‘Seaview’ is a 2800 sq ft, luxurious Devon holiday house, less than five minutes walk from a beautiful sandy beach in Bigbury on Sea, located in a UK Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The beach is recommended for its excellent water quality in the Marine Conservation Society's 2012 Good Beach Guide. The South facing house and garden feature stunning panoramic views of Bigbury Bay, the Avon Estuary and Bigbury / Bantham beaches which are famous for surfing and every kind of watersport, with equipment available for hire on the beach. The house is only a few minutes walk away from restaurants, pub, local store and Burgh Island. http://www.thedevonholidayhouse.co.uk

The main house and self-contained annexe have been lovingly rebuilt internally, featuring 5/6 bedrooms, five marbled bathrooms and a large open plan ground floor with ultra modern kitchen, dining area and lounge with panoramic views across the beaches and estuary.
The house also provides Wifi internet access, Sky+HD, unlimited streamed LoveFilm library, home cinema projector and screen with 7.1 surround sound.

The large south facing, landscaped and secluded garden with magnificent views includes several terraces with both a Weber Gas and a Charcoal BBQ, a dining table and seating for 8 as well as loungers and reclining chairs with cushions.

The house, in the centre of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to Dartmoor, is in a beautiful coastal village known for its excellent beach and the causeway leading to Burgh Island which is flooded at high tide and is accessed by a unique 'Sea tractor'. The island's internationally famous Art Deco hotel, a former haunt of Edward and Mrs Simpson (and Poirot on TV and Film) is open to non residents for (Black tie) dinner and Sunday lunch.

Close by there are attractive cliff top and coastal walks, as well as other beaches and coves for fishing, with sailing and boating at nearby Salcombe and Dartmouth and golf at the beautiful 18 hole Bigbury course a five minute drive away. Kingsbridge is nearby and its fun to drive along the scenic road (flooded at high tide!) up the River Avon, well known for its birdlife and kayaking.

Please note: Wooden Cots, Travel cots, High Chairs, Stair Gates etc can all be hired for you visit.

Interior Facilities

-------Kitchen Area (open plan with Dining area and Lounge)
* 30’ long with two eye-level Fan ovens, integrated Coffee machine, Microwave, two tray Dishwasher, Wine cooler, large American fridge- freezer and drinks/icemaker, underfloor heating, Oak flooring
*Peninsula breakfast bar seating three, LCD TV with Sky TV, Games input
* Utility room with Washing machine and Tumble dryer, Ironing board, iron
-------Dining Area
* Large Oak table with seating for 8 (+3 at Breakfast bar) with panoramic views of coast and beaches. Underfloor heating, Oak flooring.
-------Lounge Area seating 8
* Two three seater white leather settees, two leather armchairs. Wood burning stove, Oak Flooring throughout
* 100” projector screen and projector, 42” Plasma TV. 7.1 Surround Sound system, Sky+ HD, Blueray Player, with streamed LoveFilm library, iphone/ipod music/video input.
-------Other Ground Floor
* Marbled Family bathroom with Bath/shower, toilet, underfloor heating
* Library/ Bedroom 6 with double sofa bed, desks, Wifi , 1500 books.
-------Sleeping - main house upstairs
* Master Bedroom, Super-King double bed, marbled ensuite with bidet, double power shower and toilet, triple aspect, panoramic views of island/coast.
* Bedroom 2, Kingsize Double bed, marbled ensuite with Double power shower and toilet, Sea views.
* Bedroom 3, twin single beds, toilet across corridor, Estuary view, TV
* Bedroom 4, Single Bed, toilet across corridor, Estuary view.
* Two large portable air conditioning units are available if required
-------Attached Annexe (separate access)
* Double Bedroom, separate Toilet with power shower
* Modern Kitchen area with Fridge Freezer, Washing Machine
* Lounge / Dining area with folding table, settee and 4 chairs, 30” LCD TV

Exterior facilities

-------Garden / Parking
* Large South-facing landscaped garden with grass and gravel terraces, flowers, shrubs and amazing views of Burgh Island, beaches and coast.
* Dining terrace with table seating 8, Weber gas and charcoal BBQs
* Two teak loungers, Two reclining chairs, double teak bench, picnic table
* Raised vegetable beds with fresh herbs, vegetables and salad crops.
* Parking Area for 6 cars
* Storage with beach equipment: inflatables, body boards, fold-up portable beach BBQ’s, beach games, etc.

