Fingals Barberry Brook, Dittisham

A home away from home, Barberry Brook is perfect for 2 but there is lots of space to spread out. We can even pop an extra bed in for you if your little one wants to come too - and doggies are most welcome as long as they bring their own bed! It is a beautiful contemporary oak frame private mini house, which is tucked away but near all our fantastic amenities. Barberry Brook is small & perfect just for two, with lime-washed oak timbers in the bedroom and doors opening onto a private balcony overlooking the wild bank and Barberry Water below. The bed is huge and comfy, there is a sunken bath in one corner with windows overlooking the stream and an en-suite shower room with WC. Downstairs is a brand new, galley style kitchen with a breakfast bar/table and corner seating (extra bed). You have free WiFi and a telephone landline (no mobile signals here!). Barberry Brook is very private - a feeling maybe exaggerated by the fact that you are more likely to see birds on the wild bank opposite instead of other humans through your windows. However, you have access to other amenities and are most welcome to use the free heated indoor swimming pool, grass tennis court (May to September), croquet, snooker table or ping pong if you are feeling energetic. All of these facilities are shared with other guests. If you just want to chill out with a drink by the stream keep a look out for otters, birds and butterflies! We love having people to stay and are very happy to give advice but we won't fuss over you like mother hens! There is so much on offer in our wonderful corner of Devon that you could pick a different activity and area to explore every day and still have to come back for more! We are fortunate to live in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty so that there are endless wonderful walks from the Dart Valley Trail to the South West Coast Path to rambles on Dartmoor or just a stroll along a Green Lane from your door. The delightful village of Dittisham by the River Dart is just one mile away and there you will find all manner of boating activities from ferries to paddle boards with plenty of other craft in between! You can hire a dinghy or take sailing lessons or jump into a canoe to explore the riverbanks at a gentler pace. The cheapest and most thrilling activity for any child is to go crabbing on the pontoon here - give them a line with a bit of bacon attached and watch them squeal with delight as they pull endless crabs up from the muddy river bed - don't forget to bring a bucket to keep and count your catch! A short hop across the river takes you to Greenway the summer home of Agatha Christie now run by the National Trust and open all year round to murder mystery enthusiasts. A thirty minute ride down river takes you to the historic and beautiful town of Dartmouth where you can admire any visiting craft moored in the river or just stroll around and visit the unusual art galleries and shops and eateries or maybe wander out to the Castle by the river mouth. There is another wonderful National Trust property and gardens across the river a couple of miles from Kingswear - Coleton Fishacre built by the D'Oyly Carte family in 1926, decorated in the Art Deco style and and full of nostalgia from the 1920's and 30's. The gardens offer glimpses of the sea and paths weave through glades past tranquil ponds and tender plants from the Mediterranean, South Africa and New Zealand. Our other local town is Totnes - a few miles up the river from Dittisham. Sometimes entitled 'Hippy town', Totnes is a magnet for musicians, artists and healers. If you can visit on a Friday or Saturday you will find a place alive with colour as the market takes over the top of town and people spill out onto the pavements and into the market square selling incredible food, vintage/retro clothing, amber beads, Indian bedspreads, old tools, natural soaps and remedies, fresh fruit and vegetables and everything you need or don't need to buy as a memento of a brilliant holiday in the South Hams! Do come and stay with us and tell us your best holiday moments so that we can write about them for other guests! We look forward to welcoming you to Barberry Brook at Fingals. We are pretty secluded here and a car is probably the best way to arrive but forget it once it is parked up. There is a passenger ferry service from Dittisham to Dartmouth and across the river to Agatha Christie's home, Greenway. We do have a mainline station at Totnes, just 20 minutes away by cab, but no buses other than once a week to the village! There is no need to exert yourself while you are here and you may just want to relax around Fingals in order to go home refreshed. We have a couple of bikes here that you can borrow, you could set up the croquet on the lawn, play a game of lawn tennis or have a swim and then warm up in the garden with a good book and a cup of tea. But there is so much on offer in our wonderful corner of Devon that you could pick a different activity and area to explore every day and still have to come back for more!