14 minute read
GREAT ESCAPES
By the lakeside
Wimbleball Lake
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Camping, walking, fishing, sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, watching wildlife and finding scenic retreats by the shores of a lake offer many options for a magical spring break for visitors to the south west
After the dark, cold days of winter, the first signs of spring are always a welcome sight. Warmer temperatures, budding plants and the sweet glimpse of new life are just a few of the long-awaited moments revealing spring is finally in the air.
It’s the time of year when nature is changing, full of the promise of new life, and offering a breath of fresh air and an overload of the senses. It’s the perfect time to escape the hustle and bustle, immerse yourself in nature and experience the endless benefits of being outdoors.
Those lucky enough to live in the south west don’t have to venture far to find some of the most beautiful lakes in the UK. From moorland gems nestled amongst rolling hills to the atmospheric waters set in Cornwall’s iconic mining landscape –these much-loved beauty spots provide a restorative escape.
Lakes include the breathtaking Wimbleball on Exmoor (less than a two hour drive from Bristol and Bath), the idyllic Roadford on the edge of Dartmoor and the Cornish lakes of Tamar near Bude, Siblyback near Liskeard and Stithians near Redruth.
These are places where you can relax and observe the wildlife, stretch your legs, embrace a moment of calm or enjoy a scenic retreat and a deserved café break.
Camping breaks
The spectacular lakes of the south west are perfect locations for campervan and motorhome owners to escape to, relax and unwind.
You’ll relish outdoor barbecues, stargazing and the opportunity to explore three national parks, Cornwall's clay country as well as the spectacular coastlines. From the soothing sounds of water lapping against the lake shore and the relaxing dawn chorus on a spring morning to the rustling of leaves as a gentle breeze passes through the impressive woodland canopy above, waking up to nature’s soundtrack truly is incredible.
Now is the time to detach yourself from modern life and connect with your natural surroundings on your next lakeside break.
Put a spring in your step
Visiting the lakes on bike or foot is a great way to experience this beautiful time of year. Watch as winter transitions into spring and witness the landscape changing into a kaleidoscope of colour, a natural blanket of yellow, green, blue and crisp white. Admire
the spectacular flowers blooming around the lakes. Some traditional favourites to spot are daffodils, snowdrops, primroses, bluebells, wild garlic, wood forget-me-not and cuckooflowers.
The lakes are also home to an abundance of wildlife, from wildfowl, hedgehogs and weasels to bats, deer and the illusive dormouse. Don’t forget to look out for the flashes of colour in the sky as the butterflies emerge and spot one of the most iconic signs of spring, frogspawn, within ponds and along shorelines.
Take to the water
Those wanting to dip their toes in can hire a variety of watersports equipment, including kayaks, canoes and paddleboards and those who have their own kit can use it on the lakes. South West Lakes also offer qualified instructors so you can take part in a ‘Have a Go’ session or sign up to a course.
Hook, line and sinker
Roadford, Siblyback, Stithians and Wimbleball are all popular trout fisheries and perfect spots to begin an angling adventure. South West Lakes also manages 14 coarse fisheries across Devon and Cornwall including Tamar Lakes, voted as the second-best still water coarse fishery in the country in the Angling Times Magazine’s National Angling Awards.
Natural wellbeing
Research shows that ‘blue space’ including sea, rivers and lakes can have a positive impact on health and wellbeing. The lakes of the south west provide an abundance of opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to engage with the outdoors and get active. They are havens not just for wildlife but for walkers, runners, cyclists, families, sailors, birdwatchers and anglers, all searching for their own piece of tranquility.
So discover the beauty beyond your doorstep, head to the lakes this spring and experience an unforgettable adventure. Ready, set, spring! ■
swlakestrust.org.uk/activities
Canoeing at Siblyback Lake
South West Lakes are operating their activities and camping in line with government guidelines. Safeguarding visitors and employees is priority and therefore certain measures have been put in place to limit the spread of coronavirus and maintain the safety of everyone. Please do check the South West Lakes website prior to visiting to make sure you are up to date with information for your trip and ensure you maintain social distancing when visiting.
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Escape to Burgh Island
It is easy to see why Agatha Christie thought Burgh Island and its magnificent Art Deco hotel was the perfect setting for many of her murder mysteries, especially during the dramatic winter months. But come the summertime, there’s a very different adventure to be experienced. This is a tale of romance, luxury, and the perfect British seaside getaway.
