What To Do
Places To Visit
Devon abounds with glorious National Trust properties and we’re very lucky to have
some close by: The Finch Foundry, Castle Drogo, Lydford Gorge, Parke, Killerton
House to name but a few. Perfect for a splash of history, wonderful scenic walks, lovely
cafés and gardens. If you fancy a little further away, Agatha Christie’s House
‘Greenaways’ is close to Torbay. You can discover more about these online:
For garden lovers RHS Rosemoor is right on our doorstep – just a short 20-minute drive to this flagship RHS garden on the outskirts of Great Torrington. Simply turn left out of our drive, stay on the A3124 – you’ll be in garden heaven in no time (their rose-garden is a delight).
Our closest city is Exeter, with its beautiful cathedral, Roman walls & castle, is 22 miles from here – great for history, maritime history and eateries at Exeter Quays, quirky shops in Fore Street and Gandy Street, RAMM – The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery. There are the usual identikit retail stores in the City Centre of course, if you need them.
And don’t forget we are a stone’s throw from Dartmoor National Park, 365 square miles of Devon Heaven! Dartmoor National Park is a vast moorland of craggy landscape, defined by forests, rivers, wetlands and tors (rock formations). Trails wind through valleys with Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age stone circles, abandoned medieval farmhouses and roaming Dartmoor ponies. The area is dotted with villages, including Princetown, home to Dartmoor Prison used during the Napoleonic Wars.
If you love foodie things and browsing for antiques and bric-a-brac bargains, here’s a list of our personal favourite places to visit from Burnswood:
Chagford – a charming Devon village, highly recommended for unique shops, deli’s and cafés in a beautiful location on Dartmoor. Hidden away down extraordinary green lanes is Gidleigh Park, the Michelin starred restaurant and hotel.
Widdecombe on the Moor – famous for the Uncle Tom Cobbley song about Widdecombe fair- lovely scenery and small village in the middle of the moor.
Topsham – for antiques and bric-a-brac at the Quay Centre, fine dining at The Salutation Inn, walks by the River Exe estuary, lunches and independent shops. Darts Farm is an award-winning farm shop selling excellent locally grown produce, with cafés, wine and homeware shops – plus country walks around the farm.
Totnes – renowned ‘hippy’ town for all things ethnic and green, a little further away in the South Hams. Atmospheric hilly high street with ancient architecture, independent shops and a castle. Great place to browse and eat, especially on market days, Friday and Saturday. The River Dart runs through the lower town and is great for kayaking and cruises to Dartmouth.
Ashburton – great for antiques and art and food, an ancient Stannary town on the edge of south Dartmoor.
Lustleigh – a hidden gem in the rolling hills of Dartmoor. Pretty thatched buildings and a lovely pub. This is a great place to start or finish walks on the moor.
Appledore – a picturesque fishing village on the Taw estuary, known for its maritime
history. Excellent local deli and plenty of food outlets and art galleries. Opposite Instow, with ferries across.
Instow – great for beaches and the views of Appledore. Lovely place to start or finish part of the Tarka Trail link between Instow and Great Torrington.
Clovelly – popular, well-known picturesque village, with steeply cobbled path down to the ancient harbour. No cars allowed in the village and payment is required for access.
Stunning scenery of the North Devon Coastline and a good walk to a waterfall along then beach.
Activities To Enjoy
Whether you are a keen fitness addict, a nature-lover, a history buff, a lounge lizard who prefers finding somewhere lovely for coffee, or an antiques junkie – you can find all of it here. We also have a plethora of excellent farm-shops offering a great choice of delicious local veggies, meat and fish – in fact, we even have our own local ‘lobster dealer’!
We highly recommend checking out the Visit Dartmoor website. This is a superb resource for everything you want to know about the area, with great maps and suggestions to make the most of your stay.
Outdoor Activities
With beautiful Dartmoor on thedoorstep, there is an amazing variety of outdoor activities you can choose from. As Devon’s North Coast is only 45 minutes’ drive away, there’s fun to be had exploring sand-dunes and huge surf beaches, taking surf lessons or walking the South-West Coast path.
The Tarka Trail
You can join the Tarka Trail just down the road from here! Inspired by the route travelled by Tarka the Otter from Henry Williamson’s famous 1927 novel, the Tarka Trail is a 180- mile, figure of eight walking and cycling route that traverses unspoiled countryside, dramatic sea cliffs and beautiful beaches enabling you to explore and experience the very best North Devon has to offer.
