Dartmoor conjures up images of majestic knights, fair maidens and hunchbacked villains scaling castle towers. As well as this romantic vision, it’s also a wonderful place to visit, with National Park status encompassing 954 square kilometres of majestic tors, rare birds, ancient woodland and Neolithic monuments, all with the tune of folklore whistling gently through our luxury cottages. The walks and cycle trails available really show off the magnificence of the area (as well as connecting traditional brew houses) in both summer and winter, with fantastic greenery and scenery whatever the weather.

For hearty, locally produced food, head to the Home Farm Café. Created by Ashburton Cookery School founder, Stella West-Harling, the team use locally sourced ingredients and traditional cooking techniques for their menus as well as serving famous cakes and luxurious cream teas!
Dean Wood saddle of venison, Ruby Red Devon beef & Teignworthy ale pie and pan roasted catch of the day feature on the evening menu, and changing daily specials mean you’re in no shortage of bespoke dishes to savour with a glass of Shiraz.
For fine dining delights, Gidleigh Park is a must: this award-winning restaurant is the playground of Michael Caines MBE, a chef best known for having two Michelin stars to his name. Gidleigh truly has earned its spot as number one restaurant in the UK as featured by Harden’s Sunday Times Food List 2014. This two star chef really creates a 5 star experience.
Finally, you haven’t “done Dartmoor” until you’ve visited a cosy thatched pub: with both bar and restaurant meals, locally sourced ingredients and boutique ale from local breweries, this is the place to kick those boots off after a long day hiking before returning to your luxury self catering Dartmoor.

The Royal Oak Inn is a fantastic place to put your feet up after a day’s exploring, its brew house origins are estimated to be as early as 1102 and pews from the adjacent church sit on a flagstone floor looking up at traditional beamed ceilings.  Situated within the National Park itself and containing a worthy mention in the Good Pub Guide 2013, the Royal Oak should already be an acorn in your mind and an oak on your itinerary.
At the West of Dartmoor is the Peter Tavy Inn - another heritage-soaked establishment – they have been serving locals and visitors since the 15th century and pride themselves upon the selection of hand-pulled ales available in their dog friendly bar. For those not inclined to pick up a pint, there are around fifty wines available by the bottle and over twenty single malt whiskeys for those wanting something a little more refined.

Get in touch with your primal side at award-winning Go Ape, the UK’s No.1 forest adventure company. Specialising in treetop experiences, you and your family can witness Dartmoor from the unique perspective of the Haldon Forest canopy on 235-metre zip slides.
For a thought-provoking interlude between taphouses, spend a few hours of your retreat at Dartmoor Prison Museum. Over 200 years of fascinating articles and artefacts offer an absorbing insight into prison life from the Napoleonic era up to present day. Visit the gift shop for a unique present as a reminder of your time spent in Dartmoor luxury cottages.
You can certainly expect to see wildlife in Dartmoor, and plenty of it! As the Eden Channel’s ‘Top Wildlife Attraction of 2011’ and concept of Hollywood film We Bought A Zoo, Dartmoor Zoological Park has big cats, exotic birds, reptiles and mammals in an all-star cast against the unlikely backdrop of the moors – with special arrangement you can even be a zookeeper for a day!