Guests at Eco-Chis cottages know they can reduce their environmental footprints while luxuriating in one of two beautiful Eco-Chic Cottages in Oxfordshire. And now it’s official. ‘The Chestnuts’, a 5-star-gold award Cotswold holiday cottage, has just been awarded the prestigious ‘Rose Award’ by Visit Britain,

Hosted at Luton Hoo Hotel, the annual Visit England Rose Award provided The Chestnuts with its newest accolade: a Visit England Rose. Awarded to only 100 properties each year, this recognition from Visit England is the culmination of twelve years of work by owner Christine Burton and her team.

View The Chestnuts in the Oxfordshire Cotswold village of Burford.

Visit England’s team of inspectors nominates winners of this prestigious award. The Chestnuts, a four-bedroom, Five Star, Gold-rated holiday cottage in The Cotswolds, won the award for consistently over-delivering for customers: going above and beyond, and in the words of Visit England, “making customers’ experiences extra special”.

Christine said, “I’m honoured to have been nominated for this award and grateful to Visit England for their recognition of the work that my team and I consistently deliver for guests. We are proud of our annually audited Five Star Gold rating; it does not come easily. It is increasingly important that guests understand the Visit England system of accommodation ratings: they can book a star-rated property knowing exactly what they will get. To win the Rose Award is the icing on the cake.”

One of three en-suite bedrooms at Chestnuts

The Chestnuts has all you need for a perfect stay. The Cottage is full of luxuries, from eco-friendly toiletries to crisp linen sheets, goose-down duvets and an espresso coffee machine. Its old-world charm, with beams, an inglenook fireplace and stone floors, is enhanced with a palette of whites and neutrals for a truly relaxing space. Outside, the garden has places to dine, sit or lounge, and the view over to the village ford is magical.

Many places are described as ‘unspoilt’ but rarely are. Many villages are described as ‘being in a time warp’, but the truth is usually different. BUCKS MILLS in North Devon is unspoilt, completely unspoilt.

Leaving the main road at Bucks Cross, the lane winds down the valley, through the trees and following the path of the stream, falls towards the sea. I often wonder what visitors must think when arriving late at night; no street lights, few houses and a road resembling the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. Eventually, as you round the last corner, the valley opens out, and the village reveals itself. Tiny whitewashed cottages, nestled amongst the trees, the stream still trickling beside the lane until it arrives at the bottom of the village, where it hurls itself over the cliffs and onto the beach.

Bucks Mills - A sleepy, secretive village lining a steep-sided woody valley leading to the sea in North Devon.

 

A Spanish Tale

Rumour has it that timbers used in constructing some of the cottages came from ships of the fleeing Spanish Armada. This may or may not be true, but we know that in 1588, Elizabeth I ordered Bideford to supply six ships, to defend the realm from the invading Spaniards. On 22nd June 1588, the Victory, armed with 25 guns and a crew of 65, battled for two long days with the San Juan in Bideford Bay. Eventually, the Victory fired a broadside into the Spanish ship’s hull, which led to her eventual destruction. And this is where the rumour started; not only the tale of the ship’s timbers but also the ship’s crew! Brothers from the ill-fated Spanish galleon were supposed to have struggled ashore at Bucks Mills, wooed and married local girls, and settled, with their families, into North Devon village life. The brother’s name was Braund. Dark-eyed, dark-haired and with olive complexions, many of the Bruands resembled swarthy Spaniards. Is it just the Devon sunshine, or are they descended from those swashbuckling invaders?

 

Meet The Braunds of Bucks

The Braunds continued to live in Bucks Mills until very recently. At one time, virtually every cottage in the village had a Braund family living in it. The names of some of the houses indicate their past inhabitants – Melinda’s, Emily’s, Mark’s, George’s, John’s and William’s and, of course, King’s cottage where James Braund, uncrowned King of Bucks, lived with his family. James and his wife and seven children had been living at the Bluff. An increasing family likely prompted James to erect this new cottage, with an extension which overhangs the stream adjacent to his father’s home. In 1855, the North Devon journal described Kings’ Cottage, “Braund’s house, built by himself at the lower extremity of Bucks, on a towering height above the beach, is a real curiosity. The rivulet that comes down between the hills, by and under part of his eagles’ nest premises. It discharges itself in a cataract on the beach and flows into the Atlantic.” This was James Braund’s solution to his sewage disposal! Although his inventive and imaginary building may not be politically correct today, it improved outdoor sanitation of the time. 

The Beach at Bucks Mills.

More recent Braunds living in the village were Grenville and his wife Edith, who ran the shop in what was formerly the Temperance Hotel. I have a lasting memory of Edith. I went into the shop to buy some potatoes; I couldn’t see any, so I asked Edith, “have you got any potatoes?” “I don’t know; I’ll go and see.” She seemed to be gone ages but returned triumphant, wearing her wellies and carrying a garden fork. “Will these do?” she asked, handing me six newly dug potatoes. That’s the sort of people Grenville and Edith were; nothing was too much trouble. They kept the keys to many of the cottages and would pop in to ensure that all was well.

