Our plan was to do a week's walking on Dartmoor, and the village of Lydford was the perfect location. Dartmoor is only a short walk away and some excellent trails, such as the Granite Way and the Dartmoor Way, pass through the village. There's also the spectacular Lydford Gorge just down the road, but it's a National Trust site and there were too many restrictions in place for our liking. Another time perhaps?
Townend Barn is behind the owner's house and feels completely separate and private. There's a parking space in front, but the entrance to the barn is from the secluded garden area at the rear. Speaking of 'rears', there are some quirky ornaments...
The secluded garden at the rear and the entrance to the barn:
The design is open plan, with the small bedroom screened with a curtain. The extremely nice bathroom has an excellent shower and is next to the 'bedroom' - there is a door between them!
There's a decent TV out of shot and a grand piano (which we didn't use). There's also a very good selection of books and maps, and a log burner (which we didn't use either!).
Once we'd unpacked, we went for a stroll around Lydford. Here are a few photos to show what the village and the area are like...
In summary: we really liked the accommodation and the area. The owner was extremely friendly but also unobtrusive. And we thought the price was very reasonable at around £500 for the week. Especially highly recommended as a base for exploring Dartmoor!
