Sneaking off for a girls weekend in North Devon

Lympscott Barn Sign

Okay so it wasn’t “all” girls on our weekend away, there was one lovely chap, but this was, for me, an escape for the weekend to spend some time with a group of bloggers I knew very well, to meet some I hadn’t met before, and to really get to know HolidayCottages.co.uk who had invited us all to stay in one of their managed properties.   How could I refuse?

North Devon isn’t really a part of the world I know very well so the journey down was a beautiful drive through some stunning countryside and as we lost 3G signal and hit roads that were fun* when a tractor came the other way we knew we had arrived at Lympscott Barn, our home for the weekend.   *nightmare

The property is one of two that the owners rent out through HolidayCottages.co.uk (the other is Beehive Cottage which sits just next door so would be ideal to rent also if you had a larger group, but equally you wouldn’t feel you were being overlooked if another family were using it). It has six bedrooms, and sleeps a total of 14 people.  One of the bedrooms is downstairs and has a wet room so if there is somebody in your party who has mobility issues, this would be ideal for them.   It also opens out on to a little patio where you can catch the morning sun with a cuppa.  I should point out though that as this is a working dairy farm the morning air might not be as fresh as you might like 🙂  But that somehow adds to the charm for me.  It also happened to be the room that Annie and I shared.

Lympscott Barn 9

Crucially Lympscott Barn also seats 14 around the dining room table, and in the lounge.   We stayed in a property this summer and whilst it slept 20, it could only seat ten at the dining room table, something that really niggled with me.

Lympscott Barn 6

In fact the property is so big you really wouldn’t know you were staying with a dozen other people.   If the large open plan dining and living room aren’t enough there is also a hot tub outside and a separate games room for late night pool or table tennis tournaments.

Lympscott Barn 17

Most of us sat around chatting in the lounge at one point on Saturday morning as we all arrived for breakfast and it made me think how perfect it would be to come here for Christmas, log fire burning it would be a case of shutting the door and hunkering down for a week with a pile of good books and a few bottles of wine.  Heaven

Lympscott Barn 4

We were told the property had been rented out for around ten years and I have to say it really didn’t look like it.  You know sometimes a holiday cottage can look a bit tired?  Well this one certainly didn’t.   It all looked well looked after and like the owners really cared that their guests were staying in luxurious surroundings they minute you arrived on the drive.    Bathrooms were spotless, bedlinen was crisp, kitchen fully equipped and with matching white dinner plates…..

I could have quite happily moved in.

We all brought a dish to share on Friday night ( I made waffles, of course) and tried out the hot tub, well it seemed rude not to.   Did you know you can get ten bloggers in a hot tub?  No, nor did I.

The properties are a few miles from the 2 charming villages of Bradworthy and Kilkhampton, both offering pubs, shops, Post Office and church. The properties are perfectly positioned to enjoy the North Devon and Cornwall coast which is famed for its spectacular scenery. There are many sheltered coves and fishing villages to explore, as well as sandy surfing beaches the closest beach is 4 miles away. Hartland Abbey, Tapeley Park and Rosemoor are all within a short drive with spectacular houses and gardens to wander. Lots to see and do in the area including walking, shooting, watersports and fishing at the nearby Tamar Lakes, the lakes are 10 minutes walk away, where you’ll find paths to allow for lake side circuit walks.

We went off an explored Tamar Lakes on Saturday afternoon where the lovely ladies from Holidaycottages.co.uk had laid a treasure hunt for us.  Of course our team came last, not helped by my doing the three mile walk on a very dodgy ankle.   We did meet some gorgeous cows on the way though, and get to spend some time chatting to the other bloggers, which is something we never really get to do.

TamarLakesCows

I loved this cottage, I think it is the perfect place to get away from it all (though it does have wifi so you aren’t truly cut off from the outside world) with a group of friends, or family.   The ideal base to explore this part of the world with day trips to Bude or further afield.  Or just to have a lazy weekend wandering around the farm chatting to the cows and horses before coming back to dinner and a good nights sleep in a comfy bed?

What more could you ask for?

Lympscott Gate

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