January = Brunch on the beach at Blackpool Sands!

Every picture tells a story so I've kept the words to a minimum...









... a bright blue sky, sun dripping onto waves which were tipping onto beach...  kids, dogs (because it's winter and you can...  from the end of March you can't), smiles, walks...

 

... and a delicious bacon bap with local bacon and organic tea out of the breeze and in the sun at Venus Beach Café...

Venus Beach Cafe at Blackpool Sands

I felt like I'd been away on holiday - and I live here! 

spring refreshment

I saw our first snowdrop in flower last week, several more this week, and the wild heliotrope is blooming in great pink tufts of flowerheads all over.  

Green flames of harts tongue ferns and fans of more usual ferns sway in the woods, bulbs are rising fast and hazel catkins lengthen as quickly as the daylight does.  

 
Primroses stud the verges and I'm on the hunt for the first early violets.  In the wetlands there's a slight scent of wild garlic underfoot as the new growth surges.  Old trees glow with pale almost luminous lichen - a sure sign of the purity of the air here.

The first cyclamen are in flower in Rose Cottage's lawn.

So far we've had very little wintry weather at Watermill Cottages and the beautiful South Hams - blustery storms have wind-pruned some big old trees which have fallen fortunately and opened up new vistas,  as well as offering new logs to harvest for the cottage woodburners.  As some of the fallen trees are dead they'll season quickly once John has cleared them with his favourite hobby tools of quad bike, winch and electric chainsaw.

cyclamen in Rose Cottage lawn

An odd ground frost and that's it so far.  Marigolds and roses from last summer are still in flower, the Gara has stayed in its bed despite the storms and spring is already showing off her new clothes in the valley.

Our Muscovy ducks know it too - several are laying already - and I've seen camellias in flower in Slapton village.

A lovely time for re-energising in a cosy old stone cottage with the sap rising all around you and the slanting light showing the muscles of the land.  Hedges are being trimmed before the birds nest and a few very early lambs are about.  The beautiful South Devon Coast and Coast Path are so dramatic at this time of year.  Come for a refreshing few days or stay longer and really let the spring seep into your bones! 

We've decided to hold our prices for 2014 so they're the same as 2013 and still include all logs for the woodburner, electricity and bedlinen - a three night weekend short break for two people is just £245 until Easter.  Come during the week and it's four nights for the price of three for two people.

And don't forget we welcome dogs and are flexible on number.  Picturesque, comfy, cosy eighteenth century stone self-catering cottages round an historic watermill, private gardens and thirteen acres of unspoilt coastal valley to enjoy.

Call Christine on 01803 770219 or email us