Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping
Wood Life
CAMPSITE
£
(
01392-832509;
www.thewoodlife.org
; The Linhay, near Kenn; 5 nights for 6 people £500-620, 7 nights
£620-1150; Apr-Oct; )
The trappings that come with this luxurious, six-person
safari-style tent don't just include brass bedsteads draped with Egyptian cotton and thick
rugs on the decked floors. There's also a fire pit (complete with campfire kettle), tub of
fresh herbs, and vintage games chest. Add firewood-warmed showers, a set of hurricane
lamps and your very own 3.5 hectare wood, and you have a slice of comfy camping heav-
en. It's tucked away on the outskirts of Kenn village, 7 miles south of Exeter.
Blackdown Yurts
(
CAMPSITE
£
01884-266699;
www.blackdownyurts.co.uk
; near Kentisbeare; 4-person yurt per week £400-480;
Apr-Sep;
)
These authentic Mongolian yurts are utterly irresistible. Brightly painted wood is
framed by vivid fabrics, and a central wood burner adds a warm glow. Each one comes
complete with compost loo, field kitchen and fire pit. A communal, covered cooking-cum-
dining area and hot showers add to the appeal, while your welcome basket includes tea,
coffee and a complimentary bottle of wine. It's all hidden away on a sleepy smallholding
around 15 miles southeast of Tiverton.
Fisherman's Cot
( 01884-855237;
www.fishermanscot-bickleigh.com
; Bickleigh; d/f £73/92; )
For a picture-postcard
setting it's hard to beat the Cot, a cavernous thatch overlooking the rushing River Exe.
There's white linen and chocolate brown throws in the bedrooms; for maximum character
ask for a water-view room above the pub. The menu is packed with bar food standards
(mains £11, meals served noon to 9pm), while the waterside beer garden (open 11am to
11pm) is a prime spot to watch the water tumble beneath Bickleigh's famous five-arched
17th-century bridge.
INN
£
Bickleigh Castle
( 01884-855363;
www.bickleighcastle.com
; Bickleigh; s/d/f £60/120/140; )
How often do you get to
kip in the grounds of a castle? Snug bedrooms set in thatched cottages frame a flower-
filled central courtyard; the 11th-century fortifications rise behind. Expect beams,
country-cottage furnishings and total tranquility. The village of Bickleigh is less than a
mile away. At these prices, this is a steal.
B&B
££
