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5 day itinerary

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Heres a suggested itinerary for spending 5 days out and about from Beeson Farm:

Day 1: Arrival and Local Exploration

  • Arrive at Beeson farm and settle into your cottage.
  • Spend the afternoon exploring Kingsbridge. Visit the Quay, where you can enjoy a leisurely walk along the water and explore the shops and cafes.
  • Have dinner down at The Cricket Inn, Beesands (a 3 min drive from your cottage at Beeson Farm), sampling some of the best local seafood.

Day 2: Dartmouth and River Cruise

  • Head to Dartmouth for the day. Explore Dartmouth Castle and take a stroll along the waterfront before wandering around the town..
  • Enjoy a river cruise along the River Dart, which offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and coastline. We recommend going up river to Dittisham and back, you could even disembark for a visit to Greenway (National Trust).
  • In the evening, dine at one of Dartmouth’s restaurants overlooking the river.

Day 3: Coastal Walks and Salcombe

  • Spend the day hiking along the South West Coast Path, which offers stunning views of the coastline. Consider starting at Thurlestone and walking towards Hope Cove, or a circular walk from Gara Rock to East Portlemouth.
  • Depending on which of the above routes you chose to walk you could either drive to Salcombe or take the ferry from East Portlemouth to explore the town’s shops and art galleries.
  • Relax with dinner at a pub or restaurant in Salcombe, watching the boats come and go.

Day 4: Beach Day and Water Activities

  • Spend the day at one of the area’s beautiful beaches, such as Bantham Beach or Blackpool Sands. Relax on the beach, go for a swim, or try your hand at water sports like surfing or paddleboarding.
  • Alternatively, you could explore the nearby estuaries by kayak or paddleboard for a different perspective on the coastline. Equipment hire available from Kingsbridge or East Portlemouth.
  • Enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach, having bought supplies at Stokeley farmshop or one of the delis in Kingsbridge.

Day 5: Historic Sites 

  • Visit nearby historic sites such as Greenway House, the former holiday home of Agatha Christie, or the National Trust property Overbeck’s in Salcombe.
  • Alternatively, spend the day exploring the nearby towns and villages, such as Totnes or Modbury.

This itinerary should give you a good taste of what South Devon has to offer, from its beautiful coastline to its charming towns and villages, all while using Beeson Farm as a comfortable base for exploring! Whatever you choose to do, we hope you enjoy your holiday!

February Half Term

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Family days out that are tried and tested by us!

This half term even though the weather may require you to do a bit of forward planning there is plenty to do out and about in South Devon.

Pennywell Farm: Always a favourite with families, the gates open for the 2020 season on Saturday 15th Feb and with your admission ticket you get a return ticket valid until 23 Feb to visit as many times as you like! There have been lots of new arrivals joining the world famous miniature pigs over the winter, including heavy horses, miniature ponies and donkeys. There are lots of animals to meet, feed and cuddle as well as rides and performances throughout the day. There is lots of indoor space for picnics ad play undercover, just in case there is the odd Spring shower when you are there!
Woodlands Family Theme Park: With the UKs largest indoor play centre, exciting rides indoors and out as well as a zoo and falconry centre, families can easily spend a day exploring Woodlands. Catering for all ages (from babies to adults) there is also live entertainment throughout half term. Dress up as a princess or a superhero and children get a free return ticket making a day at Woodlands amazing value for money (tickets just £7.50 pp)
Greenway House (National Trust): Join the countryside ranger for a walk through the beautiful gardens at Greenway, once the holiday home of famous crime writer, Agatha Christie. This is a free event included with normal admission ticket, selected dates available. Wear weather appropriate clothing and sturdy walking shoes to explore the grounds. Dogs on leads are permitted.
Forest and Beach Activity Days: Drop the kids off at Forest and Beach activity centre (on the hillside behind Beeson Farm!) for a day playing in the woods, lighting fires, shelter building and cooking outdoors. The ethos of Forest School encourages children to explore the natural world through practical, hands-on experience, learning new skills through play.
There are also the same year round activities that families can also enjoy over half term including the South Devon Steam Railway, a River Dart cruise, surf school or paddleboard lessons, the Art Cafe in Kingsbridge, crabbing off the Quay, the local cinema, Dartington country estate, the tour of Start Point Lighthouse and of course all our lovely local beaches!

South Devon Beach Guide

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South Devon is unique as it combines expanses of rolling green countryside, quaint villages, waterfront towns and picturesque beaches offering visitors a taste of the best the UK has to offer!

