Getting away from it all in Welcombe, Devon (by Jo)

[caption id="attachment_1400" align="aligncenter" width="940"] The family at Welcombe Bay[/caption]

We have a brilliant guest post this week, thanks to Jo, mum of three boys aged 13, 11 and 9. Could the three of them, plus one work-concerned husband and a bespoke coffeehouse-obsessed city dwelling mum manage a week in a remote cabin in Devon with no TV, no 3G and a dreadful internet connection? Surely this would be an invitation to disaster….

Over to Jo:

"Let’s start with a bit of background….

I have watched with admiration over the past few years as good friends Rach and Mike (once full-on London residents with all the partying, clubbing, drinking, intense working and culture loving that entails) made their escape from London. First they moved to Bath, where they operated their version  of the Good Life - chickens in the back garden, growing all their own veg, Rachel knitting  and a back to basics mentality.

Then they upped the stakes (and the sticks) and decided to move to Mike’s late grandpa’s “shack” in deepest darkest Devon. This had brown water running from taps, no functioning kitchen, an Aga without an instruction booklet…. and no heating! Oh and they had two gorgeous little boys in tow! Yikes.

But pictures would go up on Facebook, commentary on Twitter and I would watch the beautiful and peaceful life that they seemed to be living with admiration, and a big dose of jealousy. I admired the shack, which was actually a cabin with a name  - Barton Hurdle - that nestled in the woods, close to one of the most beautiful bays in Devon. And I saw views to knock your socks off along with very happy children.

Two years later Rach and Mike had completed their shack’s modernisation and "coolerisation" ( is there such a word? There should be!)  moved to nearby Bude, and the newly emerged cabin was ready to rent out.

We were the first guests.

We arrived from London after a straightforward four hour drive. The AA route finder gave the funniest directions I’ve seen yet. Leave N2, go on North Circular, M4, M5, A38, “you have reached your destination”. Really that was it!

Thankfully Rachel gave a few more detailed instructions as to how you find Barton Hurdle. These were somewhere along the lines of “Barton Hurdle is like Hogwarts; there are many ways to get there.”

She directed us via the medieval church and the old well and the last stretch of the journey took us down a windy very narrow lane in the midst of beautiful woods, where we lost the signal for Radio Devon.

When we finally arrived, it was a beautiful sight as the sun shone on the cabin and illuminated it. We parked, jumped out and crossed a little bridge, overhung by a fantastic tree climbing willow and there was Barton Hurdle.

[caption id="attachment_1408" align="aligncenter" width="940"] The cabin[/caption]

The cabin reminded me of Sex in the City, where Carrie goes out to her place in the Hamptons. Well maybe not quite as big and without Aidan. It is small and compact and you kinda’ have to get on, but it is so cosy and inviting that it puts one in a great frame of mind.

[caption id="attachment_1412" align="aligncenter" width="765"] The kids' bedroom[/caption]

There is a lovely lounge area with a couple of sofas, and chairs and big dining room table and an Aga. The main bedroom is off the lounge area and contains a very comfy bed. The kitchen is a galley kitchen with what you need, oven, hob, washing machine and standard stuff. The kids’ bedroom had two single beds , and our third son slept on a futon mattress in there too. It mixes rustic charm with contemporary design with lovely fabric curtains and wicked light fittings.  It also has (a far cry from when they first moved) great running water, great cooking facilities and a brilliant powerful shower.

[caption id="attachment_1411" align="aligncenter" width="940"] The stream which runs through the garden[/caption]

My favourite part of Barton Hurdle was the garden. Although small , it basks in sunshine and every morning you would find me (in PJs and Uggs) with a cup of tea on the bench on the grassy knoll next to the house. I could sit there for hours with the sun on my face, surrounded by beautiful trees with silence all around me.

The kids would probably say their favourite part was the fire pit - crowding round it eating barbecued chocolate bananas  - or perhaps playing in the stream at the bottom of the garden and building a dam. Each day they would make additions to the dam, commenting on its engineering , construction and design whilst soaking each other from head to toe. Anyone with an environmental bent might like to invest in a hydro electric element - it has potential!

And so to the crux of the matter. A beautiful cabin and going back to nature comes at a cost – that of no TV, no 3G, and very tempermental Wifi. How did we fare?

Well the first afternoon was interesting. The boys were all on top of each other, reaching instinctively for a device that they could not find, and there was a fair amount of fighting. My husband was wondering about, hovering at various points of the cabin trying to see where the wifi might be improved. The evening was quite strange - I couldn’t feed my addiction to social media, and we ended up playing a combination of board games, reading and arguing (well it was a family holiday).