Bigbury on Sea, in the centre of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to Dartmoor, is a beautiful coastal village famous for its expanse of excellent sandy beach with a causeway, flooded at high tide, leading to Burgh Island and its internationally famous Art Deco hotel. Bigbury / Bantham beaches are famous for surfing and every kind of watersport, with equipment available for hire on the beach. The extensive beaches are also ideal for children to play on with soft sand and three RNLI lifeguard stations. The village is situated on the South West Coast path and is an ideal base for walking in the beautiful countryside.

Kingsbridge is nearby and its fun to drive along the scenic road (flooded at high tide!) up the River Avon, well known for its birdlife and kayaking. Close by there are attractive cliff top and coastal walks, as well as other beaches and coves for fishing, with sailing and boating at nearby Salcombe and Dartmouth and golf at the beautiful 18 hole Bigbury course a five minute drive away.

The hotel, a few minutes walk from the house, was a former haunt of Edward and Mrs Simpson, Churchill and Agatha Christie and was recently voted the Most Romantic Hotel in Britain. It serves dinner (black tie) and Sunday lunch whilst the Pilchard Inn, a 700 year old smuggling inn, also on the island, serves food at lunchtime and local beers.
At high tide access to the island is via a unique long legged ‘sea tractor’ running at half hourly intervals.
The village also has two beach restaurants, a General store and the excellent Discovery Surf and watersport school.
If the weather is poor, there is a pub/restaurant ten minutes walk away from the house in Challaborough which has pool tables, darts, live Sports TV, arcade games and more

Our favourite way to spend an evening is to wander down to the local beach for a BBQ and some beach games with friends. There are two clever fold-up barbeques in the house which can cater for 8 to 10 easily. Take the house beach cricket set and ‘boules’ for games with the kids whilst dinner is cooking. Then watch the sun set over Burgh Island whilst enjoying a few glasses of wine and some fresh BBQ fish and seafood (if you can’t catch any off the beach there are two great local fishmongers selling day boat fish.)

As well as an outstanding beach holiday resort, Bigbury on Sea is also an ideal base for exploring Dartmoor and the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which extends from Dartmouth through Salcombe across the Avon, Erme and Yealm estuaries.

Below we have listed local restaurants, pubs, shops etc within walking distance, secondly, within 5 minutes by car from our house and thirdly some of our favourite days out. Kingsbridge is 25 minutes drive away and has supermarkets, cinema, excellent restaurants and pubs, moorings, ferry to Salcombe.

-------Local Restaurants, Pubs, Shops etc - within walking distance
* Burgh Island Hotel -open to non residents for Sunday lunch and Dinner (black tie), Regular events (Murder Mystery, Summer Ball, Round the Island swim)
* Pilchard Inn - 14th Century Inn owned and run by Hotel, Local Beers on draught, light lunches, Gourmet Curry night every Friday evening
* Bay View Cafe and Bistro - Lunches and Evening meals and Breakfasts overlooking Burgh Island - Good value.
* Venus Cafe - Right on the beach with open air tables and takeaway
* Discovery Surf School - Lessons + hire Surfboards, Wetsuits, Paddle Boards, Kayaks etc - Recommended.
* Bigbury on Sea General Store and Post Office
* Challaborough, Waterfront Bar - Pub/restaurant serving lunches and dinner with open air terrace overlooking the beach, entertainment facilities pool, darts, arcade games, pub quizzes etc.(10 minute walk)
* Ringmore, Journeys End Inn - 13th Century Inn serving very high quality food - former Burgh Island Head Chef (20 minute walk)

-------Local facilities within five minutes by car
* Oyster Shack - Top class sea food restaurant with oysters from the Avon Estuary
* Pickwick Inn - Newly Opened Pub/Restaurant in St Anne’s Chapel
* Bigbury on Sea Golf Course with Bar/Restaurant
* Bigbury - Royal Oak Pub/restaurant newly re-opened
* Bigbury local store - General store with takeaway meals at weekends
* Kingston, Dolphin -Cosy pub/restaurant (ten minute drive)

Our Favourite Days Out in Devon

-------Salcombe Boating and Beach picnic
Salcombe, playground of the rich and famous, is only half an hours drive away. Pick up a gastronomic picnic from one of the delis there and either hire a motorboat or take one of the many ferries from town to South Sands or East Portlemouth beaches and spend the day sunbathing, swimming in the crystal clear water or just watching the activity on the water (very busy in Regatta week). Alternatively you could wander round the interesting shops and enjoy a traditional Devon cream tea by the waterside

-------Castle Drogo and Dartmoor National Park
Less than an hours drive will take you to Castle Drogo, a unique Lutyens designed castle in the heart of Dartmoor. Take a guided tour of this amazing 20th Century country house in the style of a medieval castle, complete with central heating and electrics. Combine it with a picnic amongst some of the most attractive Dartmoor scenery or in the gardens of the Castle.

