Peppercombe Coastguard Cottage 3

Nr. Bideford, Devon

Peppercombe Coastguard Cottage 3 is one of a row of traditional cob cottages built in the late 18th-century and accessed down an old, bumpy track through the wooded valley. The cottages' original function was to house officers of the Preventive Service, a group tasked with preventing smuggling that later evolved into the Coastguard Service. It’s now been restored into a romantic one-bedroom cottage that retains its 18th-century character with low beamed ceilings, an ancient oak bedroom floor and a large fireplace.  

A step away from your cosy idyll you’ll find a small garden table. Here’s the perfect place to sit down for an alfresco lunch, with only the trickle of the nearby stream breaking the silence. Follow the path down to the beach at Peppercombe. There’s a sandy expanse at low tide, a rocky foreshore and a backdrop of red cliffs.

Just three miles away, Clovelly is fabulous place to spend the afternoon. Explore this fascinating village with its steep, cobbled streets leading down to a tiny harbour. Or hop onto the South West Coast Path for walks along the rugged Hartland Point.