Dartington Cottage is one of eight luxury holiday cottages set in the peaceful grounds of a 14-acre, private, family-owned estate in south Devon. This snug and comfortable mid-terrace cottage features an open-plan living area, a rooftop terrace and three bedrooms that sleep 4 adults, 2 children and an infant. Guests of all holiday cottages here have access to luxurious facilities including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a shared hot tub, a tennis court and children’s play areas. Meanwhile, the location is ideal for trips into Dartmoor National Park, stunning beaches and the waterside towns of Dartmouth and Salcombe.
A small flight of steps leads to the entrance of this mid-terrace cottage and into the compact, open-plan living/dining/kitchen area. Take the weight off your feet on the sofa or one of the armchairs, snuggle up to watch TV, or get cosy beside the log burner.
The U-shaped kitchen is compact but equipped with everything you’ll need to self-cater including an oven and hob, a microwave, a kettle, a toaster, a dishwasher, a washing machine and a tumble dryer, while the dining table has seating for up to six guests.
A staircase with an integral stair gate leads down to the ground floor and the three bedrooms. Bedroom one is spacious and features a super-king-size bed (and space for a cot if required) and an en-suite shower room with a WC, hand basin and a heated towel rail. Bedroom two is a small twin room with two single beds and Bedroom three is a twin bunkroom with L-shaped cabin beds suitable for under 12-year-olds only.
The family bathroom has a bath with shower over, a WC, a basin and a heated towel rail.
French doors in the living area lead outside to a small, decked roof terrace furnished with a picnic bench. It’s the ideal spot for sipping drinks or cooking up a delicious lunch on the BBQ as you admire views over the grounds and surrounding hills to Dartmoor National Park in the distance.
Parking is available in the general parking area behind the row of cottages.
You’ll also have access to the estate’s 14 acres of beautiful grounds, plus shared on-site facilities. These include an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor swimming pool and shared hot tub, a tennis court and children’s play areas.
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.
