The Hartland Peninsula and North Devon

All of the following landscapes are within a mile and a half of Downe Cottages.

The Peninsula is the perfect place to take a step away from the hustle and bustle of the 21st century. All around are cliff top walks and the quiet seclusion of undisturbed countryside framed by the Atlantic Ocean. It is a beautiful and, even in the height of summer, a deserted sanctuary. (The Hartland Peninsula is located in one of only two areas of England which are recognised by the Council for the Protection of Rural England as having no light pollution and no noise pollution.)

One of Downe’s hidden virtues is that, although it is beautifully located in a idyllic rural retreat, there is so much to do during a visit to Downe.

The standard of cuisine within very easy reach is surprisingly high: a restaurant (The Pattard Kitchen) less than a mile from Downe provides quite exceptional meals reflecting the intelligence and imagination of a natural cook; a boisterous, casual restaurant overlooking the Atlantic serves wonderful fish and is twelve miles south of Downe; etc. etc.

In your cottage we provide a guide to all of the quality eating places within an easy journey (which we update three or four times a year) and the result is that one can eat out nearby at a different restaurant or pub every day for a fortnight and leave Downe delighted with every meal and every eating place. We think that’s a very important part of the holiday.

Within comfortable walking distance of Downe there is Hartland Abbey, a small stately home with gardens open to the public, a Saxon mill with seven acres of wonderful woodland gardens open to the public and both the Atlantic and the cliff top walks that are a feature of the area. We have some visitors who never use their car whilst at Downe and spend their days leisurely enjoying what is on the doorstep.

Within an easy car journey you have picturesque villages and gardens and historic houses. More than enough to fill a fortnight with genuinely interesting days.

Much of the South West Peninsula is also open to the visitor to Downe. If you wish, whilst staying at Downe you can easily visit the Eden Project, The Tate Gallery at St. Ives, St. Michaels Mount, The Lost Gardens of Heligan etc. etc. and we do provide a guide to a number of day trips (including suggestions where you might have lunch or dinner or even just a good coffee on your day out).

To the south west lies Hartland Abbey, and to the north west lies Blegberry, a fortified farm dating from the 1600s. In the distance the stone tower of St Nectan’s Church rises above the picturesque village of Stoke.

The sea, Berry Cove and the North Devon Coastal Path are a mile’s walk away along a quiet single-track road and a small footpath.

The unspoilt village of Hartland is a mile away either by road or by footpaths that take you along the side of a small river through the picturesque vale. The historic village of Clovelly is six miles away.

The immediate area is ideal for walkers and cyclists, with a maze of footpaths and a network of single-track lanes on the doorstep. The cliff-top walks along the dramatic coastline are simply stunning and lead you to secluded coves.