But once we had gone through the transition stage and adjusted to our new reality I can honestly say it was one of the happiest holidays we have had.

Highlights include taking a leisurely walk along the National Trust path alongside the stream (still running despite the efficient dam further up stream!) down to Welcombe bay.

[caption id="attachment_1399" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Sunset at Welcombe Bay[/caption]

At the end of the ten minute ramble there were three giant stepping stones (there is also a road so don’t fear) that took us across to the descent to the beach. The beach itself is rocky with amazing crabbing potential. The kids spent hours looking for various creatures and popping them into empty crisp packets (I know we were very ill equipped) to keep them safe, before releasing them back to the shore at the end. Because I had no phone reception, I simply sat back and read my book.

I’d recommend that you should visit the beach in the evening as the sun is setting as that is really stunning.

Other major events in our week-long visit included multiple visits to the local pub. You need to walk for about fifteen minutes (uphill on the way there) through the woody roads to the Old Smithy Inn - a 13th Century pub serving great food, with a good selection for veggies, a very big garden and once again, great views of sunset. Next to the pub is a little pottery which is a real find. A husband and wife team display their wares of beautiful mugs, plates, bowls and glass.

There was loads to do around in the area, although we caught the chilling vibe and didn’t do a great deal. We did go to Bude  - a great seaside town about ten minutes away in the car – and the boys body boarded and then hung out in the sea pool.

We also visited Boscastle, a place I had only heard of via the news and due to the terrible floods back in 2004. I had no expectations, but it is now one of the most gorgeous places I have visited in Cornwall - almost picture perfect, with a slightly terrifying walk to the precipice over the bay, with violent waves crashing below and coffee shops below to calm your nerves. Then there’s the Witches Museum which is extremely bizarre & eccentric, and with an enormous collection of all things Witches or just simply ancient misogynistic, but still worth a visit if just for its madness. We also made it to Clovelly, an ancient fishing village on the steepest hill imaginable. At this point I bowed out whilst the testosterone pack went out with a local fisherman. They came back green, lighter but very happy with the rocky experience.

I would definitely recommend a visit to Welcombe and to Barton Hurdle. It’s cheaper than a rehab centre for internet addicts, and certainly more fun! However, I should probably put my cards on the table: we did bring a mini DVD player with, but I only managed to grab one DVD from home and that was Life on Earth…. I was a very popular mum that holiday!"

Jo and her family visited Barton Hurdle in May half-term. It costs £80 a night or £500 a week and is listed on Airbnb. You can find out more and see more pictures if you click the Airnb link in the line above!

We're linking up with Country Kids, so head over there for more adventures!


 

More on Family Travel Times:

Read about our trip to Devon and Woolacombe Bay

Delightful return to north Devon: how I re-lived my childhood holidays with my daughter (June 2004)

When I  was a child, we spent a week in Devon each year. I grew up with scones and clotted cream, glorious sandy beaches and green fields.

They were great times but, as I got older, holidaying in the UK became a distant memory as I hopped on a plane to Europe, or crossed the Atlantic to the States.

Once my daughter, Jessica, came along, however, things changed. Car trips, with boots crammed to the brim, became far more appealing than the thought of traipsing to the airport. Staying in the UK, where nappies are easily replaced and familiar food bought with ease, became increasingly attractive.

That's why we spent our summer holiday this year in North Devon. Unsure whether hotel or self-catering was the best option, we did both, three days in a hotel and four in a cottage.

First stop was the Woolacombe Bay Hotel in beautiful Woolacombe Bay. It really is a stunning place, with a beach that reminded me exactly of my childhood. The expanse of sand was astonishingly broad and my two-and-a-half year old loved everything about it, from feeling the sand between her toes while paddling in the sea, to riding on the Victorian swings at the entrance to the beach.

[caption id="attachment_1248" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Jess and Brian by the beach[/caption]

Woolacombe Bay Hotel was also a wonderful place to stay, helped by the fact that we were not only given a huge room, more than big enough for all Jessica's toys, but also one with a balcony and fabulous sea view.

The hotel, very grand and standing in extensive grounds, has reinvented itself as a place for families. It has good facilities, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, beauty salon, gym, snooker table, table-tennis, pitch and putt and an adventure playground -- and serves a children's supper in the brasserie from 5pm. We found this service to be a great help, and Jessica ate well, surrounded by other children.

The hotel also has a fine restaurant for dinner and breakfast. A baby-listening service, where you leave your phone off the hook and reception listen in every 15 minutes, allows harassed parents to enjoy a good meal without having to cook it themselves.