Taking your dog on holiday with you is one of the benefits of holidaying in the UK and relaxing on the beach is a perfect day out for all the family!   Here is our showcase of the best beaches in South Devon where your dog is welcome too…

Beesands: Our local mile long shingle beach with award winning pub and seafood cafe, watch the fishing boats come and go in the shelter of Start Bay, and its lighthouse. Everything you need for a day out! 2 mins drive from Beeson, 0.7 miles

Slapton Sands: A golden arch of shingle beach that stretches 3 miles along the coastline and is bordered by a National Nature Reserve. Pubs and eateries at Torcross plus good parking.  8 mins drive from Beeson, 3 miles

Mattiscombe: More challenging to access (walking only) but serene, unspoilt and with a good chance of seal spotting. 11 mins drive from Beeson 3.4 miles

Gara Rock beach: Seacombe sands is an unspoilt sandy cove nestled under the Gara Rock hotel, which is perfect for a lunch stop with the most spectacular views, 14 mins drive from Beeson, 5.8 miles

Mill Bay East Portlemouth: A privately owned beach open to the public with National Trust Car Park. Beautiful sandy beach with stream, woodland and clifftop walks opposite Salcombe. 14 mins drive from Beeson, 5.9 miles

 

Blackpool Sands: One of South DEvons most popular beaches, with cafe, watersports hire and sheltered swimming. Dog friendly throughout the winter. 18 mins from Beeson, 7.8 miles

South Milton: A National Trust sandy beach looking over the iconic Thurlestone Rock that all the family will love- even the dog! Food available at the beachhouse. 25 mins from Beeson 9.6 miles

Bantham: Golden sands, rolling dunes, surf school and a great selection of food from the gastrobus in the carpark. 30 mins from Beeson, 11.9 miles

North and South Sands Salcombe: Only a few minutes from Salcombe town centre, sandy beaches that are perfect for traditional family fun  and with places to eat. 25 mins drive from Beeson, 12.7 miles

Bigbury on Sea: A family friendly beach with surf school and vast expanses of golden sand. Walk over to Burgh Island at low tide for a drink at the Pilchard Inn (or use the sea tractor if the tide is in!) 41 mins from Beeson, 15 miles (dog restrictions apply)

 

End of Summer Escapes

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The end of August and beginning of September are a perfect time of year to visit South Devon! Mild temperatures, quiet beaches, stunning clifftop walks, seal spotting and beautiful waterfront towns to explore….

An ideal time of year for couples who want to explore the local area, or families with young children who arent tied down to term time holidays.

With prices from just £320 a week (special offer) you can embrace all that South Devon has to offer!

A warm welcome awaits you…

Blue Monday

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January 21st is dubbed blue monday….apparently the gloomiest, most depressing day of the year!

We awoke to try and glimpse the total eclipse of the Super Blood Wolf Moon, followed by the sun rising over the Devon hills, illuminating the grazing sheep and sparkling off the calm seas.

We certainly do have blue days in devon… blue skies, blue sea and wide horizons where the two meet. Living by the coast engages all your senses and we constantly appreciate each daily gift and ever changing view and are looking forward to  sharing it all with our guests in the year ahead.

So, if you need something to look forward to in 2019 book yourself some time away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Our cottages are an ideal retreat and somewhere to spend  time with family, friends, loved ones – or even just with the dog!

Our special offers are available until the end of March with short breaks from just £210. Contact us for details.

Simple Pleasures and Adventures to Treasure

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Regardless of whether you want a romantic couples break, a special celebration with friends, or family holiday adventures, South Devon is place to make special memories and to experience lifes simple pleasures.

There are a few things we think all our guests should enjoy including:

A walk to the beach at Beesands (dogs welcome), a sweep of coastline which is watched over by the Lighthouse at Start Point. Choose to set off on a walk along the South West Coastpath or relax at our local friendly pub, The Cricket Inn, which serves the freshest seafood caught in the bay outside.

Enjoy the peace, tranquillity and calm of our local beaches. With stretches of sand or shingle shores South Devons coastline is dramatic and awe inspiring, perfect for the dogs and children to burn off their energy! Get out and about on the coastpath and you may even spot seals or dolphins. The local beaches are ideal for paddling, body boarding or swimming or book in to one of our local surf or watersports schools and learn a new skill!

Try wild swimming in the sea, with proven health benefits make sure you take the plunge this year! We never regret a swim in the sea and have a small selection of childrens wetsuits available to borrow.

Crabbing and rockpooling are childhood pastimes that everyone should experience! There are numerous locations for crabbing but we especially recommend the quayside in Kingsbridge, the harbour in Salcombe or New Bridge on the way to Kingsbridge. Perfect rock pools at low tide can be found at Lannacombe, Mattiscombe and Bantham. We have nets available for guests to borrow.

Discover the fascinating local WW2 history of Torcross and Slapton Sands, find out where Agatha Christie lived and visit Burgh Island (the setting of And Then There Were None) or head up to Dartmoor in search of the Hound of the Baskervilles! There are numerous National Trust properties in South Devon to discover.

What would a visit to South devon be without a cream tea?! Just remember its cream first, not jam!  We recommend the Walkers Hut at East Soar Farm, Stokeley Farm Shop, South Allington House or the Seabreeze Café at Torcross.

Watch the sunset- sit on the beach with a bbq (don’t forget the marshmallows!) and watch the sun go down- or drive up to Start Point Lighthouse with its sweeping views over Start Bay.

Come and stay at Beeson Farm holiday cottages, we hope that you make some special memories on your holiday this year, and maybe add some more to this list… we would love to see your photos, feel free to share them to our Facebook page!