DEVON HEAVEN
The Devon staycation with beautiful lodges, swimming pools and family-friendly activities
MUCH like me, few things make Coco and Dora happier than long strolls through rolling countryside, glorious golden sunsets and a decent snooze in an uber-comfy bed.
It’s safe to say my dogs returned from their mini break in rural Devon feeling as refreshed as I did.
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Perhaps even more so, I wonder, listening to their peaceful snores rumbling from the boot of our car as we journey home through winding lanes.
My family and I had been staying at The Mole Resort in the flower-filled village of Chittlehamholt, about ten miles south of Barnstaple, where the term “dog-friendly” is taken to a whole new level.
The activity resort, which opened only in September last year, truly showcases the pretty patch of British countryside it occupies — from its rustic wooden lodges overlooking vast landscapes, through to its deer observatory, perched on a steep hill with shutters that open out on to the damp, quiet woodland below where wildlife flourishes.
For dog-owners it really is fuss-free holidaying.
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There’s no Googling the nearest dog-friendly pub, as pooches are welcome in the on-site restaurants and bars; no stressing about muddy paws, as each lodge has its own warm-water hose by the door and no worrying about leaving Fido behind, as four-legged friends can attend pretty much all of the activities on offer, even archery.
We were staying in a Valley View lodge, which certainly lived up to its name, propped up on tall stilts and offering uninterrupted views of a patchwork fields, and grazing cows.
Each stylish lodge comes with one or two parking spaces, an open-plan living/kitchen space and a hot tub on the terrace — a great spot for stargazing.
The standout feature, though, is the glass bi-fold doors that extend across the entire length of the lodge from the bedrooms and through the living space, meaning you can soak up the spectacular sights from the sofa, dining table or even bed with a cup of local coffee in hand.
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If you like to cook (there were more pans, cooking utensils and tools than I have in my own kitchen back home) make sure to order a breakfast or dinner hamper (or both of these).
All of the produce is sourced locally, from nearby farms, and the barbecue, steak and roast dinner packs were crammed with “high-quality meats”, so the carnivores tell me.
Axe-throwing
Having our fridge pre-stocked with breakfast goodies, such as fresh milk, bread, butter, eggs, veg and bacon, meant that we could spend less time at the on-site farm shop and more hours getting stuck into the stuff that makes the Mole Resort so special — the never-ending list of activities on offer.
Axe-throwing was at the top of my competitive family’s list.
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Our enthusiastic guide Will taught us all the tricks to score high and I’d go as far as saying an hour of axe-throwing is as therapeutic as the yoga classes on offer in the resort’s gym.
If you’re visiting with kids, there are parent-and-child sessions for archery and axe-throwing, plus there’s foot golf, tennis, pickleball, football and nature classes such as fire-lighting, bird box-crafting and den-building.
More of a wellness warrior? There’s an indoor and outdoor pool, as well as a spa offering all the standard massages and facials, through to reiki therapy and hopi ear candles.
A special mention has to go out to the challenging nine-hole golf course too.
Unlike many courses at activity-packed resorts like this, the one at Mole Resort isn’t an afterthought — with superb greens that are sure to impress any avid golfer.
While the men played a round in the afternoon sun, Mum and I whisked the dogs off to play with their new toys — bought from the on-site shop — at Westward Ho! beach, a 30-minute drive away.
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I’m not sure if it was the blustery weather or the vast size of the two-mile-long sands, but the place was serenely empty for the time of year and we barely passed another soul until we reached Pebbleridge Kitchen — dishing up fresh crab sarnies to the hungry punters.
Just make sure to arrive early before all the sandwiches sell out — otherwise you’ll be left feeling rather crabby.
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GO: Devon
STAYING THERE: Four-person Valley View lodges cost from £272 per night in low season, while hotel rooms cost from £81 per night, based on two sharing.
Breakfast hampers cost £45 for eight servings, while dinner hampers start from £50 for four servings.
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