A cosy Devon village retreat for two.

Perfect for two, an ideal base for exploring Devon. On Route 3 of the National Cycle Network, near the Grand Western Canal. Excellently placed for the University of Exeter, and the city's business and legal districts. J27 of M5 and Tiverton Parkway minutes away. The Exe Estuary or N Devon coast both reachable for the day. Great farmshop and excellent village pub within walking distance. The front door leads directly into the cosy sitting room containing a welcoming hearth. The dining table doubles up as an ample workspace. There is tv and radio and plenty of books. Well equipped galley kitchen leads to the back door. Fridge with icebox, electric cooker, gas hob, kettle, microwave, toaster, combined washer/dryer. Space for recycling (strictly enforced in this part of Devon). From the sitting room stairs lead to galleried, but private, double bedroom, dressing room and bathroom. Shower above the bath. The cottage is reached down a steep shared path belonging to our good neighbour, which needs to be considered when booking. The path has some gentle steps which you may prefer, but no rail so please take this into account when deciding to stay with us. Both front and back door are on the neighbour's path across which we have right of way. Small seating area available. Please no outdoor shoes upstairs. Kingfisher Cottage is easy to find. It is on the corner on the left as you come into Pond Hill. It has a sign with its name on it, though this is not visible from the car as the front door is down a little path. PLEASE remember this. Pond Hill is CLOSED to traffic beyond the duckpond, there is a sign indicating this. Beyond the pond is pedestrian only. Parking is available and unrestricted in the lane outside, yards from the cottage, apart from the strictly observed Keep Clear patch which is opposite. It is not possible to unload directly outside the cottage. It is sometimes necessary to park further down the lane (about 100 yds) opposite the pond. This is a reasonably secure place to park. Just don't trip over the ducks! Please note! The road is PRIVATE beyond the pond. When possible we will meet guests with a key and welcome you. If this is not possible, there is a key safe. We live nearby and can be contacted if necessary. We are happy to answer any questions by phone or text. Please get in touch AS SOON AS YOU CAN after booking by TEXT as this is most reliable when I am out and about and I can't log in to the website. We have loads of local knowledge just ask. There is a small selection of leaflets on nearby attractions, do add any you recommend. The village is lively and friendly. There is a church, a chapel, a pub (The Hickory Inn and Smokehouse) and a farm shop. Visitors love the pub food, as do we - it's amazing! The vibrant farmshop cafe has breakfasts and light meals, plus cream teas. The shop has a deli with local cheeses, plenty of fruit and veg, a Pick Your Own and a local butcher. Plenty of National Trust properties are within easy reach, with bustling cafes and shops in Tiverton. The nearest cinema is in Tiverton, with another at Wellington and a Picture House in Exeter. For concerts and theatre, Exeter is just down the M5. Both Exmoor and Dartmoor are within a morning's drive. Walking on the Grand Western Canal is a real treat. It can be accessed from two points in the village, and from the farm shop making a round trip that can start with buying a picnic at the shop, and stopping at the pub on the way back. Watch out for cyclists, who are instructed to dismount under the bridges for safety of selves and others, and particularly the horses. The Brind family has been running barge trips from the canal basin (Grand Western Country Park) in Tiverton for generations. And the Canal Tea Room - a dear little thatched cottage next to the car park, does the best scones ever! Cream tea here is special, as are the light lunches and ice creams. The village is on a bus route with frequent buses into Tiverton. Tiverton Parkway railway station is about two miles away, just off Junction 27 of the M5 and the North Devon Expressway. The bus stop is just outside the cottage. Taxis and buses operate out of the station. Exeter can be reached either via the M5, or down the winding and picturesque Exe Valley route. It is possible to walk to Tiverton along the Grand Western Canal, around the spectacular Swan's Neck bend, shown in the painting over the fireplace. History. The cottage was added to the older house next door in the 19th century as a small shop. It wraps around the very old inglenook fireplace of the larger house, making it very snug and warm. In summer, as the sitting room is slightly below street level, it stays cool. There is gas fired central heating and an electric woodburner for a cheery glow. Techy stuff Please note that, as indicated in the listing, there is currently NO WIFI in the cottage. STOP PRESS! Due for installation 10th September 2021 Mobile signal is variable, whichever network you are with. Upstairs is best for signal and occasionally emails, but you may have to walk right up the hill to the church to pick up texts. No magic formula, I'm afraid. The television has a Sky box with all the regular channels plus a few more and a DVD slot. Home comforts Amid our consistently heart warming feedback, the ideas of living in a story book and me being lovely are trending at the moment! However, I don't pay a cleaner so what you see is the result of my struggle to make it homely and safe. There may be spiders' webs, they are quick workers and appear between cleans. But be assured the important bits are clean and cared for, the bedding - all good quality pure cotton - will of course be fresh if not necessarily ironed to professional standard. This is reflected in the price of your stay. The cottage has been a home from home for our family and friends and if you count me as a friend, I will count on your forbearance when it comes to my ironing skills. Luxury towels and a power shower should make up for this! Please respect the house and leave it as you find it. COVID cleaning protocols strictly observed. Drive with caution The road is generally quiet. It is a main route into Tiverton and can be busy in rush hour. But the cottage is well insulated with thick cob walls and double glazing. At harvest time there will be tractors on their way between farms in these days of farm mergers and shared equipment. They are everywhere round here. Be prepared to reverse a lot in the lanes and give extra time for your journeys. The road from Tiverton to Exeter through Bickleigh has many cyclists on it - please beware. And of course ALWAYS slow up for horses and don't try and squeeze past. If in doubt, keep your distance, cut your engine and wait for the riders to decide what to do. Devon lanes are steep earth banks, often with hidden sandstone, so don't assume you can nudge too heavily into the cow parsley - your bodywork will suffer. Parking times At the foot of the hill, by the village pond, the birdsong is remarkable. A short walk beyond is the very pretty 13th century parish church, open till 4pm most days. Opposite it is the village primary school so pedestrian access to this from our hill means at school drop off and pick up, as well as cheery chatter, there will be some parents' cars. They don't wait long but this can sometimes impact on arrival times.