Find self catering and cottages that are great for a short break in South West England

Tuckenhay Mill - 3 Salle Cottage, Bow Creek, Devon, South West England

Sleeps 7
Weekly prices from: £900 to £1299

Self catering accommodation in Bow Creek sleeps 7.

Features include: Hot Tub • Pool • Short Breaks • Pets allowed • Pub nearby • Games Room • Sleeps 7

Accommodation overview: Devon’s best kept secret... Just inland from some of Devon’s loveliest and most natural beaches lies the village of Tuckenhay set along Bow Creek on the River Dart....

In a setting of stunning natural beauty, Tuckenhay Mill is the centrepiece of a cluster of country homes and cottages with superb leisure facilities including two indoor and one outdoor pools, making it ideal for a family holiday for all ages.
The Mill which once produced some of the finest paper in the land, nestles in the green and shady Bow Creek, a languid inlet of the River Dart where private yachts have replaced the old tall-masted ships and barges. Around the mill are all the buildings which once went to make up a small bustling village port. These listed buildings have been sympathetically restored and converted to a delightful range of holiday properties to suit larger family parties. Awards have been won for the conversion of buildings and the conservation of the area. With so much to do, many holidaymakers return year after year.



South Devon awaits you
Tuckenhay is only a 20-minute drive from the superb Blue Flag beach at Blackpool Sands and about 30 minutes from a surfing beach at Bantham, as well as some of the best natural beaches to be found anywhere in the UK.
There is also extensive access to the coastal footpath for walking and the wilderness that is Dartmoor for walking, climbing and riding.
This is a mecca for ramblers, bird-watchers, swimmers, surfers, horse riders, golfers and those interested in fishing, boating, sailing and windsurfing.
In addition, there are many historic NT houses to visit including Agatha Christies’s Greenway as well as a local vineyard (with award-winning wines) at Sharpham.
Tuckenhay is only 5 miles inland from Dartmouth and 3 from the market town of Totnes. Village shop 3½ miles. Riverside inn and restaurant within walking distance.



A superb choice of cottages
Each of the cottages has been individually styled to offer comfortable and spacious accommodation. Great care has been taken to retain the feel of the original buildings and extensive use has been made of traditional materials. Most have garden, terrace or patio. Individual cottage details are shown on the following pages.
Many cottages have more than one bathroom and some have an en-suite bathroom to every bedroom. Kitchens are comprehensively equipped: most have dishwashers and all have microwave cookers.
Couples and honeymooners will feel snug and comfortable in the small cottages: Mill Leat, Mill Stream and Mill Spring. Families can spread out in Papermaker’s or Turbine Cottages, while Mill Lodge, Edgecombe Barn and Tuckenhay Mill House will sleep larger parties in comfort. Of course, combinations of cottages can accommodate bigger gatherings of family or friends.

Manor Farm - Churn House, Dewlish, Dorset, South West England

Sleeps 8
Weekly prices from: £900 to £1299

Self catering accommodation in Dewlish sleeps 8.

Features include: • Pool • Short Breaks • Pets allowed • Pub nearby • Games Room • Garden • Sleeps 8

Accommodation overview: Situated in the pretty village of Dewlish, surrounded by the rolling Dorset hills, these two highly individual and beautifully converted 18th-century farm buildings occupy a quiet corner of a courtyard on the edge of a
500-acre dairy and arable farm. Both are full of charm and character and are set around a shared outdoor heated swimming pool. Manor Farm Barn is detached, the larger of the holiday properties, and is arranged over three floors, offering eight en-suite bedrooms. The spacious living room has a beamed ceiling and French doors out to the courtyard, and there is a large, well-equipped farmhouse-style kitchen with range. Churn House offers four bedrooms, and boasts attractive brick and flint walls with pine panelling in the kitchen/dining room. Each has its own patio with furniture and bbq, shared use of a games room and access to acres of unspoilt woodland. Children will enjoy watching the farm activities, with ducks and hens on site. There are bridle paths extending from the farm and many lovely walks to enjoy, with several inns nearby and a village pub just 150 yds away. The area is rich in history, and the landscape featured in Thomas Hardy’s novels. Nearby is Tolpuddle, made famous by the Tolpuddle Martyrs, Clouds Hill (NT) where Lawrence of Arabia lived, and Athelhampton, a 15th-century manor house set in fine gardens. The Dorset Coast is only 12 miles away, with unspoilt chalk cliffs, and the notable beauty spot of Lulworth Cove. Shop 11/2 miles.

