Owlscombe
Sleeps 12
Somerset
Ride the railway, fish the seas
Kids can enjoy animal antics at Tropiquaria Zoo or Exmoor Zoo, skim stones at Porlock Weir, ride the West Somerset Railway, or go back in time at Dunster Castle or Cleeve Abbey. Grown-ups can walk the coastal path, get aching muscles pampered at Cedar Falls Spa, or charter the Osprey for serious sea fishing.
Big nights in
Of course, you could simply raid the welcome hamper for local cheese and biscuits, bread, cake and jam, all washed down nicely with Wicked Wolf gin and accompanied by a movie on Sky Q. Get the fire roaring and finish off with a local Miles coffee from the French press. But you might want to go further.
Put your pinnie away at least one evening and let Claire from Claire’s Kitchen serve you fresh, delicious Exmoor specialities. Or book a takeaway from Ziang’s and enjoy the very finest oriental street food from Malaysia, China, Indonesia and Thailand.
Call up the Belvedere Pamper Company and spoil yourselves with in-house pamper parties, massages, nail treatments and other mobile-beauty sessions. For more-adventurous frolics, call Funtasia for casino nights, assault courses, bouncy castles, surf simulators, bungee runs and sumo.
Throw a mini party and hire a vintage-VW bar from Split Screen or Beetle-juice. Or get Tipsy Parties to organise an at-home cocktail-making session for up to 30, with professional bar equipment, bartender guidance and the chance to mix four delicious cocktails.
Big days out
Bring your dogs and walk, walk, walk. You’re just moments from the South-West Coastal Path, a rollercoaster ride along the bays, coves and beaches of North Somerset. Walk west towards England’s smallest complete parish church in Culbone, or complete section two of the coastal path towards Lynmouth.
Walk east through Porlock marshes towards Hurlestone Point to spot porpoises, seals and bird life. Wrap up your walk with a stroll into Bossington for afternoon tea and cake at Kitnor’s. Take your aching muscles along to get pampered at Cedar Falls Health Farm and Spa in Bishops Lydeard.
Need to get active? Knock some clay from the skies with the South West Shooting School in Ilfracombe, or knock small balls into holes at Minehead and West Somerset Golf Club. Ride the high-hedged lanes or high fells on bikes from Exmoor Adventures. Or trek the Horner Valley on horses from Burrowhayes Farm.
Get closer to the red deer and ponies on an Exmoor Wildlife Safari. Charter the Osprey at Minehead for some serious sea fishing. Head out for a meal, or potter down to The Bottom Ship for a swift pint of Exmoor Ale, Exmoor Stag or Otter Amber.