As we look towards the reopening of hotels and indoor hospitality on 17 May, dreams of travel are unsurprisingly topping our summer plans. After many months of isolating, remote working and home schooling, the chance to escape is the break so many of us are craving. For those seeking respite, peace and solace in Britain’s natural beauty, it is no surprise that the iconic Burgh Island will be among the most sought-after retreats.
The secluded tidal island off the South Devon coast is home to the beloved Burgh Island Hotel, known in the 1930s as the ‘Ritz of the West’ and today that glorious ‘white palace’ built by socialite Archie Nettlefold remains a luxury landmark of Art-Deco architecture and history. An escape in more ways than one, today’s guests walk in the footsteps of esteemed guests including Noel Coward, Amy Johnson, Josephine Baker and Winston Churchill. Famously, Agatha Christie stayed on the island to write two of her novels in a private beach house.
Almost a century later, the hotel, part refurbished in 2019 and brought to new heights of luxury by further renovations during lockdown, has been a highly coveted staycation retreat and is ready to reopen its doors once more for the quintessential seaside escape much loved by travellers in the decades before us.
An escape from the everyday
Cut off from the mainland at high tide, the private island provides the true peace and seclusion that many of us are craving amid the highs and lows of the pandemic. In fact, the journey to Burgh Island alone is an adventure, with access twice a day only possible via the hotel’s historic sea tractor, which carries guests across the sea (at a social distance, of course).
The rich history of the island is enough to transport guests to a different time entirely and original Art-Deco architectural and design features from plush velvet chairs to the authentic stained-glass Crittall skylight, serve as a romantic reminders of the hotel’s wild and luxurious past. Infamous in the 1930s for its raucous parties, the hotel maintains all the glamour and glitz of its past, with black-tie dining in its Grand Ballroom and a decadent bi-annual ball. There are also plenty of legends to be found at the Hotel’s Pilchard Inn, an ancient smuggler’s pub dating back to 1336, which has welcomed many a guest for a drink by the warm fire or served pints to holiday makers on the adjacent Bigbury beach.
But as well as being the perfect place for celebrating the high days and heydays of life, this is a wonderful spot for relaxation. Set apart from the mainland, the private island offers the chance for real calm, with a boutique spa and a unique mermaid pool for natural sea water bathing, secured during the second World War by a sluice gate and surrounded by rocks for utter privacy.
New adventures on the Devon coast
Set on the rugged shoreline of the Jurassic Coast, guests have unrivalled access to Devon’s natural beauty, from private local hiking, fishing experiences and even shark conservation trips. Hugely popular Murder Mystery evenings, aptly set in the Grand Ballroom where Agatha Christie also took inspiration for her own work, have also become a much-loved entertainment for regular guests. For the more artistically inclined, the hotel offers tutoring sessions for all abilities from its resident island artist, Emma Carter Bromfield.
The food, too, is an escape far from normality. From tasting menus at the Grand Ballroom to the more intimate setting of the hotel’s recently opened Nettlefold restaurant, guests are able to taste the freshest produce of the local seas. Passionate about sustainable and seasonal local foods, head chef Tim Hall sources 80% of the hotel’s goods from within a 10-mile radius of Burgh Island. For a postpandemic escape, it’s surely not one to miss.
CARY ARMS & SPA
BABBACOMBE BAY, SOUTH DEVON
Owned by Peter and Lana de Savary, the Cary Arms & Spa sits in a spectacular bay, romantically nestled between the cliffs. Originally a historic seaside inn, now known affectionatlely as ‘The Inn on the Beach’, the Cary Arms has been completely transformed by the de Savarys to create a warm and friendly guest experience coupled with sublime luxuries such as a boutique spa, a selection of beautifully styled rooms and cottages and a superb restaurant serving locally sourced food such as lobster, crab and Devon farmed beef. Perfect for couples and families there’s always plenty to do and something for everyone from sailing, paddle-boarding, fishing, walking, to exploring rock pools or just lounging and enjoying the bay views. And, there’s also that Famous Five book or two that might need a re-read. With a choice of accomodation from luxury seaview rooms, beach huts and a range of feature packed cottages that can sleep up to nine people, all with spectacular views, the Cary Arms offers an elegant option for couples and family getaways.