-------Dartmouth History, River Cruises and Steam train
Spend a day in Dartmouth (40 minutes drive away) soaking up the atmosphere in one of the most beautiful and historic harbours in Europe. Dartmouth was the sailing point for the Crusades of 1147 and 1190,
was home of the Royal Navy from the reign of Edward III, was twice attacked during the Hundred Years' War, after which the mouth of the estuary was closed every night with a great chain. The narrow mouth of the Dart is still protected by two fortified castles, Dartmouth Castle and Kingswear Castle. During medieval times it became a major base for privateering (licensed piracy).
The pilgrim fathers rested a while in Dartmouth before setting off on their journey in the Mayflower and the Speedwell on 20 August 1620. About 300 miles west of Land's End, they realised that the Speedwell was unseaworthy and returned to Plymouth before Mayflower then set off alone. The town has also played a part in defeating both the Spanish Armada and (rather later) Germany in WWII when it was the key launching point for the D-Day landings on Utah Beach.
The town itself has beautiful Medieval and Elizabethan architecture and is also the base for many fascinating river cruises and a steam train which runs up the coast. There are many events and festivals through the year including the Regatta, Dartmouth Music Festival, Food Festival, Open Air Shakespeare at Dartmouth Castle and much more.

-------South West Coast Path
Why not enjoy the stunning scenery and explore the famous South West Coast Path which passes through the village and runs East, crossing the River Avon on the small ferry and continuing towards Hope Cove, Bolt Tail and Salcombe and to the West across the Rivers Erme and Yealm towards Plymouth. Our favourite is to walk along the coast to the secluded and beautiful Ayrmer Cove and then inland on the old Smugglers path to the thirteenth Century Journeys End pub / restaurant at Ringmore for a great lunch or dinner cooked by the former chef at the Burgh Island Hotel.

-------South Devon Steam Railway, Butterfly Farm and Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary
The historic town of Totnes is forty minutes drive from the house and from there one can take the scenic steam train along the Dart valley to Buckfastleigh, where, next to the station, you can see new Butterflies emerging in tropical surroundings and watch Otters rescued from Dartmoor, swimming in glass enclosures and enjoy their antics at feeding time.
Its also worth visiting by car, You can board their luxury dining train, the Devonshire Pullman, for a wonderful and nostalgic experience in first class, as you enjoy a delicious meal, freshly prepared by their own chef who sources local Devon produce wherever possible. Its a 2 and ½ hour trip to Totnes and back along the beautiful Dart Valley. Buckfast Abbey is nearby and worth a visit, a Benedictine Monastery founded in 1018 under the rule of King Canute.

-------Dartmoor Hawking
The sight of a falcon diving down towards earth at over 100mph is one of life’s truly exhilarating experiences. Having a hawk stand on your fist, happily tearing at its food, is a rare privilege. But to actually fly a bird of prey encompasses both of these and much more. One of Britain’s few private falconry centres, Dartmoor Hawking sits at the heart of Dartmoor National Park, internationally recognized as having some of the most dramatic and stunning scenery in the country. With 35 acres of its own land, the school has plenty of space to allow clients to really see these magnificent birds flying at their best.
Their Falconry Experience is a private 4 and a half hour session for those wanting a fuller introduction to birds of prey. The first half of the session being spent with the owls and the falcons at the school. The second part will be flying the Harris Hawks amongst the breathtaking scenery of Dartmoor.

We rent out our house in the Summer and it is available for a non simultaneous exchange for most of this period ( May, June, early July, September and October 2013). It is not available in 2012. A simultaneous exchange in December 2012 or January 2013 (Not Christmas) would be possible.

Devon holiday house by the beach

We are looking for a week in December or January (not Christmas week)

We would like somewhere near sea or lake with water views. We are open to any destination which is warm in the UK Winter.

My wife Maggie and I (Allan) are semi retired (former CFO) in our fifties living by the sea. We enjoy boating in Salcombe, walking and beach activities and playing golf and gardening (me) and dancing and painting (Maggie). We have two cats who live in our other house from May to October. Our son and daughter are in their twenties studying and working in London. Its possible, but unlikely, that they would accompany us. We rent out our house in the Summer and it is available for a non simultaneous exchange in May, June, early July, September and October. Alternatively a simultaneous exchange in December or January (Not Christmas) would be possible.

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