Wayside - Devon

Set amidst the lush pastures and wooded hillsides of the Somerset and Devon borders, Wayside exudes modern luxury and has heaps of space for any large group stay; you'll have peace and quiet, fresh air, birdsong and the most incredible views of beautiful unspoilt countryside. This is a fantastic retreat for any large family holiday or celebration, for sophisticated hen weekends, get togethers with friends, and for corporate hospitality and away days. Wayside has everything you need to keep all ages entertained; heaps of space inside and out, a covered and heated private pool, a hot tub, sauna, games room, cosy Nordic style BBQ lodge, and for the little ones, a fabulous outdoor play area.

Think of it as a modern country house; interiors are chic and contemporary and with all the amazing features it's like a big happy world of your own. Because the pool is heated you can use it any time of year, slip into the hot tub, relax in the sauna, play table tennis in the sunshine. Watch the young 'uns having fun in the play area where there's a chunky climbing frame and a trampoline, if the sun won't come out to play - never mind, get together in the BBQ hut and toast marshmallow, have a sing song, tell jokes. Take afternoon tea or an unhurried lunch on the terrace whilst you gaze across the beautiful Culm Valley and into the heart of the Blackdown Hills. 

Wayside is a terrific base for exploring the local area and beyond. You can feel the pace of life slow down in the Blackdown Hills and it's an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for good reason. This is a land of windswept plateaus, rolling hills and wooded valleys, dotted with picturesque hamlets and villages where you'll find charming country inns for a lazy pub lunch. Have a leisurely stroll along the banks of the River Culm and then go and find a table at the Culm Valley Inn where the welcome is warm and the food is good; pootle through the quiet winding lanes to the Ashill Inn for hearty home cooked fare. If you can't go without your retail therapy head into the Somerset county town of Taunton or down to Exeter where you can visit the glorious cathedral and take a tour of the medieval underground passages beneath the city streets.

It's only a short drive away to Tiverton where you can have a sedate trip on a horse drawn barge, drifting along the Grand Western Canal; look out for swans and moorhens, maybe even the blue-green dart of a kingfisher. Come back for cream tea at the Canal Tea Rooms & Gardens, or a drink on board the Duck's Ditty Floating Cafe Bar.

Take a day trip to Wells where you can visit the famous cathedral and tranquil Bishops Palace, wind your way round to Wookey Hole where there are over 40 family attractions. Spend the day by the sea - the Jurassic Coast is about an hour away and Lyme Regis is well worth a visit with a Marine Aquarium, Dinosaurland Fossil Museum and mackerel fishing trips from the harbour. If you want to see the Somerset Coast get there by steam train with the West Somerset Railway; stop off at Minehead or Blue Anchor for an afternoon on the sands, alight at Dunster to visit the ancient castle on the hill and amble along the leat to the working watermill.

If historic houses and gardens are your thing, you'll like Knightshayes, Killerton and Hestercombe; all are within easy reach. For family fun Crealy Theme Park & Resort is hard to beat, but Bicton Park is a joy to visit too, and closer to home, you can have a barrel of laughs at The Bear Trail near Cullompton. Get out there, have fun and adventures and then come back to Wayside for the kind of luxury togetherness that doesn't come along that often. Make the most of it, savour every moment.

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