A hearty farm breakfast, included in the rates, is available in the large dining room steeped in rich German tradition. Platters of fresh fruit and cold cuts are offered with a basket of white and brown toast. But perhaps the heart of Bearbrook can be found in the barns and nature trails that contain the hundreds of animals that make up the bulk of the exotic ranch. Along the nature trails, the fallow and red deer run gracefully among pine trees. Delicate Sitka deer can be found eating from piles of hay in wooden troughs.
Human affection is something the animals are used to.
Deer will bound up to sniff at visitors without a hint of apprehension. That friendliness can be found in the domesticated animals as well. Rows of goats and sheep stick their heads out of their enclosures vying for your attention. The horse barn harbours various Shetland ponies, lamas and a magnificent pair of Clydesdales. It was a thrill to touch the shiny, black creatures that patiently waited as we stretched to pat their silky noses.