No car? No problem. Here’s how to visit us without your own wheels

TRANSPORT

By train
Our nearest train station is Exeter St Davids, which is a 30-minute drive to the cottage. From there, you can either hire a car or jump in a taxi. Simple Car Hire will meet you with a hire car at Exeter St Davids. Prices start from £40 per day for a small hatchback such as a Vauxhall Corsa.  Call 01392 422095 or email reservations@simplecarhire.co.uk. Book in advance. Apple Taxis (01392 666 666; appletaxisexeter.co.uk), based outside the station, offer cabs costing around £35 one-way to North Bovey. Book ahead.

SHOPPING

Stock up at Sainsbury’s on Alphington Road or in Moretonhampstead. Alternatively, book a food delivery with Waitrose, Sainsbury’s or Tescos, who all deliver to North Bovey, or request one of our food packages.

THINGS TO DO ON THE DOORSTEP

The Ring of Bells, North Bovey

Our 13th century thatched pub has been rebuilt after being ravaged by fire in 2016. Restored by specialist heritage builders, every nook and cranny is just as it was, with salvaged beams weaved in with new and medieval features uncovered during the rebuild reinstated. There’s a cosy wood-beamed bar where friendly villagers swap stories, as well two restaurants - one with a wood-burner and original bread oven. Outside is a terrace and pretty garden, where sheep-shearing competitions are battled out during the village’s eccentric summer fair. There are regular pub quizzes and music nights with local bands. 

Bovey Castle, North Bovey

The silver-service Great Western restaurant at Bovey Castle is dazzlingly glamorous – think glittery flock wallpaper, chandeliers and swirly carpets. The food wows, too: estate venison, seat trout, duck – all beautifully presented, with well thought out accompaniments. As a guest of Moorland View, you have complimentary membership, with 15% off food and drink. For low-key dining, their casual brasserie has a sunny terrace and stunning views. Our favourite spot for a cream tea is by the enormous log fire in the Cathedral Room lounge, while the bar is a romantic spot for a romantic evening cocktail. Take your members’ card for 15% off. The castle is a beautiful 15-minute through along the river from North Bovey.

Easdon Tor, North Bovey

For a heady shot of invigorating country air and instant perspective on your surroundings, take the 2.5-hour walk up Easdon Tor, the hill you see from the main bedroom window in the cottage. From the top you’ll see 360-degree views of Dartmoor and be kept company by wild Dartmoor ponies who come here to graze. Scan the QR code in the cottage to download the route.

North Bovey to Lustleigh Cleave

Everywhere you turn in the little village of Lustleigh you’re offered a postcard perfect view, from the ancient church to thatched cottages to the rolling hills of the surrounding Wrey Valley. You can walk there from the cottage if you’re feeling energetic, a hike of about an hour and a half. Afternoon tea at the Primrose tea rooms offers all the scones, cream and loose-leaf tea your heart could desire. From Lustleigh you can make a wonderful circular walk up into Lustleigh Cleave, a deep cleft of trees, tors and tumbled boulders. Reward yourself afterwards with a drink under the oak beams of the 15th-century Cleave Inn. Scan the QR code in the cottage to download the route.

Guided walk, North Bovey

Qualified Dartmoor guide and North Bovey resident, Debbie Jenkins, offers private hikes along old pack-horse tracks to ancient remains, stone circles, tin mines and tors. She’ll give you a history of Dartmoor as you go and point out hard-to-spot wildlife. Cost: £12 per hour (minimum two hours); £45 for a half-day, £80 a day. Details: 01647 440053.

The Horse, Moretonhampstead

Heralded as a ‘genuine slice of foodie heaven’ by the Michelin guide, The Horse is one of our best local restaurants. Brixham crab, lobster, scallops and wild Cornish sea bass are favourites, as is Moreton lamb, Devon Ruby beef and locally-reared rare-breed pork. The pizzas are the best we’ve ever tasted. It’s all served up in a lovely contemporary setting, with a pretty walled courtyard for dining al fresco on summer evenings. Moretonhampstead is a 30-minute walk from the cottage.

Try artisanal Dartmoor skills, Moretonhampstead

The Dartmoor Artisan Trail is a new arts and craft trail that takes in the moor’s finest artisans, including blacksmiths, shoemakers and cider makers, and many of them work in our next village, Moretonhampstead. Watch them work, or have a go yourself on one of their mini courses. Moretonhampstead is a 30-minute walk from the cottage.

Gidleigh Park, Chagford

Work up an appetite with a two-hour hike to Michelin-starred Gidleigh Park, a grand Tudor-style country manor hotel, set in 107 acres of Dartmoor woodland outside Chagford. Creative menus are delivered with pin sharp accuracy, and there’s a 50-page wine list to choose from. Well worth the £100+ price tag.