Woodyhyde Courtyard, Corfe Castle, Dorset, South West England

Sleeps 12
Weekly prices from: £1300

Self catering accommodation in Corfe Castle sleeps 12.

Features include: • Pool • Short Breaks • Pets allowed • Sleeps 12

Accommodation overview: Occupying a secluded rural position within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the heart of the Purbecks, Woodyhyde Courtyard is a large detached, single-storey holiday property with its own leisure facilities including heated indoor swimming pool and sauna with changing room, shower and toilet. In the games room there is table tennis, a pool table and table football. There is also a gym (adults only) and outside a large enclosed field ideal for ball games or a picnic.
This is excellent walking country – four footpaths lead from the grounds over open countryside, from where they link up with a magnificent network of paths, including the spectacular Dorset Coast Path just 3 miles away. The historic stone village of Corfe Castle is just 1½ miles away, where visitors will find the ruins of a National Trust castle, and a collection of shops, pubs and restaurants. The scenic Swanage Steam Railway passes through the valley close to the farm – a trip aboard is bound to be a memorable experience. Swanage Bay, with its sandy beach, is just 4½ miles away and the magnificent countryside and sandy beaches of the Studland Peninsula lie just 7 miles distant. Shops and pubs 1½ miles.

Large beamed living/dining room with wood-burning stove and vaulted ceiling. Well-equipped kitchen with dual fuel range (for cooking), vaulted ceiling and French doors to patio. Four steps down to utility leading to pool, sauna, gym and games room. Two double bedrooms, each with 5ft bed and day bed (for alternative sleeping only); one with en-suite bathroom with toilet, one with en-suite shower room with toilet. Two double bedrooms, each with en-suite shower room and toilet. Further double bedroom. Twin bedroom. Shower room with toilet.

Pytt House, Ashbrittle, Somerset, South West England

Sleeps 10
Weekly prices from: £1300

Self catering accommodation in Ashbrittle sleeps 10.

Features include: • Open Fire or Woodburner Stove • Short Breaks • Golf nearby • Detached • Games Room • Garden • Sleeps 10

Accommodation overview: This rural retreat is situated on the edge of a 500-acre working farm with woods and streams to explore and views across the Somerset landscape, in a beautiful setting with its own garden. Standing detached, the large holiday cottage provides spacious, character-filled accommodation. Set in the heart of Somerset, it offers the advantage of being close to Exmoor National Park and many NT properties, only 11 miles from Taunton and just off the M5. Devon and Cornwall are easily accessible as are Bath and Bristol. Pytt House is ideally situated for exploring the unspoilt countryside of Somerset and is within easy access of picturesque villages and bustling markets. The small market town of Wellington is 7 miles, and the historic market town of Taunton is just 11 miles, with all the top names in shopping, eating, drinking and leisure entertainment. Oak Manor Golf Club is 8 miles away. For those who love walking, the Quantocks, the Blackdown Hills and Exmoor are close by and are wonderfully unspoilt and peaceful. Horse riding, fishing, golf, bird watching and water sports are available locally and there are many places to visit including Crealy Adventure Park. Exeter with its fabulous cathedral, many shops, canal and quaint hidden pubs is close by. Exmouth with its sandy beaches is only 35 minutes, or take a trip to Exmoor National Park and look out for red deer and ponies. There are many villages well worth visiting across Exmoor, take time out for a cream tea, or stop to see some breathtaking scenery. There are many NT places close by including Arlington Court, Watersmeet and Dunster Castle, as well as Marwood Gardens. Cothay Manor is 3 miles; Glastonbury and Cheddar Caves are within driving distance. Minehead is not far away, with its sandy beach, steam railway and shops. It is hard to believe just how amazingly pretty and peaceful this tiny hamlet really is - just a church with a 3,000 year old yew tree, a few cottages, and farmland all around in a totally unspoilt and most unvisited corner of west Somerset. Village shop and pubs 2 miles.