 

Noel was the last inhabitant in the village to bear the name Braund - he lived in No 11 until he died in 1997. When we first met Noel, he wouldn’t speak to us, but gradually a nod became a grunt which eventually developed into “morning”; then, there was no stopping him. I remember him talking for hours while standing in the sitting room of No. 5, clutching a string with several large mackerel attached. He talked and talked and soon stood in a puddle of seawater and fish blood. He made mats, anything from tiny tablemats to doormats and bigger, out of plaited string. He would start plaiting in the house, plait out of the door, down the path, down the steps and across the lane. Visitors would have to duck underneath - and cars would have to wait.

 

Holidays in Bucks Mills

These days the majority of its whitewashed cottages are holiday homes. When the weather is good, the beach is a magnet for visitors and locals alike; there are patches of sand for digging and fabulous rock pools, places to swim and bodyboard, and even surfing when the conditions are right.

When it’s not ‘beach weather’, the North Devon coast path beckons – Peppercombe in one direction through woods or along lanes with fantastic views or Clovelly in the other direction. Continue past Clovelly to discover the equally unspoilt Hartland Peninsula for some genuinely wild coastal walks (using the pub at Hartland Quay or The Smithy in Welcombe for well-deserved sustenance.

The Tarka Trail is another attraction for walking or cycling along the old railway line from Bideford to Barnstaple or Torrington the other way. Cycle from Bideford, pausing at John’s deli in Instow for delicious coffee and cake or a home-made pasty or cross the river to Appledore for fish and chips (you can order in the shop, enjoy a drink in The Royal and have the fish and chips delivered there!).

For a family day out, try ‘The Big Sheep’, a theme park suitable for all ages; even in wet weather, it’s a great place to visit with an indoor playground. Or there’s the ‘Milky Way’ farm in Higher Clovelly. It started as a family farm and is now one of the most visited attractions in North Devon, with its award-winning rides and play areas.

North Devon has so much to offer – family entertainment, fabulous beaches, fantastic, spectacular coast path walks and, of course, cream teas! All this is discoverable from this unspoilt little time-warp on the North Devon Coast. See for yourself and book a holiday in one of its delightful holiday cottages. That would be Bucks Mills.

 

Where to stay: Crooked Lake Cottage

Crooked Lake Cottage is in a rural location between Bucks Mills and Parkham.

South West Cornwall remains a relatively unspoilt haven in the West Country, with a variety of beaches and interesting places to visit, a paradise that many tourists have never visited. The commercial centre for the area is Penzance, over 250 miles from London, and it is this geographical scale makes South West Cornwall retain the ability to offer peace and quiet in a stunning location.

Penzance is the end of the line; well, it is for the main rail network with high-speed trains terminating at Penzance. Not quite the end of the road network, the A30 that goes by Penzance and ends at Tradescantia, but this remoteness has allowed the South West of Cornwall to retain its character, traditions and natural beauty, avoiding over-development and congestion.

The beaches in the area are plentiful, clean with crystal clear waters, and generally relatively quiet even in the summer and winter, offering a fantastic spectacle, especially during the storms.

Porthleven is a great example, a traditional Cornish fishing port with a long beach that stretches for three miles at low tide. This is a spectacular location if you are ever in the area on a windy day; well worth a bracing visit! The beach is best known for being one of the country's surfing hot spots during Atlantic storms, where huge waves form on the reef that was created during the construction of the harbour.

If you want to escape, Rinsey Cove is a little gem; check your tide times, as it is virtually covered at high tides. Probably not ideal for young families, more for the adventurous types, but well worth the walk. A small and stunning beach, always quiet due to the remote nature and the water quality is superb. If you have a young family, just around the corner is Praa Sands which is far more accessible and busier during the summer months. The beach is well worth the trip, though if you are staying within driving distance, it has the whitest sand resulting from millions of years of wave action on seashells. The gently curving beach is easily accessible and has a lot of amenities near the entrance, but it gets busy during the summer months.

As you walk west along the South West Coastal Path from Praa Sands, there are several little coves to explore for the more adventurous travellers, always a tiny cove to escape from the crowds and some great rock pooling. The next notable beach that is suitable for families is Perranuthnoe. With rocky borders to the east and the west, the beach is primarily sandy but does get covered on high tides. It is popular and has good access to lifeguards during the summer months. A popular beach with young families, it is pretty safe, and there are several rock pools to explore; it is also worth noting that Perranuthnoe does not accept dogs during the spring and the summer and is also a popular surfing beach.

Travelling further west brings you to Marazion and St. Michaels Mount, the latter an iconic and unique Cornish landmark. The beach is pretty good as well. At low tides and on a hot summer's day, the beach can remain uncrowded with a vast expanse of sand, and the underwater rocks offshore make for some of the best snorkelling around. You are lazing on the beach with St. Michaels Mount as your backdrop is also one of those bucket list moments great for holiday pictures. St. Michaels Mount in South West Cornwallis a must-visit location. You can walk to the mount at low tide along the causeway or sail across on the boats that take visitors across as the walkway gets covered by the sea. There is a stunning village and harbour area with a cafe and guided tours. Marazion and St Michaels have everything to offer the family.

