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Little Barton

Bideford, Devon
Self-catering
+44 (0)7974 837365 / +44 (0)1237 441259
Visit owner's website

A sustainably run 1902 farmhouse and its converted cattle shed in countryside close to a wonderfully wild stretch of the North Devon coast

2 places

Sleeping from 6 – 10

Children welcome

Pets welcome

Babies welcome

The Experience

Feel free to unwind in easy-going spaces with decades of input from family and friends: handcrafted furniture, well-travelled rugs, recycled fabrics, local pottery and paintings. Wander in the rambling, wildlife-friendly garden – see hares and stoats, butterflies and bees; find old outbuildings busy with the making of pots, and boards for surf and snow.

Come with the family; there’s plenty of kitchen kit to cook good local food and children love the space to roam. Come with your yoga group; the barn has the perfect sprung floor. Sit under the stars, play the piano, finish that book or choose one to settle down with by the fire.

Bring boots and binoculars and combine bird-watching – peregrine falcons thrive here – with walking a spectacular stretch of the SW Coast Path and visits to Docton Mill and Hartland Abbey gardens. Go swimming, surfing and cycling, take a boat trip from Clovelly or a day out to Lundy Island from Bideford.

We think you'll love

The sense of freedom and walking the dramatic coastline
Alex’s active eco-friendliness and local food tips
Being sporty/arty/lazy/contemplative/in the wild

You should know

This is a creative family’s home: comfortably quirky, not posh
Fine coastal countryside can be windy, wet and muddy too
It’s about 10 minutes' drive to the nearest pub/cafe

Essentials

EV charger
Self check-in
Swimming pool
Hot tub
Garden
Open fire / woodburner
Breakfast included
Breakfast available
Meals available
Vegetarian meals
Oven
Parking on premises
Free parking nearby
Accessible by public transport
WiFi
Television
Central heating
Limited mobility
Wheelchair access
Mobile reception
Hob
Barbecue
Paid parking nearby
Air conditioning
Relaxation areas
Washing machine
Tennis court
Microwave oven
No smoking
Credit cards
Working farm
Owner has pets
Electricity included
Dishwasher
Pets welcome

Family friendly

Baby monitor
Books and toys
Children welcome
Babies welcome
Stair gates
High chair
Fire guard
Cot available

Nearby

Pub/bar within 3 miles
Restaurant within 3 miles
Shop within 3 miles

Activities

Bikes available
Food courses
Kayaking
Other courses
Sailing
Surfing
Wild swimming

Information
& pricing

Booking information

Check in: From 4.30pm Friday
Check out: By 10am
Booking restrictions: Short breaks available. Pets by arrangement.
Closed: Never.
No smoking: Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Meals: Never.

Pricing

Nightly price: from £100
Weekly price: from £560
Damage deposit: £300

1 Cottage for 6: From £1006 beds3 bedrooms
1 House for 10: From £20710 beds6 bedrooms

Reviews

We had an amazing stay in the cottage at Little Barton. It's a beautiful and relaxing place, and had everything we needed for our stay. Lots of walking and swimming to be had nearby. Such a great stay that we will be back.

Matthew, London Oct 2020

I really liked Little Barton - it's got a very positive energy to it. A place to feel unfettered.

Annie, Sawday's inspector Oct 2020

We had a lovely stay at Little Barton. The house and surroundings are very relaxing, with great views to the coast. There is lots of space to spread out on, even with a large group, many nooks and crannies to hide away in with a book, and wonderful walking and beaches close by. The ping pong in the barn is a bonus, of course! Two thumbs up from our young children, and 5* from the grownups.

Alastair, Leamington Spa Aug 2018

Seconds after arriving (after a marathon Friday pm drive from London) our city stresses disappeared. Little Barton is a wonderful, characterful place to stay. We had the house + cottage (8 adults and 7 boys - under 7!) and it felt super spacious, plenty of room to eat, to play, to roam. The boys ran barefoot throughout the houses and gardens, playing hide and seek, flying kites in the gardens... the grown ups took any quiet opportunities to enjoy coffee on the terrace or wine on the bench looking out to sea. The rooms were are spacious, and unique. Amazing coast. Well equipped. Wonderful!

Amy, London Jul 2018

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Location

The neighbourhood

Close to the coast, off narrow Devon lanes, Little Barton is 20 minutes’ walk from Speke’s Mill Mouth and waterfalls and a 30-minute walk, along lanes and through woodland, to Hartland with its shops, pubs and first-Sunday-of-the-month farmers’ market. It’s 45 minutes on foot (7 by car) to Hartland Quay, the Wreckers Retreat pub and great swimming in an awe-inspiring cliff-scape.

Local points of interest from Alex Wilkinson

Wild high tide deep sea swimming at Hartland Quay (7mins by car or 45 mins walk).Excellent surfing/body boarding locally and further afield. Fishing trips available from Clovelly. Trips to Lundy on the Oldenburg ferry.
Fantastic walks over wild beaches and through wooded valleys. Lots of opportunities for extreme sports such as mountain boarding, cliff climbing, abseiling, high ropes etc. Cycle hire in Bideford for the Tarka Trail.
Houses run on ecological principals: wild flower meadow for bees and insects, small wood much loved by birds. Ecover products supplied; bathrooms and kitchens steam cleaned. A private water supply and an eco sewage system. Recycling is important.
Clovelly walled gdn/veg only 10 mins away. Well raised meat, venison, veg, eggs, cheese etc: Hartland Farmers' Mkt on the 1st Sun of the month. Bude Farmers' Mkt every Sat. Click/collect Marshford's Organics Northam (inc gt froz fish boxes) 30mins drive.
Hartland Abbey Garden and Docton Mill garden both within walking distance. Lots of art, pottery and handmade furniture in Hartland. 30 mins walk, partly through the woods to the newly opened 'Resurgence' centre which will berunning eco talks and courses.
You can buy pottery on-site, some of which is made from our own clay, on site. Courses in tailoring, eco wooden surf board building, yoga, pottery planned. 45ft yoga/workshop barn with sprung floor for use by arrangement

Introducing

Alex Wilkinson

Alex and her family, and friends – many of them makers and doers – have breathed new life into Little Barton since the '80s when they fell for its ruins. The idea was always that it be a place to share and new projects keep it constantly evolving and lively. Sustainable living is at the heart of things. Alex describes herself as unashamedly rural with international interests.