Yapham Cottages, Devon — Graham Custance Photography

We had a week long stay in Windbury Cottage, one of three beautifully presented properties at Yapham Cottages in Hartland on the North Devon coast.

Set in luscious countryside, at the end of a long driveway, you arrive into a peaceful retreat where the only noises you will hear will be the birdsong. The various small birds will come to visit you every morning on the feeders in the landscaped gardens. The steps down from the large carpark take you to one of the cosy cottages, Windbury has a pretty courtyard with a patio table and chairs to enjoy alfresco dining. Beautiful flowers adorn the whole site and there is an air of tranquility.

Our cottage was a stone barn conversion, equipped with all the amenities that we required. Excellent Wi-Fi, reclining leather armchairs, Freeview flatscreen TV and a dining table and chairs. The kitchen had a microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, oven and hob. There was also scones, jam and cream to welcome us after a long journey, which was a lovely touch.

A really comfortable double bed with plenty of storage space. Adjacent to the bedroom is the bathroom with a walk-in shower unit and heated towel rail.

All three cottages are 'dog friendly' and we had plenty of grounds to exercise Riley with a meadow halfway along the driveway.

A special mention for Martin, the site manager. The work and dedication that he puts into making Yapham Cottages a delightful place to stay is quite remarkable. He would be out and about in the morning when we left and then even in the evening he would be attending to the gardens and surrounding areas. He is always on hand, living in the nearby farmhouse if you require any help or assistance.

There are so many beautiful locations along this stretch of coastline in North Devon and Cornwall is just a short drive away. Saunton Sands was our first place to visit, there is a vast beach here and the tide goes out such a long way. The beach here is ‘dog friendly’ and there is a good cafe and toilets adjacent to the car park.

A popular film location is the nearby Hartland Quay, a spectacular peninsular with incredible rock layers exposed at low tide. ‘Treasure Island’ and ‘Rebecca’ are just two of the movies that used this landscape. There was once a harbour here dating back to the time of Henry VIII until a storm led to the complete destruction of the pier wall in 1887. Parts of the old formation stones can still be seen. There is a hotel and Inn located on the headland, where we watched the sunset over the sea.

Appledore is a picturesque village at the mouth of the River Torridge about six miles west of Barnstaple and about three miles north of Bideford. A historic fishing village, characterised by its winding narrow streets and pastel coloured houses. Take time here to sit along the seafront and sample the cakes from ‘John’s of Appledore’ just across the road.

We had been so fortunate with the late summer weather being so warm, which allowed us to soak up the evening sunshine on the beach at Bude which is only about 20 miles from Yapham Cottages This section of the beach was ‘dog friendly’ and there is a large carpark.

The wonderfully secluded and dramatic location of Lee can be found two miles west of Ilfracombe and is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. A walk through the beautiful village, takes you past pretty cottages down to the jagged rocks of Lee Bay

Picturesque Lynmouth with its rows of charming fishing cottages and tea rooms that cluster around the harbour. If you have time take the cliff railway up to the neighbouring village of Lynton. This is the highest and steepest fully water powered Victorian railway in the world.

The highlight on this trip for photography was coming back to Clovelly. Clinging to a 400 foot cliff, it has no vehicular traffic, just donkeys and sledges. Its steep, cobbled street tumbles its way down to the ancient fishing harbour and 14th Century quay.