Rustic rural retreat. The Cayolar shepherd's hut

The rustic, cosy shepherd's hut nestles in a corner of our garden overlooking stunning Devon countryside. Perfect for spotting birds and wildlife. It is off-grid so you can take a digital detox and relax, indulge in peaceful "me-time" while enjoying the beauty Nature has to offer. (Don't panic, there are facilities to recharge your phone or laptop.) We hope our guests will enjoy a little respite from the stresses of everyday life and will leave the Cayolar feeling refreshed and revitalised. The Cayolar has a wood-burning stove, double ring gas cooker, sink and solar panel lights. Comfortable double bed with wonderful rural views. En-suite hut with loo, basin and shower. Seating for al-fresco meals surrounded by home-grown herbs (add mint and parsley to your salad, or sprinkle chocolate mint on your dessert). Garden area, barbecue and rustic fire pit. Ideal for star-gazing on a clear night or "chilling" and watch how busy Nature is. There is room to park, with steps leading to the lawn and shepherd's huts. We live across the garden, so we are around to ensure your stay is enjoyable and to pass on ideas for local places to visit or to answer any queries you may have. Rural, yet easily accessible, with shops, pubs and cafés less than 3 miles away, and glorious walks and cycle routes nearby, including the National Cycle Trail or the more strenuous (up hill and down dale) routes . Enjoy a day out on Exmoor or Dartmoor, the historic city of Exeter or take a trip to the coast. Visit Tiverton's museum, castle and Great Western Canal where you can take a ride on the horse-drawn narrow boat, and enjoy a Devon Cream tea in the café. The National Trust estates of Knightshayes Court and Killerton House are nearby, with lovely walks and gardens. You can walk from the Cayolar to Buzzards' Valley and follow the Little Dart River or stroll to our local Nursery for a coffee and delicious home-made cake or veggie lunch. Open Wednesday to Sunday. We can also recommend local Nature experiences with Tawny owls or otters. Leave the car behind and take a bus to the market town of South Molton or to historic Exeter to the cathedral, shopping mall, quay and mediaeval underground passages. Tiverton Parkway station is only 8.5 miles away if you fancy going further afield. We will provide a light breakfast. You can make tea and instant coffee, but please bring your own milk. A cafetiere is available, so remember to bring your favourite ground coffee. INFORMATION REGARDING THE SHEPHERD’S HUT Water for washing up comes from a storage tank in the cupboard. Bottled drinking water is available. We are on a septic tank, so please be careful what goes down the plug hole in the kitchen and waste pipes in the bathroom. No wipes or ladies’ bits please. Disposal bags are provided. Please avoid liquid oil or fat going down the plug hole – wipe out fatty dishes/pans with kitchen roll and place in the bin. Thank you for this especially! There are firelighters, kindling and wood available for the log burner and fire pit, but please bring charcoal for the barbecue. Please note that there are steps up to The Cayolar and en-suite. HOW OUR CAYOLAR GOT ITS NAME In 1976, I did a French exchange visit with a girl who lived in Pays Basque – an area of the Pyrenees. Like my father, her father kept sheep. The difference was that in Pays Basque, many sheep are kept for milking to make cheese, which is famous throughout France. During the winter months, the sheep live in the lower pastures. In the summer they are taken up into the mountains where the shepherds live in “Cayolars”, which are stone-built huts. Part of the hut was set aside for cheese-making and storage. Hopefully, during your visit to our Cayolar you will be able to sample some sheep’s cheese – “fromages pur lait de brebis” – Ossau Iraty. Although not as glamorous as some nowadays, our shepherd’s hut is rather upmarket to the original huts used by shepherds in Britain, which really would only have been a shelter for the shepherd to make a simple meal and to sleep in. There would have been room underneath for his sheepdogs and a box inside for orphan lambs, or lambs which needed a bit of extra care and warmth.