The Granite Way
This is a truly spectacular, and mostly traffic free, cycle route through rural Devon with fantastic views of Dartmoor and the surrounding countryside. The route is part of the National Cycle Network ‘Devon Coast to Coast’ Route 27. It passes near to the Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton, Okehampton Castle and Lydford Gorge. Look out for the spectacular Meldon Viaduct, from where there are wonderful views of Meldon Dam and Dartmoor beyond.
Drakes Trail
The Trail runs from Yelverton, near Tavistock, to Plymouth and takes its name from numerous connections with the famous Elizabethan seafarer Sir Francis Drake and forms part of (NCN) Route 27, the ‘Devon Coast to Coast’.
The Dartmoor Way
The Dartmoor Way Cycle Route is a 90 mile-long circular route which winds its way around the natural beauty of Dartmoor National Park, linking hamlets, villages and towns along its length. Plan your trip anti clockwise in sections, to enjoy the best scenery and make the hills slightly less daunting! Guided walks and tours are plentiful around Dartmoor. The Visit Dartmoor website has all the details: www.visitdartmoor.co.uk
The South-West Coast Path
This is England’s longest waymarked footpath. It runs for 630 miles, from Minehead on the edge of Exmoor, to the shores of Poole Harbour and offers the ultimate challenge for the long-distance walker. However, it can be walked in small sections and can be joined
anywhere along the north-coast. www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk
Wild Swimming
Hailed in the Wild Swimming book as “…possibly the most magical wild swimming in Britain”. Dartmoor has some exceptional places to take a dip:
Popular gorge/valleys: Salmon Leaps, Castle Drogo Weir and Drewe’s Pool, Sharrah
Pool, Spitchwick (Deeper Marsh/Spitchwick Common), Tavy Cleave, Double Waters
Moorland: Shilley Pool, Cullever Steps Pool, Crazy Well Pool
Remote gorge/valleys: Mel Pool
Remote moorland: East Dart River Waterfall.
Paddling and Picnics
Bellever Forest – The East Dart River skirts Bellever Forest.
Cadover Bridge – Where the River Plym leaves high moorland and enters a stunning valley.
Fingle Bridge – A beauty spot in the Teign Gorge near the National Trust’s Castle Drogo.
Places to Eat
The local area is largely filled with pubs rather than restaurants, so if you’re looking for gourmet fine dining you’ll need to travel a little further afar. However, there are two excellent Michelin starred restaurants at Gidleigh Park on Dartmoor and Michael Cains’s Lympstone Manor, on the River Exe estuary. Advance booking is essential.
For fancy afternoon teas, or classy dinners and tasting menus, there are some charming places to book that are not too far from here:
The Salutation Inn, Topsham
Lewtrenchard Manor, Okehampton
Highbullen Hotel, Umberleigh
Paschoe House, Bow
Winslade Manor, Clyst St Mary
The River Exe Café, Exmouth
(A floating seafood restaurant in the middle of the Exe estuary – water taxi provided from Exmouth on booking. A great experience, however it must be booked in advance. Seasonal opening: 1st April-30th September)
N.B. There are plenty of local pubs to choose from for casual dining – but some only serve food from Wednesdays – Sundays, so it’s always best to check before you rock up starving hungry on a chef less day!
The Duke of York, Iddesleigh
(Famed for being the local pub for writer Michael Morpurgo and the inspirational setting for Warhorse)
The Rams Head, Dolton
The Railway Inn, North Tawton
(Bert the landlord is a proper Devon chap, so famed for his Devon dialect that he recently received an award for it! He also makes his own fantastic gin called ‘Black Dog’ and Dartmoor Beast – definitely worth trying!)
The Lymington Arms, Brushford
The Kings Arms, Winkleigh
(Busy local pub with great burgers made by The Mad Butcher of Winkleigh)
The New Inn, Roborough
The Waie Inn, Zeal Monachorum
The Oxenham Arms, South Zeal
(Famous and fascinating for being built around a menhir older than Stonehenge, complete with a long list of historical guests such as Sir Francis Drake, and a ghost!)
The Fountain Inn, Okehampton
The Chagford Inn, Chagford
The Three Crowns, Chagford