Spacious living room with open fire and patio doors to garden. Spacious dining room with patio doors to garden. Large kitchen with breakfast area. Single bedroom. Games room. Separate toilet. First floor: Double bedroom with en-suite bathroom with separate shower cubicle and toilet. Further double bedroom. Twin bedroom with additional single bed (for +1). Bunk bedroom. Bathroom with toilet.

Newfield Barn Cottages - Rose Cottage, Pimperne, Dorset, South West England

Sleeps 5
Weekly prices from: £600 to £899

Self catering accommodation in Pimperne sleeps 5.

Features include: • Short Breaks • Easy Walking • Garden • Sleeps 5

Accommodation overview: This former barn, originally built in the 19th century, has been converted into four holiday cottages (four feature here) offering good, comfortable accommodation and retaining many characteristic features including exposed stone walls and open beams. Newfield Barn is set off the beaten track surrounded by open countryside on the edge of the village of Pimperne, which has a lovely village pub and store. Adjoining one another, the cottages share a large enclosed garden, and each cottage has its own patio furniture to sit and enjoy the views over open fields. Hidden down a country lane, the cottages offer peace and quiet with many walks to enjoy in the surrounding countryside.
The medieval town of Blandford Forum is only 2 miles away and boasts one of the most complete Georgian townscapes in England, with the town hall, and Church of St Peter and St Paul being the main attractions. Mrs Penny’s Cavalcade of Costume, and the town museum also offer points of interest to visit within the town. Proving popular with visitors are Milton Abbas, the idyllic village 6 miles south-west, and Cerne Abbas with its Tudor cottages and abbey ruins, a further 10 miles away. The latter is home to one of the most visited sites in Dorset - that of the famous 180ft giant carved in the chalk hillside. To the north of Blandford lies Shaftesbury, with its steep and well-known quaint cobbled Gold Hill.
Just a short drive away lies the county town of Dorchester, serving as the main agricultural centre for the area, and offering a lively Wednesday market. Catering for many different tastes, there are also several museums to browse around - including the county museum, a small dinosaur museum, a military museum and one dedicated to Tutankhamun. Maiden Castle just outside the town is an example of a prehistoric fort, and dates from the Iron Age - the banks enclose an area of fifty football pitches, which would have housed 200 families. Higher Brockhampton is just a little further from the town centre and is worth a visit to see the cottage where the novelist Thomas Hardy lived. Max Gate - the writer’s last abode and where he lived for the longest period of time - is also open to the public. Just past the quaintly named village of Puddletown is the fine 15th-century Athelhampton House, with its gardens adorned by elegant fountains and unusual topiary features.
Within a 30-minute drive lies the wonderful Dorset coastline, with the Blue Flag beaches of Bournemouth and Poole, the Purbeck Hills and the pretty villages of Corfe Castle and Lulworth Cove. Revelling in a mild climate, Bournemouth is renowned for its clean sandy beach and boasts several public gardens, the best known of which is Compton Acres, comprising seven different international garden themes.
The Jurassic and Heritage coastline takes in the port of Weymouth and the lovely village of Abbotsbury with its famous Swannery which is the only place in the world where over 600 swans can be visited during the nesting and hatching time (end May - end June). Along the coast is the pebbled Chesil Beach which is approximately 18 miles long, and the medieval port Lyme Regis which is the ideal place to have a relaxing cream tea. Shop 1 mile.

Small step to entrance. Living room with exposed stone wall. Three steps up to modern kitchen/dining room. Cloakroom/toilet. First floor: Double bedroom. Bunk bedroom. Single bedroom. Small cot room. Bathroom with over-bath shower and toilet.

The Old Mill, Bucks Mills, Devon, South West England

Sleeps 10
Weekly prices from: £1300

Self catering accommodation in Bucks Mills sleeps 10.