For more details, booking information and availability, visit: www.caryarms.co.uk Tel: 01803 327110
If you are looking for somewhere a little different for a getaway, try Bluestone National Park Resort in Pembrokeshire on the south westerly coast of Wales. Nestled in 500-acres of rolling countryside, and within 20 minutes of Pembrokeshire’s National Park coastline, Bluestone is a place off the beaten track where you can turn your staycation dreams into a reality. Bluestone’s resort has miles of private walking and cycle tracks through woodland and meadows, along with adventurous activities for all ages including a subtropical water park and a lake for watersports. The luxury, modern accommodation offers you the space to relax away from the world too. All lodges and cottages include an outdoor area, ideal for barbecues, or just sitting and enjoying the sunshine. Book your escape. www.bluestonewales.com
ORIGINAL COTTAGES
A SUPER SELECTION OF PROPERTIES ACROSS THE SOUTH WEST AND UK
Original Cottages has an extensive range of coastal and countryside cottages, from cosy boltholes for two to country style properties which can accommodate large family gatherings. Take St Docwin near Port Isaac, North Cornwall (shown here). Converted from a former chapel built in 1821, the main living room and kitchen have high beamed ceilings, stone walls, and slate floors with the use of reclaimed wood and stone in the remainder of the modern addition tie the whole together beautifully. Trequite is a small hamlet, a short distance away from the delights of the North Cornish coast and within easy reach of the award-winning St Kew Inn and Port Isaac, where Michelin Star chef, Nathan Outlaw has his Fish Kitchen. Rock, Polzeath and Padstow are all a short drive away. St Docwin sleeps nine in four bedrooms, with two bathrooms and the added bonus is that the family pooch can come too!
For more details, booking information and availability, visit: www.originalcottages.co.uk Tel: 03332 020899
GARA ROCK HOTEL
SALCOMBE, SOUTH DEVON
Accessed at the end of a twisting narrow lane and perched on a bluff of a cliff overlooking the Salcombe estuary, with the splendid North Sands beach just over a mile away, the Gara Rock hotel is one of the coolest getaways for travellers who are looking for a laid-back, remote, romantic retreat where rugged coastlines slope into sunny, quiet sandy beaches. Salcombe itself (on the other side of the estuary) is just a short walk and ferry ride away, and is a bustling harbour town complete with sailing, boutique shopping, people spotting and a host of trendy cafés to lunch in and some great pubs and bars to enjoy. But it’s the much slower pace at Gara Rock where the calming spa with a whirlpool tub, sauna and steam room, heated indoor and outdoor pools, a little cinema, and excellent restaurant and lounge bar are the real attraction. And it’s all so casual and luxurious, the rooms are chic, super cosy and all have balconies or patios to make the most of the spectacular views.
LYMPSTONE MANOR
EXMOUTH, DEVON
Lympstone Manor is a splendid Grade II listed Georgian manor house built by the Baring merchant banking family in 1760s that has now been completely transformed with the vision of Michelinstarred chef Michael Caines MBE, into the most luxurious and delightful country house hotel. Situated in the heart of Devon on the foreshores of the Exe estuary the hotel has 21 of the finest rooms and suites - each one named after birds that inhabit the Exe - and complete with original artwork by local artist Rachel Toll, they feature deep bathtubs, fabulous views, there’s even a complimentary G&T tray. Within the 28 acre grounds there are also a fine range of beautifully decorated Shepherd’s Huts nestled in the woodlands, each one having great facilities and some even have private outdoor bathtubs on decked areas. Lympstone Manor is the perfect base for long walks, boating on the Exe, and exploring the local beaches such as the dunes of Dawlish Warren and the south Devon coastline. And, with a working vineyard and Michael Caines at the helm as patron you can expect a truly exquisite dining experience.
Visit: www.lympestonemanor.co.uk Tel: 01395 202040
FIVE VALLEYS APARTHOTEL
STROUD, COTSWOLDS
Staying at Five Valleys is less about staying in, but more about getting out and embracing the change of scene. Enjoy near-endless footpaths and pretty little villages when you get away to the heart of the Cotswolds for a rural break, it couldn’t be easier. Book a stylish apartment and take the opportunity to explore the dramatic scenery on the doorstep. There’s so much going on, too, learn about the rich local history, indulge in the fabulous foodie and café scene, perhaps take an art course, a tour of Woodchester Valley Vineyard with wine tasting, or get active with a guided off-road bike ride or why not play a round or two of golf at one ... (or all) of the five local courses. Perhaps a visit to Stroud Brewery, down by the canal, for organic beer and pizza. If you want some pampering then the Calcot Manor and Spa is the place to unwind and relax. At the aparthotel there’s a bike store, on site parking, free wifi and an accessible apartment too. It’s the perfect place to stay for your next adventure. A three-night weekend starts from less than £230.
Visit: www.5va.co.uk Tel: 01453 764496
