WELCOME TO DITTISCOMBE ESTATE & HOLIDAY COTTAGES
Relax in our unique and tranquil South Hams valley near the beautiful beaches of South Devon
Come and enjoy the holiday retreat of Dittiscombe Estate & Cottages set within the 20-acre Dittiscombe Rewilding Project in South Devon. Just a 10 minute drive to historic Slapton Village and the unspoilt beaches of Start Bay.
Read on to find out more!
Location
Stone barns, Cottages and the old Farmhouse set amongst lush woodland, meadows and rewilded gardens and grounds, surrounded by wildlife and birdsong.
Dittiscombe is just a few minutes’ drive to Slapton Village and the national nature reserve of Slapton Ley, and the beautiful beaches of Start Bay are about 3 miles away so you don’t need to go far to experience this exotic and historic piece of local coastline.
You can find out lots more about our beautiful area by reading our latest blog The South Hams has it all!
Nearest towns Kingsbridge (6 miles), Dartmouth (7 miles), Salcombe (9 miles), Totnes (11 miles). See the map here.
Cottages
Original and authentic old stone barns on this historic farm which have been comfortably converted into couples’ cottages with logburners, Honeysuckle and The Owlery , and two bedroom cottages suitable for 3 or 4 guests, Rafters and Dovecote (with logburner).
All the cottages have been individually designed with private gardens and direct access to the nature trail and unique rewilded valley of Dittiscombe Estate.
Excellent internet access and TVs with streaming so Dittiscombe is an ideal retreat if you wish for tranquility and nature connection, but still need to check in with work.
Some cottages available for Winter or longer lets.
Read more on the individual cottage pages.
Dog Friendly
Dittiscombe is super dog friendly with 20 acres for dogs and their owners to enjoy from the cottage door.
The surrounding villages and towns, beaches and activities are all dog friendly too. Rafters, Dovecote and Honeysuckle all dog-friendly.
Find out more here.
Book Direct
Book Direct with us for the best price, commission free. Follow this link to check the calendar and make a booking here.
We are real people and happy to answer your questions, so drop us an e-mail on [email protected].
Dittiscombe’s green spaces
Plenty of safe, green space to enjoy and experience from your cottage door, surrounded by 20 acres of woodland, meadows, ponds and nature trail with a thriving community of wildlife within the valley.
Connecting with nature on holiday can be a rewarding experience. Find out more from the Nature Experiences page, read up about our 26 year old Rewilding Project and how we encourage our guests to take part in citizen science on holiday.
The Great Outdoors
There are plenty of beaches to choose from, a wide range of watersports to take part in, and lots of walking opportunities.
Find out more about watersports here, and walking here.
The recently launched South Hams Way is a stunning 100 mile circular walkaround the unspoilt coastline, through South Devon National Landscapes and up to Dartmoor, taking in some of the very best of the views and locations of the area. The closest section of the walk to Dittiscombe is number 9, Torcross to Dartmouth.
Read more about the best of the South Hams in Ruth’s blog.
Dittiscombe sits in the heart of the South Hams, somewhere special within the South Devon landscape. The gentle rolling hills, unspoilt coastline, beaches and river estuaries, offer plenty of walking routes, watersports and relaxation for a truly memorable holiday.
To experience the tranquility and natural surroundings of the valley, we are offering visitors nature-themed experiences, so start your journey at Dittiscombe here!
Forest Bathing
Forest Bathing, traditionally known as Shinrin Yoku, translates to “Forest Shower” and relates to total immersion. Donna McCheyne will guide you through the magic of our woods to help build resilience from within, deepen your appreciation and gratitude for nature, boost your immune system, and increase balance, focus and clarity in your life.
Sessions for 2025:
Last session for 2025
Introspection for Winter – Sunday 16th November 12noon-3pm.
Each 3-hour session costs £25 per person.
Book direct with Donna here or call her on 07941 508004.
Sorry no dogs.
“Our forest bathing journey took us through the beautiful and varied wilder landscape of Dittiscombe Estate, where Donna skillfully guided us through a series of exercises that built our connection with the natural world and the present moment.” Victoria Benns, Wild About Nature
Nature Walks
Family Sunday Nature Walks on
10th August, 10am – 12noon
17th August, 10am – 12 noon
Free to Dittiscombe guests, a Sunday stroll around Dittiscombe valley will reveal nature in all its glory with local ecologist Ken Neal. He will help to deepen your understanding about nature, and what you can do to encourage wildlife into your own gardens and green spaces at home. Be prepared to be hands-on and ask questions!
Sweep nets and bug pots provided.
Dogs are welcome on leads.
Bring binoculars and sensible footwear, clothing for changeable weather and own refreshments.
Bat & Moth Evening, Sunday August 24th – booking essential.
Please book your place with Ruth Saunders on 07821 260787. (Free to all but a donation to Devon Wildlife Trust would be appreciated).
Volunteer Days
We welcome volunteers here to help create diverse habitats for wildlife. The work usually takes place over the Autumn and Winter and can involved coppicing, hedgelaying, brash weaving and dead hedge making, pond work and general tidying.
If you are interested in taking part as a volunteer in helping to create new wildlife habitats please get in touch with Ruth on [email protected] to register your interest.
“Another rewarding day of ‘wilding’ action for the volunteers. Dittiscombe Estate was bare pasture about 26 years ago now it’s a thriving haven for nature. We coppiced part of the hazel wood to form a dead hedge to provide fantastic invertebrate habitat.”
Gary at Force4Nature volunteer group, 2024
Small-scale Rewilding Tours
Ruth will take you on a guided tour around the valley to see how the landscape at Dittiscombe has changed over the last 26
years, and how the wildlife has benefitted from a hands-off approach.
The land was farmed at one time but was gifted back to nature by Ruth & Jon in 1998. It now supports a mosaic of habitats for wildlife. The valley has evolved into a new-look landscape through natural processes, and you’ll be able to see that being a bit messy is good for wildlife!
If you have booked a cottage with us and would like a free rewilding walk with Ruth, please get in touch on 07821 260787 or e-mail [email protected].
If you are a business and wish to book a team event at Dittiscombe to include a rewilding tour with Ruth Saunders and habitat creation with Ken Neal, please contact Ruth at [email protected].
Dittiscombe - A Carbon Net Zero Business
New – an EV charging point is now available for our guests. Untethered, 7w type 2 charger, reasonable tariff on the Voltshare app-less system using a QR code.
“Easy to use, no need for an app and the opportunity to limit the max charge time by cost, perfect!” SG
We were recently awarded a carbon net zero rating from a business decarbonisation programme. Our 10 acre woodland, which is now 26 years old, has sequestered massive amounts of carbon to help us achieve this carbon net positive status.
The programme has also helped us identify our ‘hot spots’ where we can reduce our carbon emissions and has enabled us to apply for match funded grants for various decarbonisation projects. These include a newly installed EV charger for guests use, and for Autumn 2025 a ground mounted solar panel installation.
You can find out more here.
