With my ‘out of office’ on and the Sat Nav set, we packed the car and set off for Rockton Mews in Lynton, looking forward to a weekend of exploring the North Devonshire coast with our Cockapoo Dexter. As we ventured closer to our home for the next few days, we soaked up the beautiful scenery, with towering trees lining the roads. We wound down a private track and were greeted by the beautiful Rockton Mews, taking a moment to appreciate the surroundings before we began our weekend of bliss.
We opened the door into a spacious entrance boot room, unpacked the car and proceeded upstairs to the stunning open plan living, kitchen and dining space, before spotting a beautiful, personalised dog hamper that had kindly been left for Dexter, whose tail wagged excitedly as we showed him his selection of treats, which included a lovely toy to add to his collection.
After our long drive, we decided to take a walk into the village to find some dinner for the evening, choosing to visit The Spicy Mare, which came highly recommended by the owner of Rockton Mews, serving small-batch home-made Indian food. We grabbed the tiffin tin from the kitchen cupboard and made our way into Lynton, where we soon found the takeaway. Ilona, the owner of this hidden gem, warmly welcomed us and set about preparing our dishes. We took the opportunity to pop into The Queens for a quick drink whilst we waited for our food, which was conveniently positioned opposite The Spicy Mare. Drinks finished and dinner in hand, we headed back to Rockton Mews, excited to light the wood burner and get cosy for the remainder of the evening. With our retreat’s wonderfully secluded position and no light pollution, we couldn’t wait to sink into bed for the dreamiest of slumbers in total darkness and quietude.
Having slept soundly in the wonderfully comfortable bed, we awoke early on Saturday morning, eager to make the most of our first full day in this beautiful corner of the country. Now in the daylight, we took the opportunity to take in the breath-taking views from every window. Sitting on the sofa and gazing out, it was so easy to get lost in the treetops and the sea beyond. I took the opportunity to enjoy my morning coffee in the roll-top bath, before we rustled up breakfast and got ourselves ready for the day.
With Dexter ready for his morning walk, we decided to walk the South West Coast Path through the Valley of Rocks, which you can join just steps from the retreat by turning left out of the gate from Rockton Mews. We followed the path along the sea cliffs, taking in the dramatic views of rugged rock formations on one side and stunning expanses of sea on the other. For me, the best part was being surrounded by the wild grazing goats that dotted the cliffs.
We continued our stroll through Exmoor National Park and ended up back in Lynton where we had a light lunch in the North Coast Cafe before having a look around the village shops. Lynton and neighbouring village Lynmouth are both super dog friendly and Dexter was made to feel very welcome everywhere we went, including most of the village shops. Dogs are even welcome in the cinema!
We took our time browsing the various shops before finding A Little Deli, which was super cute with a good selection of local produce. We stocked up on cheese and nibbles for the cheese board I was planning for an indulgent Sunday evening treat. Laura in the deli was really helpful and put together a great selection of savoury and sweet goodies, which I couldn’t wait to sample!
With the sun slowly descending across the sky, we started to think about heading back to Rockton Mews for an evening of relaxation, not before visiting The Lyn Valley Dog House, who supply the fantastic dog hampers, to pick out some Saturday night treats for Dexter. It was quite honestly one of the loveliest dog shops I’ve been to! There were two rooms within the shop; a doggy deli, with a wide range of natural treats, and a boutique full of beautiful canine coats, blankets and accessories. Jacquie, the owner of the shop, was very welcoming and assisted in helping Dexter pick out a selection of goodies before we set off back to our home for the weekend.
Our Saturday evening consisted of steaks, red wine and getting cosy in front of the wood burner. I also managed to squeeze in another soak in the gorgeous roll-top bath, however this time I swapped the coffee for a well-deserved glass of wine.
We awoke on Sunday morning feeling rested and content, ready for a day of adventure. We decided to walk into Lynmouth, which was a beautiful stroll from Rockton Mews, following the footpath, Glen Lyn Gorge and passing the Lynton and Lynmouth Railway on the way down.
We enjoyed a leisurely stroll around Lynmouth, before walking down to the harbour wall. We came across ‘The Walker’ - a sculpture that signifies the meeting point of four exceptional national trails.
My partner is a keen surfer, and as we were at the start of the World Surfing Reserve he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to surf the Point Break – especially with it being so close to Rockton Mews. We headed back to the retreat to enjoy a light lunch, before returning to Lynmouth with the surfboard.
While my partner enjoyed his dose of ‘Vitamin Sea’, Dexter and I took shelter from the rain in The Pavillion Café, where we enjoyed a perfect view out to sea, watching the waves roll towards the shore. It was the ideal place to sit and enjoy a coffee, whilst soaking up the beautiful views.
As dusk set in, we lit the fire and enjoyed our last evening at Rockton Mews with a mezze board full of delights from A Little Deli, making the most of every relaxing moment in quietude before sinking into bed for our final sleep at our stunning seaside retreat.
The next morning we packed the car for our journey home and bid a fond farewell to Rockton Mews, making a promise to ourselves that we will one day revisit this beautiful part of the world.
Feeling inspired? Uncover your own cliffside adventure at Rockton Mews here.
