Walking on DartmoorLustleigh VillageLustleigh is a quintessentially English village centred around the church of St John The Baptist. Walk around beautiful Wreyland with its many thatched cottages and see one of the oldest Manor Houses in the country. Visit The Cleave Pub and Restaurant, a thatched Inn which dates back to the 15th Century, or partake of a wonderful cream tea at The Primrose Tea Rooms. Day to day provisions and locally made ice-cream can be bought at The Dairy. If you are lucky enough to be in Lustleigh on the first Saturday in May, visit the Orchard and join in the May Day celebrations which include the Crowning of the May Queen, children dancing around the May Pole, music, stalls, cream teas and Morris Dancing. Dartmoor National ParkWith such a diverse range of activities, walks and places to visit, The Barn is the perfect place to explore Dartmoor one of the country's most beautiful and accessible National Parks. Take a short drive on to the moor and visit Wistman's Wood, see a famous clapper bridge at Postbridge, and more locally walk the Templar Way through Yarner Wood up to the Quarry at Haytor. Walking from The Barn, explore The Cleave. Cleave is a local word for valley and Lustleigh Cleave is situated in the Bovey valley, just west of Lustleigh Village. There are many places you can walk and visit, some more difficult to access than others. These include Pullabrook Woods, (approximately a 5 mile round trip) Yarner Woods and Becky Falls (approximately 10 miles) and for those who require a more challenging trek try Haytor and Hound Tor (a distance of approximately 13 miles return). Templer WayThe Templer Way is a route for walkers that links Haytor on Dartmoor to Teignmouth. It is approximately 16 miles (25.7) km and covers scenery such as woodland, moorland, meadow, and historical tracks. It is divided in to 6 easy stages - a leaflet on Walking The Templer Way can be found in The Barn, but for more information visit www.exploredevon.info Parke - National Trust Property at Bovey TraceySet on the outskirts of the small market town of Bovey Tracey, visitors can enjoy a stroll around the gardens or a longer more strenuous walk through the woodlands and along the river to a medieval weir. Perfect for dog walking and a great walk for all the family. Home Park Café, Gold Taste of the West Winner 2017, is the perfect place to stop for refreshments or a bite to eat once you have finished exploring. The Exe Valley WayThe Exe Valley Way is a long distance route for walkers exploring the length of this beautiful river valley. It is almost 80km/50 miles in length stretching from the South West Coastal Path National Trail on the Exe Estuary to the village of Exford. The Exe Valley Way can be divided up into a series of 10 stages, most of which can be walked comfortably by most walkers in half a day. South West Coastal PathThe South West Coastal Path runs for 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset which makes it the longest National Trail in the UK. Much of this path runs through Devon and can be accessed by a short drive from The Barn. If you don't fancy exploring Dartmoor on your own, guided walks are available run by either Dartmoor National Park or the Tourist Information Centre in Moretonhampstead. Cycling on DartmoorThe Dartmoor WayThe Dartmoor Way Cycle Route is a 95 mile-long circular route which winds its way through the natural beauty of Dartmoor National Park. Part of this route, is the Wrey Valley Trail which runs locally from Bovey Tracey to Moretonhampstead (a distance of about 10 miles). In addition to the main circular route there is a 27 mile long High Moorland link that allows you to follow a 'figure of eight' or alternatively enjoy either of the shorter north or south circular routes. Cyclists will discover full days of pedalling and wonderful places to visit and explore. The Granite Way - Okehampton, Dartmoor National ParkThis easy to moderate cycle ride of approximately 11 miles is from Okehampton Station to Lydford. This is a relatively new, spectacular, mostly traffic free cycle route through rural Devon with fantastic view of Dartmoor and the surrounding countryside. It is part of the National Cycle Network 'Devon Coast to Coast' - Route 27. Parking is available at Okehampton Station. Cycle hire at the YHA Okehampton and Devon Cycle Hire, Sourton Down, both based directly on the route. The Exe Estuary TrailThis level route is virtually all traffic free, making it ideal for family cycling. The route starts in the heart of historic Exeter, and then passes through the city along the Exe Estuary Trail - part of the National Cycle Network route 2 (NCN2). The route then passes through Exeter Quay before heading to the ancient seafaring port of Topsham. You will cycle past RSPB reserves and beside the Exeter canal and also pass a few locks. There's plenty therefore to keep the kids interested along this flat route, which is a there and back ride (approx. 9 mile round trip to Topsham). Bicycles can be hired at Dart's Farm, Topsham or Saddles and Paddles at the Quay in Exeter. |
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This was our first visit to the barn and we had a whole week of fun experiences. We had a lovely walk in Parke which is close by. There is a lovely tea room in the village called Primrose Cottage which does the best cakes ever. The swimming pool in the Barn is bigger than at the local spa and Sue and Roger were happy to sort out any problems. Barker and Darcy (dogs) were good company for our dogs Dyson and Gizmo. We will definitely come back. Sam - April 2019 |
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