a-barn-owl-roosting-in-the-nest-box/): We have a barn owl which roosts here most days (though occasionally misses a day). Today the doves came again, and entered the box to attack her.

- [Male barn owl bringing a vole to the female in the nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/male-barn-owl-bringing-a-vole-to-the-female-in-the-nest-box/): The male seems to have upped his game the last couple of days, and following the first hatching he has been bringing more prey to the nest box each night.

- [Our barn owls have now laid four eggs in our nest box](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/our-barn-owls-have-now-laid-four-eggs-in-our-nest-box/): The female barn owl steps aside for a stretch and reveals that she has laid a fourth egg. Is that it, or might there be more to come?

- [Our four barn owlets are doing well so far](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/our-four-barn-owlets-are-doing-well-so-far/): Our four barn owlets are doing well, being fed by their parents pretty reliably, and growing larger and fluffier.

- [Female barn owl retrieves the absentee male to the nestbox](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/female-barn-owl-retrieves-the-absentee-male-to-the-nestbox/): Our male barn owl is not good at bringing prey to feed the brooding female and rarely spends the night in the nest box - she went out and fetched him back

- [Our second barn owl egg has hatched this evening](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/our-second-barn-owl-egg-has-hatched-this-evening/): Earlier this evening a second barn owl egg has hatched successfully - see the photo. The third hatching is due in 3-5 days.

- [The fourth and final barn owl egg hatching caught on camera](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/the-fourth-and-final-barn-owl-egg-hatching-caught-on-camera/): For the hatching of the fourth barn owl egg we got a shot of the split egg with the owlet sitting in it yet to fully emerge

- [Barn owl pair side by side comparison](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/barn-owl-pair-side-by-side-comparison/): we've taken an opportunity of our barn owl pair sitting side-by-side to compare the features of male and female, showing the difficulty in distinguishing them at a distance.

- [Again a black redstart visits us unexpectedly](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/again-a-black-redstart-visits-us-unexpectedly/): A summer sighting of a female black redstart, a bird that has previously visited us in the winter yet is not expected here at any time of year.

- [Two jackdaws raided the barn owl nest box today](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/two-jackdaws-raided-the-barn-owl-nest-box-today/): The barn owl did not return to the box to roost today. Two jackdaws took the opportunity to visit and enter the box, removing owl pellets and wood shavings.

- [A pale phase/pale morph common buzzard perches and flies](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/a-pale-phase-pale-morph-common-buzzard-perches-and-flies/): This has been seen here a few times, perching on a fence post on our boundary. It has strikingly white features compared to the usual buzzard plumage.

- [Our first barn owl egg of 2025 has been laid in our nestbox](https://peakdistrictretreat.co.uk/blog/article/our-first-barn-owl-egg-of-2025-has-been-laid-in-our-nestbox/): The first barn owl egg has been laid. A typical clutch is 4-7 eggs. Look out for the next arrival over the next day or two…