Cheristow Farm Cottages
Close to the sea, in the peaceful, protected countryside of the Hartland Peninsula, Cheristow Farm Cottages are six conversions of old stone agricultural building around the former farmyard on the owner’s smallholding. Three of the cottages have views over open countryside to the sea beyond the tower of St Nectan's church; three look onto the sheltered, shrub and flower-filled yard. All have outside seating areas and are comfortably furnished and decorated to a good standard. The cottages share a large play/picnic area and use of the on-site spa room with hot tub and sauna; four have their own wood-burning stoves and well-behaved dogs are welcome in all but one of the cottages. Hartland, with its monthly farmers' market, small food and craft shops, pubs and café is 5-minutes' drive away, or a 20-minute walk through fields and ancient woodland. One of the most dramatic stretches of the South West Coast Path runs along the cliffs just over a mile away. Hartland Abbey House and its fine Gardens are in the valley just below Cheristow and visitors can stroll through the grounds, where peacocks, donkeys and black sheep roam, to the sea. Hartland Quay is less than 10-minutes' drive away with impressive cliff views and a characterful, child and dog-friendly pub: The Wreckers' Retreat. High-tide swimming off the old quay is great; at low tide there are stretches of sand and rock pools to explore. 6 miles away is the fascinating fishing village of Clovelly, famous for its traditional buildings clinging to the cliffside and its steeply cobbled, traffic-free main street plied by working donkeys. It also has pubs and tea shops, a church and Charles Kingsley museum. Clovelly Court gardens are open to the public too. Seaside Bude is 15-miles south; 15 miles north are the beach at Westward Ho!, and Bideford, for the ferry to Lundy Island. In winter helicopter flights to Lundy leave from Hartland Point, 3 miles away. For children, there are 2 adventure parks within an easy drive: The Milky Way (alongside Wake Park Aqua Park) and The Big Sheep.
The property
The Milking Parlour converted from a farm building to a characterful, family-friendly two bedroom property.
It's ground-floor, has a comfortable sitting room with wood-burning stove and French windows onto a small, enclosed garden with wide, green views to the sea beyond the tower of St Nectan's Church.
There's a well-equipped kitchen/dining room, a double and a twin-bedded room and a bathroom with bath and overhead shower.
And you have the use of the on-site, indoor hot tub and sauna, bookable for private use (generally available from Easter to October).
Straight out from the garden is a meadow/play area with climbing frame, swings and sand pit.
Everyone's invited to join in with feeding the owners' animals - chickens, ducks and pigs - each morning.
Short breaks available out of season.
There is off road parking available close to the cottages.
Milking Parlour is one of the 6 properties below and can be booked together for larger family groups.
The owners, their children and dogs, live in the old farmhouse so are on hand and happy to help in any way they can.
About the location
HARTLAND, DEVON (CHERISTOW FARM COTTAGES)
Clovelly 6 miles; Bude 15 miles; Bideford 15 miles
A great escape for coast and country-lovers; North Devon’s Hartland Peninsula is a remarkably peaceful Area of Outstanding National Beauty with a spectacular Atlantic coastline. The South West Coast Path runs along it with its dramatic cliff formations, waterfalls, woodland, wild and accessible bays with sand exposed at low tide; views of Hartland Point lighthouse and Lundy Island. Harland village, a few miles back from the coast, has a post office and general store, and a monthly farmers’ market; potteries and craft shops, a friendly café and pubs serving food. A mile away, in its beautiful, private valley running down to the sea, Hartland Abbey House & Gardens (& tea room) make a great outing. The Abbey was dissolved in 1539 - surviving longer than any in England - descendants of the same family live there still. St Nectan’s medieval church in Stoke is fascinating too; its stand-out feature the 128-foot tower known as Peeping Tom, used by sailors to help navigate the treacherous North Devon coast. And right down at the ancient Hartland Quay there’s a small Shipwreck & Smuggling Museum, a very child and dog-friendly pub and hotel, and a rock-pooly beach - good for swimming when the tides are right (and dog-friendly out-of-season). The old fishing village of Clovelly, 6 miles away, has a timeless appeal too with its steeply cobbled main street and donkeys still helping deliver fuel and shopping to villagers, and visitors’ luggage. Down by the handsome 14th-century working harbour is the Red Lion Hotel. To the north and south of Hartland Peninsula are broad sandy beaches good for swimming, surfing and body-boarding: at Northam and Westward Ho!; Sandy Mouth and Bude. Take a ferry across the Torridge between pretty Appledore and Instow, take a bike on the Tarka Trail between Ilfracombe and Meeth. Families with young children enjoy the animals and attractions at the The Milky Way and Wake Park aqua park, and at The Big Sheep near Bideford. And there’s more to discover…