Travelling west again takes you along the path past Chyandour, a popular base with holidaymakers with several holiday cottages in the area. This leads directly into Penzance, the most westerly town in England. Penzance has grown considerably in recent years; it was never really a very big town until the latter part of the twentieth century. It is a working town with a range of commerce from fishing and industry to agriculture and tourism. Never a very prosperous location in the past, Penzance has a fisherman's working-class edge with a solid community feel. Nowadays, it is very popular with tourists looking for a day away from the beach. The town has gained a reputation within the arts, including the Newlyn Art Gallery and has several traditional events throughout the year.  

Nearby Newlyn is a working fishing port; Newlyn is the place to be if you love fresh fish. This is a working fishing port, the centre of the fishing industry in Cornwall, with daily catches being offloaded at the bustling harbour, which forms the focal point for the local community. Around the corner is the more sedate fishing village of Mousehole; check your pronunciation, though, as it is pronounced significantly differently from the spelling! This is a tourist mecca. It does get busy during the summer months but well worth the time. It is the quintessential South Cornish fishing port, absolutely heaving with tradition and character that has remained as the village has retained its Cornish charm. Plenty to offer, great shops and places to eat, a bustling harbour area and a pretty beach at low tide. Mousehole is famous for its traditions, backed by an active local community with a sense of pride and conviction in retaining its heritage. There are several events during the year, and tourists are welcomed with open arms to join in.

The south-west of Cornwall offers many more places to visit with lots of attractions, places to stay and things to do. Many holiday parks provide caravan holidays in Cornwall and camping and touring caravan parks. The growth of the holiday cottage industry in the area means that there is a good selection of very high-quality cottages and holiday homes in the area. Tourism has changed significantly in the South West of England as staycations have become more popular and the tourism offering has changed, especially for the higher end of the market. South West Cornwall has evolved along with the demand, and the nature of the remote locations means that, as self-catering accommodation in the area has grown, it has changed with a style that has allowed this coastal location to retain its unique charm and traditions.

If you have visited North Devon recently, you will not have been able to miss the significant developments taking place, with substantial housing growth and tourism growth in the local area. 

One of the significant locations for the growth in tourism in North Devon has been the traditional seaside village of Westward Ho! The town takes its name from the novel of the same name by Charles Kingsley, unique in that it takes its name from a book, although the village had started to develop ten years before the book was published but was unnamed.

The village is set to the southern end of a long sandy beach, backed by a pebble ridge that protects the unspoilt grasslands of Northam Burrows Country Park. The village developed into a major holiday destination in Victorian times, primarily due to the fantastic location, sandy beach, good transport links and the novel's popularity. The village suffered, as did many Victorian seaside resorts in the 1970s and 1980s, due to the growth in the popularity of package holidays and tourism in the area declined. Holiday parks closed, and there was little investment in tourism, accommodation and attractions in the village and the nearby area. 

Sandymere Apartment at Surf Bay in Westward Ho!

Today, it has changed considerably, probably more so than any other location in Devon. The proactive community backed by a strong council have transformed the village with significant new developments that continue apace. Several major building projects have been completed, offering high-quality self-catering accommodation, primarily in new luxury flats. The esplanade along the seafront has been completely renovated, providing a safe and breathtaking walk, whatever the weather is, and more breathtaking on a blustery day. The developments have been designed to stand out and reflect the growing contemporary nature of the village.

The offerings for tourists have also changed significantly. While the bucket and spade family attraction is still catered to, along with amusement arcades and ice cream, the village has also evolved to target the higher end of the market. New, quality, modern restaurants have opened, offering menus from around the world. Several new boutique-style shops have grown with the current developments, so Westward Ho! now has a more cosmopolitan and modern feel than its traditional neighbours.

The beach is, and always will be the major draw; there are now several surf schools operating at the beach so that you can learn all types of water-based activities for an adventure holiday. As the beach is gently sloping, it tends not to have the hazardous rip currents of other beaches and is manned by RNLI Lifeguards during the warmer months, making it a perfect beach for learning to surf. Alongside modern developments, traditional self-catering accommodation that offers excellent value for money remains.

There are several holiday cottages and several holiday parks, including Beachside Holiday Park, which looks directly over the promenade to the sea with easy access to the sea pool. At the other end of the village is Surf Bay, which offers excellent value caravan holidays in Devon and provides direct access to the Northam Burrows Country Park. This huge expanse includes 253 hectares of grassland, dunes and a salt marsh. It is ideal if you love walking and exploring; it is perfect for dog owners.

Surf Bay Caravans

All these characteristics and others have led to the growth and development of Westward Ho! as a major tourist destination today. The traditional beach holiday combined with great shopping, eating, and activities have transformed Westward Ho! The village attracts families with younger and older children and weekend tourists looking for a beach-based bolt-hole. There is also plenty of parking here, reasonable charges, a Tescos Express, and several supermarkets in nearby Bideford.

If you have never been to North Devon and want to discover a vibrant and growing village, try Westward Ho! It is family-friendly, offers excellent value for money and combines a traditional beach holiday with a modern feel.

 

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