The Great Short Break Escape, by Ruth Saunders
Outside the main season is a great time to take a short break in the South Hams
Prices are lower, beaches are empty, and the logs are piled high ready for a night in front of the woodburner with a good book!
Your ideal 3-night break might include coastal walks, excellent food in pubs and restaurants with menus offering local ingredients, and unique shopping in pretty towns overlooking rivers and estuaries at Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Salcombe.
Dittiscombe Estate & Cottages is set in a tranquil South Hams valley, with lovely gardens surrounded by a 20 acre private estate exclusive to guests, 2 miles from Slapton village and the dog-friendly beaches of Start Bay beaches.
In the village and surrounding area you’ll discover:
Two excellent dog-friendly pubs, The Tower Inn which offers a locally sourced gastropub menu, and The Queens Arms with great beers and ciders on tap. In front of the log fires you can read up on the many stories of the D-Day landing practices which took place here during the Second World War. Both pubs welcome dogs inside.
The freshwater lagoon at Slapton Ley is a national nature reserve where you can enjoy fabulous views of the lake and the sea. Take the nature trail around the reedbeds and you might spot rare winter migrants or see Starling murmurations at dusk.
Start Bay, a sweeping curve of dog-friendly beaches, is great for a bracing winter walk beside the sea, or sit and just weather-watch in the local cafes and seaside pubs at Torcross and Beesands. Here too you can join up with the South West Coast Path and take in the spectacular views between Salcombe and Dartmouth with Start Point Lighthouse along the way.
Visit the farm shop at Stokeley to pick up quality craft beers made by the South Hams Brewery and some local Stokeley sausages to take home. Whilst there enjoy a generous cream tea in their cafe with cream on top, the Devon way, of course!
So find a perfect cottage for your short break at Dittiscombe. From October to April we offer warm and cosy short breaks with log-burners, spa baths and views of the rolling Devon hills from a cottage window. We are dog-friendly. You can book 2, 3 and 4-night or more short breaks at all-inclusive rates. You can book online directly with us here.
To find out more about Slapton and Start Bay read Ruth’s Blog.
We had a lovely stay at the Owlery over the August bank holiday. The Owlery itself had everything we could want for a relaxing long weekend away and the setting was stunning. It felt rural and peaceful yet not far away the coast is buzzing with activity.
Excellent location, lots of places to visit. Welcoming and friendly. Slapton village is lovely. Two good pubs and dog friendly.
Kes the Collie – dreaming of sheep and a lick of ice cream!
Kes the Collie gives dog-friendly advice about living, and working, at Dittiscombe Holiday Cottages in the South Hams.
No Passports required!
See the War Horse landscape on Dartmoor
The original War Horse novel was written by local author and master storyteller Michael Morpurgo. He was inspired to write the story after meeting WW1 veterans at his local pub in Iddesleigh, Mid Devon.
War Horse first became a highly acclaimed play at The National Theatre, followed by a film directed by Steven Speilberg. For authenticity, most of the outdoor scenes were filmed on Dartmoor itself. Steven Spielberg, said of his time there : “I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor … And, with two-and-a-half weeks of extensive coverage of landscapes and skies, I hardly scratched the surface of the visual opportunities that were offered to me.”
The film tells the story of a Devon farm boy who braves the trenches in a search for his horse Joey after he is sent to France as an army horse during the First World War. Joey sees the best, and worst, of humanity as he is thrust into the midst of War on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges towards the enemy, witnessing the horror of war first hand. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey’s courage touches the soldiers around him.
Discover Dartmoor for yourself. It’s approximately 19 miles, or a 50 minute drive, from Dittiscombe Holiday Cottages and will offer you a complete contrast to the gentle countryside of the South Hams. You can meander through ancient woodland or trek across the Tors, take a guided tour or download an audio walk to help you along. And with its wide open spaces it’s ideal to take the children and dogs! For more information visit the National Parks website for Dartmoor.
Talking of Michael Morpurgo, did you know that Dittiscombe is mentioned in another of his books entitled The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips? The story, based on the true scenario of secret military exercises before the D-day landing practises, is set in our local seaside village of Slapton and Dittiscombe is shown on the map of the area of evacuation. It’s a sweet, sad, but heart-warming book.