MEADOWS DRIFT - Devon

Meadows Drift is a carefully considered renovation of centuries old apple lofts and linhays tucked away in the Blackdown Hills in Devon. 7 bedrooms sleep 16 guests, there’s a games room and movie room/living room, a light and airy dining room and a huge and fully equipped kitchen. Outside is a large private garden with outdoor furniture and a barbecue, a play area and the icing on the cake, a hot tub. This is a very special place to stay for big family holidays, happy times away with friends and their children, low key celebrations with your favourite people, and sophisticated hen weekends.

From the garden you can go for walks in the private 15 acre grounds where there are wide open fields and woodland areas. Take a picnic down to the River Luv, be close to nature, roll up your trouser legs for a paddle and laze away a whole afternoon – just what holidays are all about. Wander up to Dumpdon Hill where in the springtime, the woodland floor is carpeted with bluebells; the views across the Otter Valley are incredible, gently rolling on as far as the eye can see.

Just down the road is Honiton, a quiet town with supermarkets and independent shops; go on market day to browse the stalls, see the latest art exhibition at The Thelma Hulbert Gallery, and stop for a bite to eat at JK’s Bistro or Bella Pizza. Just along the main road is Otter Valley Ice Cream & Field Kitchen where they make the loveliest gelato ice cream using milk from their own herd that graze happily in the fields near the café.

Just a few miles away is Heron Farm where younger children can have fun hunting for bugs in the fairy garden and sheep live happily in the orchard. Take a basket because there’s a very good farm shop, and afterwards you can have lunch or cake in the café.

If you’re celebrating a special birthday or anniversary book a surprise gift – wing walking or sky diving at Dunkeswell Aerodrome, or take a group tour of the brewery and distillery at Otter Brewery. Venture into the countryside on horseback with Devenish Pitt Farm Riding School, go clay shooting or try your hand at archery at Devon Activity Centre.

Meadows Drift is only 30 minutes by car from the Jurassic Coast so head over for days by the sea; go to Sidmouth to play on the beach and look for the creatures that live in the rockpools. Beer is good for crab sandwiches on the beach at Ducky’s Beach Café and walks along the clifftops on the South West Coast Path to Branscombe. Spend a day at Lyme Regis, factor in a mackerel fishing trip and a visit to Dinosaurland Fossil Museum.

For family days out, Wildwood Devon is brilliant, with animals to spot, a zip wire, soft play and a Saxon Village where you can join in craft sessions. The Donkey Sanctuary is good too, home to hundreds of happy donks, with a farm themed play area, a nature trail and a café. You could even have a day out in the city, seeing the sights of Exeter; take in the Gothic cathedral, the medieval underground passages, and the fascinating RAM Museum with its global collections. Stroll along the historic quay, hire kayaks and paddle along the calm waters of the estuary to the Turf Locks for a pub lunch, reach dizzy new heights at Clip n Climb.

There is so much to see and so much to do in this beautiful part of the UK, and that’s why Meadows Drift is perfect for all kinds of large group holidays. Spend special times with special people anytime of year for week long holidays, midweek breaks or weekends away. It’s all about the smiles, the laughter, the fun and the memories, things that you just can’t put a price on. Book today!

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