A lot of the lovely folk who come to stay in our country cottages like to go out and discover what’s about in the local area, so we’ve put together a list of our favourite 10 things to do in Devon for your holidays at Stonehayes Farm. People come here for family holidays and celebrations, peaceful hen parties, romantic weekends and walking breaks, so we’ve tried to mix it up a bit and hope there’s something that will appeal to everyone. And here we go…
So, here we are: just a small list of our top 10 things to do in Devon when you’re here for your holidays at Stonehayes Farm. Some are closer than others, but all are within a short drive of our dog friendly country cottages.
1. Otter Valley Ice Cream and Field Kitchen, Monkton, Honiton
We’ve a feeling this is somewhere you won’t just go once, especially not if you’ve got children with you – they’ll want to go again and again! And who can blame them? Award-winning Gelato style ice cream, made on the farm with milk from the cows that graze in the fields just a few metres away; flavours that change with the seasons (Chocolate, Honeycombe, Vanilla, Lemon Curd, Rice Pudding, Salted Caramel with Chocolate Brownie…) – what’s not to like? The Field Kitchen opens for breakfast and serves excellent homemade food, including pizzas made with their own sourdough. Fantastic views from the terrace, lots of parking.
2. Beer, Devon
We are so lucky to be just a short drive from the beaches of the Jurassic Coast! A day by the sea can make all the difference to your holiday, and there’s such a variety here; Lyme Regis is popular, as are Sidmouth and Exmouth, but we like Beer because it’s smaller, which usually means quieter, although like any coastal village, it’s not undiscovered and can get busy in the summer months. The little streets wind their way down the hill and on to the beach where you can tuck into crab sandwiches at Ducky’s Beach Café. Browse the shops and galleries, stroll along the clifftop on the South West Coast Path to Branscombe, come back for fish and chips in the beer garden of The Anchor Inn. Go and see the awe inspiring caverns at Beer Quarry Caves and take a family visit to Pecorama where you can ride the miniature train around the landscaped gardens with views of the sea.
3. Heron Farm, Weston, Honiton
This family run vineyard, kitchen and shop is a firm favourite with us because it’s such a great day out for families, and it’s just down the road. They do vineyard tours for grown-ups, and they have events throughout the year, like Easter Trails, Garden BBQs and Breakfast with Santa. But it’s good to go there any time because the little ones will absolutely love it, feeding the sheep, looking for the bug hotels and bird houses in the fairy garden and letting off steam in the play area. Then go for lunch in the café where the food is fantastic, and browse the local goodies in the shop.
4. The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon
Over 500 donkeys live here, happy as can be, in the Devon countryside close to the sea. Go and see them all grazing in the paddocks and fields, watch them all run to the yard for their dinner, say hello and give them a little pat. There’s a woodland walk with a fascinating hermit’s cave, and the sanctuary is right on the South West Coast Path so you can go for a clifftop stroll, then come back for lunch in the café. There’s also a farm themed play area and a gift shop; more good news is that admission is free and dogs are welcome on leads.
5. Old Trickey’s Flower Farm, Hemyock, Cullompton
There are lots of activities on offer in the area where we live, from 4x4 driving and quad biking to archery and laser clay shooting, but the pace slows down at Old Trickey’s Flower Farm where they run workshops for up to 6 people in the gentle art of flower arranging – but with a difference. What they do here is grow seasonal scented blooms and foliage so the half day courses start with a tour of the flower field to learn about what’s growing; select and cut what appeals to you, then head back to the field-based studio for tea and coffee (or a cheeky glass of fizz) with locally made cakes before you get creative making your own hand tied posy to take away with you. It’s a lovely way to spend a morning, deep in the beautiful Devon countryside. Trickey’s can also supply their hand-cut flowers and floral arrangements for your holiday cottage – a wonderful way to bring a very special touch to birthday and anniversary celebrations, hen weekends and even wedding parties held here at Stonehayes Farm. They also sell jam jar posies at the farm gate, along with eggs from their free-range rare breed hens, though these tend to go quickly.
At the time of writing there are spaces for workshops on Saturday 19th August and 9th September 2023.
6. Wildwood Devon, Ottery St Mary
This is brilliant fun for families so allow plenty of time. The setting is a private estate tucked away in the countryside; it’s home to wolves, lynx, wildcat, arctic foxes, brown bears and otters, all safe in their enclosures. Look out for the elusive red squirrels, go and watch a falconry display and see the Saxon Village where you can have a go at historic arts and crafts. There are play areas, a maze, zip wire and drop slide, so the kids are going to love this place! Take a picnic or have lunch in the Coach House Café.
7. Dumpdon Hill, Luppitt, Honiton
This is really close to home – once an Iron Age fort, it’s the hill that stands above Stonehayes Farm, with tremendous views over the Otter Valley. You really can see for miles! We like to come here in all seasons; it’s beautiful in the spring when the beech woods are carpeted with bluebells and it’s a wonderful place to be in the autumn with the spectacular colours and the leaves tumbling down on the breeze. In the winter, if you stand out on the ramparts you really feel like you’re part of this big wide world, at one with the elements; in summer, amble up with a picnic or just sit and watch the sunset. We love it here.
8. Bearhouse Alpacas, Sidbury, Sidmouth
This is an experience that won’t be quickly forgotten – alpaca trekking in the beautiful East Devon countryside on tracks that take you through woods and fields and over the rolling hills. Walks take about an hour and a half and then you go back to the farm near Sidbury for refreshments. Alpacas are such gentle creatures and they tend to go at an idle pace, stopping to nibble leaves and grass now and then, so you get plenty of time to take in the glorious views. Great for birthday or anniversary presents, as a hen weekend activity, or just because.
9. Dunkeswell Aerodrome, Dunkeswell, Honiton
Once a WW2 airbase, Dunkeswell is the highest licensed aerodrome in the UK. People come here to fly their planes (obviously!), for flight training, and worth remembering if you’re planning a stay at our Devon holiday cottages for a special birthday or some other momentous occasion – wingwalking and skydiving experiences. You can also go just to watch the comings and goings, planes landing and taking off, parachutes gently drifting down to ground; the best place for this is from The Aviator Bar & Restaurant or the terrace. There’s also a Heritage Museum onsite which is well worth a look for a glimpse into what life was like here during the war.
10. Killerton, Broadclyst, Exeter
There are a few National Trust properties within easy reach of our holiday cottages in Devon – Knightshayes, A La Ronde, and Loughwood Meeting House, but Killerton is our favourite because we love the grounds, especially the thatched Bear Hut where the family who lived here many moons ago kept their pet bear. There’s also a beautiful Grade I listed chapel, glorious formal gardens, and wider parkland where you can build a den and go for a bug hunt. If the house is open, do have a tour because it’s fascinating and fashionistas will love the historic costume exhibition. Make a day of it, take a picnic, or go to the coffee shop or café.
That’s just a very brief look into what’s about in our local area, and we have to say, picking just 10 was a challenge as there’s so much to see and do in this neck of the woods. Just off the top of our heads we could list so many more – Honiton Pottery Workshop, Axe Valley Wildlife Park, Bicton Park Gardens, World of Country Life, and so on. Have a look at our Things To Do pages and you’ll see what we mean, you certainly won’t be short of places to visit if you want to go out on your holiday in Devon. Get organised, book a stay today and start planning!