We arrived in the dark, and it was quite daunting to navigate the forestry off Orchard and Pike Lanes - bear in mind we're UK city people from a land where there are no bears, snakes, possums, etc etc, so our 19 and 15 y/o kids were already on the lookout for grizzlies by our third traverse of the area. Also bear 8-) in mind we have NO cicadas in the UK - none - so the evening cricket noises were slightly overwhelming to us. The lesson is - arrive in the daytime. I know Woodstock pretty well but Pike Lane was new to me.
In the morning all was revealed to be very pretty, and only a short wander to Tinker Street. The cabin is rustic/charming but well equipped, with decent AC, a good selection of kitchen stuff, and it's nicely set off by the wooden beams and floors. Darin is a lovely chap and his dog was woofly friendly, even for a non-animal family like ours. I wandered the grounds a bit, although my kids were still convinced there were lions, tigers, etc, but didn't get too far in. It's a work in progress and I like the philosophy of sustainability and eco-friendliness Darin and family are working towards.
Woodstock of course is as lovely as ever, and even if you don't want to walk the road to the village it's a 3 min drive, and parking on Tinker St and Mill Hill Rd is free and plentiful. Go and discover Woodstock for yourself and you won't be disappointed.
Onto the 'even better ifs' - and our feedback is given in the spirit of positivity, not criticism. Both beds need replacing - no arguement there - and a bed investment will make a huge difference to overall comfort. The overbath shower in the bathroom is shared with lots of incie wincie spiders - yeah I know it's in the woods and there are spiders, but less wood cladding and more tiling could prevent them, and just feel fresher. The bathroom sink plug hole doesn't drain for ages, so you think you're about to flood the basin - an easy replacement. Outside night-time visibility is low, even with the fairy lights in the porch, so automatic lights on arrival would be useful. The porch could do with a spruce-up too.
Pike Lane Cabin is what it sets out to be - a pretty, rustic retreat - and if you're expecting suburban delights then you've come to the wrong place. The things we've mentioned would have made our stay better, but you won't be disappointed - if you're nature people and don't mind a bit of earthiness then you'll enjoy your stay. We're not, and we still did!