First-floor studio-style layout with king-size bed, sitting area, TV and covered balcony. Ground floor kitchen and dining. Ground-floor shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail, and WC
Gas central heating
Electric oven and gas hob, microwave, fridge freezer, washing machine
TV, books, WiFi
Fuel and power inc. in rent
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Large mature garden with lawn, covered seating area with furniture
Off-road parking for 1 car
One well-behaved dog welcome
Sorry, no smoking
Shop and pub 0.9 miles
Ottery St Mary sits beside the River Otter and is well known for its literary connections to the poet Coleridge and for its beautiful church often referred to as a Exeter cathedral lookalike. Ottery St Mary is also famous for its traditional ‘Tar Barrels’ which attracts more than 3000 visitors on 5th November each year. Ottery has welcoming traditional Devon pubs and plenty of individual shops, offering quality local produce and a warm welcome to visitors. The area is a walkers’ paradise, with strolls along the banks of the River Otter or hill climbs offering magnificent views as far as Dartmoor. Nearby Escot Country Park is a fabulous wildlife visitor attraction for the whole family and the dramatic 20 mile stretch of Jurassic Coast, England’s first natural World Heritage Site is a short drive from Ottery where resorts such as Seaton, Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth and Sidmouth are found along this stretch of coastline. Sidmouth is an elegant seaside resort on the south Devon stretch of Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site of great natural beauty. Lined with stylish Regency cream-and-white architecture, creating an elegant Esplanade which makes for a relaxing stroll whilst looking out towards Beer Head. There are a variety of attractions around Sidmouth including Pecorama with award-winning miniature railway and gardens, the Seaton tramway and the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve. An easy drive from Ottery is the cathedral city of Exeter with plenty of large shops, a wealth of museums, a theatre and many fabulous restaurants.
With wide sandy beaches, remote moors, and chocolate-box villages, Devon is a stunning holiday destination at any time of year. It’s also a haven for bird watchers, offering a rich variety of landscapes and habitats, with dozens of nature reserves and over 200 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
One of the county’s highlights is the Exe Estuary, a vital breeding and feeding ground for thousands of wildfowl and waders, including avocets, redshanks, snipes, little stints, and sandpipers. Surrounding the estuary are several nature reserves, such as Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve, where reedbeds, meadows, ponds, and saltmarshes support large populations of black-tailed godwits, dunlins, grey plovers, red-breasted mergansers, and wigeons. With its family-friendly sandy beach backed by dunes, it’s a fantastic spot for a day out.
Just 15 minutes from Exeter, Haldon Forest is a vast conifer plantation that supports five species of breeding birds of prey: goshawks, hobbies, sparrowhawks, buzzards, and kestrels. A bird hide and viewing point, managed by Forestry England, offer the chance to see these impressive raptors up close. The forest is also home to nightjars, crossbills, and a variety of butterflies. Walking and cycling trails, play areas, treetop rope courses, and picnic spots make it an excellent destination for families and nature lovers alike.
Owned by the National Trust, Lundy, an island in the Bristol Channel, is easily reached by boat from Ilfracombe or Bideford. From April to July, thousands of seabirds arrive to breed, including puffins, razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, kittiwakes, and Manx shearwaters. The island is also a magnet for migrating birds, with rare visitors from as far afield as North America and Siberia recorded annually.
Slapton Ley, the largest freshwater lagoon in southwest England, is separated from the sea by a narrow shingle ridge known as Slapton Sands. Surrounded by reedbeds, marshes, and woodland, it provides a rich habitat for birds such as Cetti’s warblers, reed warblers, sedge warblers, and grasshopper warblers. On the water, look out for great crested grebes, gadwalls, and water rails. Other wildlife in the area includes otters, badgers, dormice, and several bat species.
Exmoor National Park offers a remarkable diversity of habitats, from moorland and farmland to ancient woodland, rivers, and dramatic coastline. The open moors are home to Dartford warblers, linnets, and whinchats, while the woodlands host pied flycatchers, tree pipits, redstarts, and all three British woodpecker species. Along the rivers, look for grey wagtails, dippers, and kingfishers. The coastal edges are frequented by curlews, ringed plovers, turnstones, and occasionally knots, ruffs, and curlew sandpipers. Visitors can also enjoy walking and cycling routes, canoeing and kayaking, charming historic villages, Dunster Castle, and of course, Exmoor’s iconic wild ponies.
Located in the heart of the county, Dartmoor National Park is more rugged and wild, with dramatic granite tors and deep river valleys, perfect for a day of exploration. Bird watchers should look out for ground-nesting species like meadow pipits, skylarks, and stonechats. The moor also supports ring ouzels and red grouse, and is one of the best places in the UK to hear the distinctive call of the cuckoo in spring. For those wanting to cool off after a hike, Dartmoor has some of the finest wild swimming spots in the country.