I can thoroughly recommend the Woolacombe Bay Hotel, apart from one thing, the curtains. Having made such an effort to attract young families, the hotel should have provided thicker backing for their curtains. It sounds like such a small thing, but Jessica not only found it very difficult to sleep (the sun streamed in until late at night) but awoke at 5am when the sun shone through again.

Woolacombe Bay really is a holiday town, with an array of restaurants and cafes selling ice-creams and snacks, as well as other essential shops, including a chemist and a bank. It is also near lots of other North Devon attractions, as well as a number of beaches.

We visited one attraction, The Milky Way Adventure Park, en route to our next stop, nearer the border with Cornwall. On an awful British summer day, The Milky Way was great.

It is the biggest all-weather attraction in North Devon and not only offered a toddler town and bumper cars for little ones, but also had its own pets corner. Jessica loved the ferrets, rabbits, sheep, goats and newborn chicks.

The Milky Way is not just for small children, as it also has mini golf, laser target shooting and various rides. At the end of a fun-packed day, we left feeling very impressed.

After our three days staying at the hotel without having to lift a finger, I actually felt ready for a cottage (and the chance to cook Jessica some healthy food).

I was delighted with the Coach House, in a group of buildings called the Glebe House Cottages. The cottages, which used to form part of a Vicarage, are just outside a village called Bridgerule, near Holsworthy.

I must admit that, when first arrived, I was concerned that it was in the middle of nowhere.

I need not have worried. It is only about 10 minutes drive from Bude, in Cornwall, and less than half an hour's drive from a multitude of other attractions. The cottages are fantastic. Once again, the owners have tried to attract families, and realise this means they must offer good facilities. There are swings and a little wooden house and slide for toddlers, swingball, table tennis and a small pool table for those a little older. There are also lovely gardens with ornamental pools.

The best thing of all for me is that Glebe House has its own restaurant where the owners, Margaret and James Varley, cook meals for guests a few evenings a week. They gave us a baby monitor for Jessica's room and my husband and I ate a fabulous meal in the old cellar of the vicarage.

The cottage itself is also well equipped. Ours had two reasonably-sized bedrooms (one with an ensuite toilet and shower), and, upstairs, a lovely living room, with a kitchen and television. There is also a very small room, containing two bunk beds, off the living room.

Glebe House Cottages are very close to the Cornish border, so we ventured over it to visit Sandymouth beach. It only took about 20 minutes in the car, and we had a wonderful day. The weather was gorgeous, Jessica was fascinated by the pebbles, and I loved exploring the rockpools, which reminded me of my childhood. Back in Devon, we spent one day visiting Clovelly, a lovely village built right by the sea. You walk down the cobbled steps to get to the harbour at the bottom, on the way passing houses, restaurants and even the odd hotel. It is a long way down, so I recommend paying to come back in the Land Rover, but it is a lovely place to visit.

If I'm honest, I didn't want to come home from this holiday. There was so much to do and, I felt, so much more to see. I can't decide whether a hotel or self-catering was the better option. To have all my food put in front of me and not have to tidy up was great --for three days. After that, I was delighted to have the freedom of the cottage, to be able to put Jessica to sleep at night in a room of her own, and to relax upstairs with a light supper.

For more information on Devon, visit Discover Devon.

We stayed at the Woolacombe Bay Hotel, Woolacombe, Devon, which offers rooms and self-catering apartments.

This was originally written for the Press Association in 2004 and syndicated to regional and local papers across the country.

Delightful return to north Devon: how I re-lived my childhood holidays with my daughter (June 2004)

When I  was a child, we spent a week in Devon each year. I grew up with scones and clotted cream, glorious sandy beaches and green fields.

They were great times but, as I got older, holidaying in the UK became a distant memory as I hopped on a plane to Europe, or crossed the Atlantic to the States.

Once my daughter, Jessica, came along, however, things changed. Car trips, with boots crammed to the brim, became far more appealing than the thought of traipsing to the airport. Staying in the UK, where nappies are easily replaced and familiar food bought with ease, became increasingly attractive.

That's why we spent our summer holiday this year in North Devon. Unsure whether hotel or self-catering was the best option, we did both, three days in a hotel and four in a cottage.

First stop was the Woolacombe Bay Hotel in beautiful Woolacombe Bay. It really is a stunning place, with a beach that reminded me exactly of my childhood. The expanse of sand was astonishingly broad and my two-and-a-half year old loved everything about it, from feeling the sand between her toes while paddling in the sea, to riding on the Victorian swings at the entrance to the beach.


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