Buzzards House & Spring Cottage

Highlights

• This light-filled, open-plan house with oak floors and an inside/outside feel and designer cottage combine to offer big groups a peaceful stay in rural Devon.
• Little Dart River gently trickles through its fabulous gardens, which are endless fun for children with lawns, orchards and woodland.
• Make the most of sunny days with breakfast on the verandah followed by games of badminton, table tennis and croquet on the lawn.
• Make the most of balmy evenings with barbecues and cocktails as the sun goes down.
• Enjoy the tranquility of the quiet location - incredible birdsong, fabulous owls and the chance of seeing red and roe deer.
• Explore the orchards laden with apples - help yourself! - and make the most of the idyllic spots for you to settle in for a picnic, with fire pits and tables.
• Large hot tub big enough for seven.
• Be sure to visit the nearby Buzzard Woods, a little known National Trust treasure.
• The most comfortable beds and high quality linen guarantee a good night’s sleep.
• Great venue for small yoga retreats.
• Possible to arrange a chef for special occasions.
• Fishing on the Exe by arrangement.

You should know

• There is space for extra infants and children on additional beds by prior arrangement.
• Young children should be supervised at all times as there is a river and pond.
• The owner's house is only 15 minutes away.

The Details

This pair of charming homes combine to sleep a total of 12+2 guests in a tranquil slice of Devon countryside.

Buzzards House is a relaxed, family-friendly holiday home tucked away in the Little Dart Valley, surrounded by rolling farmland and the magical Buzzards Woods. With walks in every direction and a boot room lined with maps, it's perfect for walkers - and dogs are especially welcome!

As you enter the house you come into the open planned sitting/dining area, which is a very convivial space with its large dining table, wood burning stove and deep sofas. This is the ‘hub’ of the house and a great place to congregate.

The adjoining kitchen is fully equipped with two ovens, a large gas hob, dishwasher, coffee machine and more. Extra fridge space and laundry facilities are nearby in the laundry room and a private caterer can also be arranged if you want to make your stay extra-special.

On the left of the ‘hub’ is a light-filled conservatory, perfect for reading or birdwatching, and to the other, a cosy TV room with games, puzzles and a desk overlooking the garden. Excellent WiFi is available throughout.

French doors lead out to the verandah, a favourite hangout with a BBQ, fire pit and space for alfresco dining. There’s also plenty to keep everyone entertained, including croquet, swing ball, badminton, ping pong, darts and more. And, you also have your own private hot tub for indulgent soaks beneath the stars.

Buzzards House and Spring Cottage are great places just to ‘be’, and soak up the sounds and smells of nature. The Little Dart river flows through the garden, the birdsong is fabulous and if you venture into the woods in the early morning you may see deer, sometimes they even come into the large orchard at the front of the house.

The properties are blessed to have the National Trusts’ Buzzards Woods on their doorstep, and these woods are an ever-changing scene, sublime in spring when they are carpeted with bluebells and a riot of colour in autumn. They are such a pleasure and so often you will have them to yourselves, for walking, birding and spotting the soaring buzzards, wild flowers, observing the butterfly life and for pottering about in the river and playing pooh sticks on the bridges.

Upstairs, the bedrooms are peaceful and inviting, with high-quality linen and lovely garden views. The house comfortably sleeps up to 10 guests across five bedrooms: two super-kings, one queen and two twin rooms. There’s also a cot and pull-out beds available for children. For larger groups, nearby Spring Cottage offers an additional super-king room and is ideal for a couple who want to spend time with the group, whilst also having a private bolthole to retire to at night.

Spring cottage was designed to extend the capacity of the main house. The bedroom is spacious and luxurious, featuring a huge super-king bed with sumptuous white linen. French windows open onto a private verandah with a table and chairs, perfect for morning coffee or evening drinks. At the foot of the bed, you’ll find a beautiful free-standing cast iron bathtub, and there’s also a stylish shower room and downstairs loo. The cottage is fully self-contained, ideal for added privacy.

The cosy sitting room has a warm, hygge-style feel, complete with a wood-burning stove set into an ancient fireplace - logs and kindling are provided. There’s a window seat, dining table (which doubles as a chess/draughts board), comfortable chairs, books, games and an Alexa speaker for music or podcasts.

The well-equipped kitchen includes a cooker, hob, dishwasher, Nespresso machine, microwave, cookery books and all the pots and pans you’ll need for a relaxed weekend away. A stable door leads to a small outdoor space with a BBQ, perfect for easy alfresco meals.

There is lots to do in the area - some guests never leave the valley (some never leave the garden!). Some guests bring bikes or fishing rods, others walk to nearby pubs, and many use the house as a base to explore Devon’s highlights. Nearby attractions include the Great Western Canal with its horse-drawn barge, Knightshayes, Killerton House, and the cathedral city of Exeter just 15 miles away. Bickleigh is perfect for cream teas, while further afield, Exmoor, Dartmoor, and coastal spots like Saunton Sands, Braunton Burrows, and Budleigh Salterton offer outdoor adventures. Families love local attractions like Go Ape, Haldon Forest, Quad World, and Diggerland.

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