Our Story: How Halnaker Huts Began
Jen and Ben both grew up in the South Downs, spending much of their childhood outdoors, walking, exploring, and getting to know the landscape that still feels like home to them today.
Over the years, they’d often talked about finding a way to let others experience the same peace, beauty, and simplicity the Downs had always given them.
Jen already had some hosting experience, having rented out their house during the Goodwood events. They both loved the idea of glamping and offering a self-contained Airbnb stay, but the cost of buying brand-new units always felt a bit out of reach.
Then one afternoon, while out on one of their usual walks through the South Downs, they passed a garden where two shepherd’s huts sat just off the footpath, one blue, one black.
Jen & Ben with Brooke & Bronte
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Over the next few months, they kept searching for huts, but everything new was far too expensive, cheap ones needed too much attention.
And then, by chance, those exact same huts they had seen on that walk had a for sale sign. It felt like the opportunity they had been waiting for.
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They took the leap. One hut only needed a few small refurbishments, while the other required a full makeover, including building an ensuite bathroom from scratch. Once in place and build up, the journey started, with the comfortable spaces they had imagined.
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Today, the Halnaker Huts welcome guests who wake up surrounded by greenery, birdsong, and the peaceful sweep of the South Downs, with the Halnaker Windmill just over the hill. The huts have become a place for rest, fresh air, and simple moments exactly what Jen and Ben always hoped to share.
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