Backswood Cottage
57013 miles S of Tiverton | Sleeps 4 + cot*
7 Nights from £788
The location of attractions is intended only as a guide. Distances are 'as the crow flies'.
Nearby pub
Situated in a stunning location on the edge of the river, this pub has got to be one of the prettiest in Devon. Offering everything from light lunches to a full restaurant menu - with a choice of places to dine.
Nearby beach
This is a wide sandy and shingle beach with good access and parking nearby. Jacobs Ladder leads down to the beach from Connaught Gardens, a lovely place to take in the view. A great family beach, you'll find lots of facilities and cafes nearby. Dogs are allowed year round at the easterly end of the beach.
Nearby walk
The Exe Valley Way is an epic 45 mile walk through the heart of Devon. This small section will take you through lush countryside, woodland and riverside. Take a look at the devon.gov.uk website for full details.
Nearby town
Tiverton is set on the Exe and Lowman rivers in a circular layout, now jealously guarded by the planners. Best known for John Heathcoat who set up his 19th Century textile factory with a few wool frames after escaping the luddites in Loughborough, the industry prospered and he built nearby Knighthayes Court as his mansion - now open to visitors with the National Trust. Tiverton Castle is in the centre of the town.
September 2012
Nice town with all the required services. Pannier market with different wares each day.
May 2009
Historic market town with some very interesting buildings - venerable Tiverton Castle, magnificent St. Peter`s Church, three medieval almshouses, Old Blundells, Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, baroque St. George`s Church. A great base for a holiday as such easy motoring access to Dartmoor, Exmoor, North and South coast beaches, Exeter. Good restaurants in the town, and excellent pubs in local villages.
Also nearby
A wonderful Gothic pile with stunning formal gardens and beautiful interiors. The walled garden provides produce for the Stables restaurant where you can watch the gardeners at work or explore the woodland walks.
September 2020
Knightshayes
Interesting house surrounded by magnificent gardens.
May 2014
Free parking and walk for dog
We couldn't go in as we had the dog with us, but the car park was free and there's a nice woodland walk off the car park where dogs can walk off the lead. Nice setting and surrounding countryside.
September 2012
Stunning
One of the best national trust properties we've ever been to, something for all ages. The gardens are fantastic and offer both formal and woodland styles. Well worth a visit!
May 2012
Beautiful gardens!
The gardens are the jewel of this property, with many different areas; woodland, formal garden, meadow, parkland and a stunning restored kitchen garden which provides produce for the lovely stables restaurant. Highly recommended and really easy access from the M5.
July 2010
One of the finest surviving Gothic Revival houses, this rare example of the work of eccentric architect William Burges has extraordinary medieval romantic interiors. The beautiful garden includes a kitchen garden.
April 2009
Glorious garden. Monster house, but interesting contents.
July 2008
Good National Trust property
Interesting house and gardens, even kept the kids going for two hours.
Originally built for Henry I, this castle encompasses 900 years of history. Worth a visit to see the romantic ruins and beautiful walled gardens and you can book a stay through Classic Cottages as there are several cottages and apartments available. Tours can be booked in advance, with limited availability.
March 2010
You can even stay here through Classic Cottages!
May 2009
A really nice place for children to visit, very hands on. Visitors can try on Civil War armour, see the medieval loos, learn about the 900 years of history, the ghosts, secret passages; beautiful garden. Very moderate admission prices, and excellent value for money. Free visitor parking inside.
A fine example of 18th Century architecture, Killerton House is home to a vast collection of period costumes - 9,000 items in all - spanning the fashions of the past 200 years. The gardens are the star of the show at Killerton. Beautiful all year round, they put on a wonderful display of rhododendrons and magnolias, set against the backdrop of Devon's rolling countryside. Open-air theatre is hosted here during the summer.
February 2014
Really great for out of season walks - acres of woodland on the hill behind the house - discover that the hill is actually an iron age fort ! make sure you wear wellies at this time of year !
May 2011
wonderful gardens, beautifully maintained and worth a visit.
July 2010
One of Devon's great estates, Killerton was given to the National Trust by Sir Richard Acland. The famous garden was created by John Veitch and is beautiful all year round.
January 2009
A National Trust property with beautiful gardens in rolling Devon countryside. Lovely for a walk in any season.
- J M Wynne
Great for when you really want to slow the pace of life - horse drawn narrowboat trips on the Grand Western Canal. Built in 1814, the canal is now a Local Nature Reserve, home to an abundance of wildlife including otters, dragonflies, kingfishers and swans. Sit back, relax and enjoy the last horse drawn barge in the South West.
September 2012
Worth a visit
Nice way to pass an hour or so, couple of tea rooms and an easy stroll along - good for pushchairs and lots of ducks and swans to spot!
July 2008
A mellow trip on the canal
A pleasant hour and a half. The kids loved the shire horse and the Dad's enjoyed the bar!
A family run pub and restaurant which offers local ales and ciders to compliment the locally sourced menu.
February 2024
Les Berry
Very nice local pub to where we were staying. Excellent food and very pleasant staff
Information to Phone ahead and book which we did was a busy night as it’s very popular, but the service was quite slow. That was the only downside. Good quality food, just slow service.
April 2023
Great dog-friendly pub
A lovely pub, with friendly staff and excellent food. Generous portions. Very dog friendly. Lots of outside seating, in the warmer months. Might be best to pre-book, as can get busy.
October 2020
Lovely food
Glad we pre booked as the pub was full. Great service, lovely food, and we could take the dog inside.
July 2013
Keepers Cottage
Excellent food and service
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