Features include: • Short Breaks • Detached • Sleeps 10

Accommodation overview: A stone’s throw from the beach, The Old Mill sits in the tiny cliff top hamlet of Bucks Mills one of the most beautiful villages in North Devon, a secluded hidden gem at the end of a no through road. Two dozen white washed cottages are speckled along a wooded valley and this delightful spacious holiday home, standing detached, is one of the last adjacent to the steep clifftop pathway which leads down to the glorious rocky beach overlooking Lundy Island and the Atlantic Ocean.
Birdwatching, fishing, golfing, surfing, sailing and walking are all available in the area. A holiday at The Old Mill provides the perfect west country retreat with a well-equipped kitchen and a wood fire stove, it makes the ideal spot for a family seaside holiday or a relaxing escape at any time of year.
Nearby Bideford has restaurants and town amenities along with boat trips or hire a bike and explore the nearby Tarka Trail. The pretty fishing village of Clovelly is rightly regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in England with its cobbled street going down to the picturesque harbour it is well worth a visit, and Hartland Quay, which is perched on the western seaboard, is a magnificent setting with twenty miles of sheer granite cliff face along the coastal path. Visit at full tide and in rough seas for the most spectacular views. Bude is also close by, and for family fun the Big Sheep and Milky Way Adventure parks are a great day out. Shop 1 mile.

Large living room. Spacious sitting-room with wood-burning stove, French doors to courtyard and flagstone floor. Large dining room with stable door to garden and flagstone floor. Three steps to kitchen with Range (for cooking) and Velux window. Large boot room. First floor: Three steps up to double bedroom with en-suite toilet. Two further double bedrooms. Twin bedroom. Bunk bedroom. Bathroom with double ended bath, shower attachment, bidet and toilet. Shower room.

Fairchild Cottage, Clovelly, Devon, South West England

Sleeps 5
Weekly prices from: £600 to £899

Self catering accommodation in Clovelly sleeps 5.

Features include: • Short Breaks • Sleeps 5

Accommodation overview: This exquisite E.T.C. ‘5 Star’ barn conversion offers a peaceful holiday retreat. Adjacent to the owners’ property on farmland in the midst of rural Devonshire countryside, it enjoys its own patio area. A short drive leads to the villages of Bucks Mills, Clovelly and Hartland, and nearby Bideford is famed for its historic port, weekly markets and boat trips to Lundy Island. Activities available locally include golf, dramatic coastal walks across NT land, horse riding and water sports at Tamar Lakes. Shop and pub 2 miles.

Large beamed living/dining room with wood-burning stove, wooden floor and French door to patio. Well-equipped modern kitchen with wooden floor. Cloakroom with toilet. First floor: Two beamed bedrooms, each with sloping ceiling; one double with 5ft bed and en-suite shower room with toilet and one twin with additional single bed (for +1). Bathroom with shower cubicle and toilet.

Landrends Barn - Skyber, Launceston, Cornwall, South West England

Sleeps 4
Weekly prices from: £600 to £899

Self catering accommodation in Launceston sleeps 4.

Features include: • Short Breaks • Pub nearby • Sleeps 4

Accommodation overview: Tucked away in a quiet rural location and enjoying views over Kensey Valley and the surrounding countryside, these superb adjoining apartments lie within the grounds of the owners’ farmhouse. Set amongst open countryside, they have been renovated to a high standard and offer excellent holiday accommodation - perfect for exploring the surrounding area. Fronted by an attractive courtyard with a barbecue area and a paddock that is ideal for walking the dog, visitors will find plenty of space to relax and unwind.
The apartments offer an ideal base for touring both Devon and Cornwall, and are within easy reach of the A30. Centrally located between north and south coasts, it is not more than a 25-minute drive from a selection of good sandy beaches ideal for rock pooling, surfing and dog walking. Boscastle and Tintagel, the small sandy cove of Trebarwith Strand and Crackington Haven, as well as some of the most spectacular coastal walks in the area can be found nearby. Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor are within easy reach as are several magnificent National Trust houses and gardens. The popular Eden Project is also easily accessible. Historic Launceston
(1 mile), once the capital of Cornwall, offers a medieval castle, a selection of shops and a steam railway. There are two excellent golf courses within a short distance and a selection of horseriding schools nearby. Shops 1½ miles and a selection of local pubs offering excellent food; nearest approximately 1 mile.