Bude Hideaways

Rooms

There are 2 barns - Red (sleeping 2-4) and Cob (sleeping 6-9) - plus a cottage for 2-4 (Escallonia) in the village of Poughill, 7 miles from the farm.

Nestled within 7 acres of rural farmland, the 2 stylish barns sit side by side, but are cleverly angled to feel private. Red Barn is arranged upside down, with bedrooms at the bottom and a loft-style, upper-floor living space, accessed via an enormous lawned garden. The kitchen is at one end; 2 comfy sofas and a wood-burning stove at the other. In the middle, there’s a dining table and 4 chairs, a line of neat shelving, stocked with books, games, DVDs, a picnic set and blanket. Thoughtful extras include an iPod dock, barbecue, boules and garden furniture.

A staircase drops to the ground floor where there are 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. The pretty double has an antique chest of drawers and a wall of printed wallpaper. Dual-aspect bedroom 2 is designed for children, with a navy-and-white seaside theme. The contemporary bathroom (brick tiles, tongue and groove) has a shower over a panelled tub, and REN toiletries are provided.

The Cob has seriously great credentials: designed by award-winning architects, cool, elegant styling and views to open countryside. The timber exterior and angular windows hint at the modern makeover inside, where features include bi-fold doors and underfloor heating. The main living space is a dramatic double-height living space, where white walls and a sleek kitchen emphasis stand-out pieces like the iconic, rainbow-hued Eames chairs and industrial metal light shades.

Beyond the living space there are 4 bedrooms. Downstairs is a large double with tongue and groove panels and an ensuite shower room. Upstairs, a blue-hued double has wide views across open fields, and the third can convert into a twin room. The kids’ room has bunk-beds, teddies and a playful bright-red ladder. There's also a gleaming shared bathroom and a hot tub in the garden.

Escallonia is the newest kid on the block; a beautifully restored cottage in the quaint village of Poughill. It has a kingsize double bedroom (with a beautiful metro-tiled ensuite), a sunny yellow twin bedroom and a snug bathroom with a tub, so it's perfect for a family, 2 couples or friends. Downstairs, a light lounge has designer sofas, there's a surprisingly big kitchen/diner and a small garden out front has bold green dining furniture. Perfect for a couple, 2 couples, friends or a family with a baby or older kids. Toddlers are of course welcome, but the barns are better suited to little'uns.

Features include:

• Microwave
• WiFi

Eating

The kitchens are astonishingly well equipped. Besides the things you'd expect (hob, oven, requisite crockery and utensils) we found things like a Bialetti coffee pot and a cake whisk, plus loads of useful extras - baking trays, lasagna dishes, napkins and candles. There's a washer/dryer and a a supply of Ecover cleaning products.

If you're staying at Escallonia, you'll get a voucher for a cream tea at Northcott Mouth beach. The nearest supermarkets are in Bude or Holsworthy. You might also like to take a special trip to Launceston (20-25 minutes’ drive) where you can combine a castle visit with a meat shop at Warrens - one of the best butchers in Cornwall.

For an evening out, there are plenty of good restaurants within driving distance (Bude's are within walking distance if you're staying in Escallonia). For ace Sunday roasts, try the The Smithy Pub at Welcombe; for casual summery dining, try Life’s a Beach at Summerleaze or the Bayview at Widemouth. Further afield, we had a fantastic lunch in the lovely garden at the St Kew Inn at St Kew (30 miles), near Trebarwith Strand.

Features include:

• Microwave

Activities

• We loved Bude's beaches. Summerleaze is a wide sandy stretch with a sheltered sea pool that's ideal for young ones to have a salt water dip. Widemouth is vast and golden, a great place to bodyboard/learn to surf. Crooklets (the so-called 'Bondi of Britain') is also a surfers' favourite, and has great rock pooling. Northcott Mouth is especially lovely; a pebbled secret cove, again with rock pools
  
• Go walking - the north Cornish stretch of the South West Coast path is spectacular, tough in parts but rewarded by sensational views from high cliffs and dramatic geology (particular highlights are the zig-zag folds at Millook)
  
• Go surfing - Cornwall is surfing central and Bude’s beaches offer some of the county’s best waves
  
• Visit the bays, beaches and villages along this dramatic coastline; within 40 minutes you can be in the harbour village of Boscastle, King Arthur’s Tintagel or Port Isaac (home of beach-shanty singers, The Fisherman’s Friends).
  
• Just across the Devon border, Hartland Point and the quaint pedestrian village at Clovelly are within a half-hour drive
  
• We spent a rainy day at Lanhydrock, a magnificent Victorian country house and estate, owned by the National Trust. Pure Downton Abbey
  
• Learn something new - take a course at one of Bude’s surf schools or sailing lessons on the nearby Tamar lakes

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Sailing
• Surfing
• Wildlife
• Windsurfing
• Wine tasting
• Yoga

Kids

Many of guests who stay here are families. With two children of their own (now grown-up), Conrad and Karen designed this as a child-friendly retreat and they are very well equipped.

The beaches around Bude are great for splashing, swimming, throwing a frisbee, learning to surf etc. There's Pirate Ship at Crooklets beach, and kids can ‘walk on water', in giant plastic globes. In Bude itself, there is a lovely seawater pool overlooking the beach (free); and a 'Splash' pool with flumes and a beach-style shallow end (small charge).

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Small Barn has 1 double and 1 twin bedroom. The Big Barn is larger: 4 bedrooms, one of which is a dedicated kids’ room with bunk-beds and space for an additional rollaway bed, while 1 of the others can be set up as a twin. The Farmhouse also has 4 bedrooms, including a twin room, and a double room with a truckle bed. All 3 properties can accommodate an additional baby cot.

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 1 hour
• Hospital: 20 minutes
• Shops: 10 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The two barns are on a farm midway between Holsworthy and Bude, on the Devon-Cornwall borders. It's down a narrow country lane just off the A3072. The i-escape map shows this location.

The cottage is 7 miles west, in the village of Poughill (pronounced Puffle).

By Air:
The nearest airports, Newquay and Exeter, are about an hour's drive away. Bristol is 2.5 hours, London Heathrow 4.5 hours. The Allens can arrange a taxi, but you'll want a car for local exploration. See our car rental recommendations.

By Rail
Trains from Paddington to Barnstaple take around 4 hours, changing at Exeter. See Seat 61 for more details. Taxis from there take about an hour.

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.com.

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