A period farmhouse, surrounded by 65 acres of stunning Devonshire countryside, where nature thrives, that’s a fantastic and intimate place for groups of families or friends to relax or celebrate a special occasion.
The farmhouse has been renovated by its owner who is passionate about wildlife, sustainable farming and giving guests a place to disconnect from everyday life and reconnect with nature. It’s the ideal luxury retreat for families and groups to socialise and celebrate, or even host an intimate wedding, in the beautiful Devon countryside. In contrast to the surrounding natural habitats that are left beautifully wild rather than manicured, the interior is very elegant. There’s a blissful, welcoming feel: think comfy sofas, open fires – including an inglenook and gathering in the farmhouse kitchen for good food and good chat. Get ready to enjoy laid back country living with days spent playing garden games or feasting on barbecued morsels and evenings singing along around the piano or toasting marshmallows over the firepit beneath the dark skies of Exmoor. If and when you feel the desire to stray, the village shops and pub of Bampton are in easy reach.
The house’s origins can be traced back 750 years and the are some amazing period features, including a medieval hallway. Plus, there is plenty of space to socialise and entertain together, or to find your own slice of solitude.
Unwind in the lounge with its plump sofas and real fire. Or retire to the drawing room where you can watch TV, make use of the WiFi, listen to music through the Sonos sound system or put your feet up beside the log burner. If you’re in the mood for a few live tunes, there’s a piano for a good old sing-along.
The heart of the house is the farmhouse kitchen, which has a slate floor and wooden beams, where a huge dining table seating up to 16 people invites you to sit, dine and drink in good company. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you will need including an electric range oven with five induction rings, two fridges, a microwave, a double toaster and two dishwashers.
There’s also a study room for anyone who wants total peace and quiet. Should the idea of fun and games come calling, head to the small games room outside where you can commence a friendly ping pong tournament!
If you return from country walks and playing outside dirty, there’s a handy boot room with a cloakroom with a WC and basin where you can store muddy boots and get cleaned up.
The farmhouse has six bedrooms. Bedroom one comprises a super-king-size bed and two single beds with an en-suite bathroom. Bedroom two has a super-king-size bed and a private bathroom down the landing. Bedroom three has a super-king-size bed and a single bed with a private bathroom down the landing. Bedroom four has a super-king-size bed and two single beds and an en-suite bathroom. Bedroom five has a super-king-size bed and an en-suite shower room.
Bedroom six is on the ground floor and has a single bed and an en-suite with a shower cubicle. The room works for guests with mobility issues and there is also a ramp for the front doorstep into the house.
Outside, there is a terrace with a charcoal barbecue, a fire pit and outdoor furniture for hosting family meals and leisurely celebratory affairs alfresco. While the hot tub is perfect for relaxing, for those with a little more energy there’s giant Jenga and Connect 4, boules and croquet.
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.
