Have we reached peak boutique? Farrow and Ball paint jobs, roll-top baths, Roberts radios, stripped floorboards, exposed brick and mismatched furniture are as common today as floral curtains and doilies were in the 1980s. It’s not that these aren’t attractive features; it’s just that there’s a certain predictability to many of today’s small hotels, pubs with rooms and B&Bs.
But, as with fashion, you don’t have to slavishly follow the latest trends to look good. Larkbeare Grange is a luxury B&B that manages to be both elegant and comfortable by sticking to more classic design. There are family portraits on the cream walls, carpets in the bedrooms, antique furniture and, yes, floral curtains. It’s neat and cosseting but the thing that struck me most about our spacious bedroom – one of four – was the view of fields and gentle hills from the large sash windows. The setting of Larkbeare is lovely – an avenue of cherry trees, currently being replaced with tulip trees, leads to a detached house painted the colour of clotted cream. My partner and I were greeted by owner Julia and ushered to seats overlooking a lawn strewn with croquet mallets and balls. Two minutes later Julia returned with a tray of tea and shortbread and we relaxed into a quintessentially English scene.
The original house dates from 1750 and was once part of the nearby Escot Estate – now a wildlife park, of which more later – and although the A30 is only two miles away, you’d never know it. Larkbeare sits deep in the folds of rolling Devon countryside.
Julia’s husband Charlie worked in luxury hotels in London for years before the couple and their daughter moved to open their own place – and it shows. They seem to have thought of everything. The homemade shortbread was so good we squabbled over the last piece (the secret ingredient is semolina for added crunch). We found a ready-stamped postcard in our room, a make-up towel in the bathroom (many’s the time I’ve accidentally smeared mascara on pristine white towels) and covetable eco-toiletries.
The same attention to detail extends to the Granary, a new modern, wood-clad self-catering unit next to the house, which is accessible to disabled guests. Both the B&B and the Granary are heated by a biomass boiler – the B&B has won several green awards.
Larkbeare doesn’t do dinner, which gave us a good excuse to try the much-lauded Five Bells (now under new management), five miles away, an idyllic thatched, whitewashed pub, and another place where the design is low-key but the service and food are anything but. Kicking off with a glass of Lyme Bay fizz, our meal was faultless and as pretty as it was tasty, served on slate and scattered with nasturtiums. I resisted the urge to eat the entire basket of warm homemade sourdough bread to leave room for my sea bass and a pudding of strawberry sorbet, purée and flakes.
We hadn’t seen much of the countryside from the narrow country lanes on the drive to the pub, so in the morning we decided to explore the local area. Breakfast of organic porridge, stewed greengages, homemade marmalade and jam (from fruit from their own orchard), and an Aga-cooked full English provided fuel for a cross-country walk from Talaton before exploring the gardens and replica Saxon village of Escot Park (wildwoodescot.org).
Despite being a regular visitor to south Devon, I’d never heard of Escot, yet it proved to be another gem – where our failure to spot a single resident of the red squirrel enclosure or find the middle of the maze did nothing to diminish our enjoyment.
• Accommodation was provided by Larkbeare Grange (01404 822069, larkbeare.net, doubles from £110 B&B)
Ask a local
Robin Rea, owner, Rusty Pig butcher and restaurant, Ottery St Mary
• Eat
The gammon, egg and chips at the Lazy Toad Inn, Brampford Speke, near Exeter, is perfection on a plate. The gammon really cuts the mustard – the owners keep their own pigs, and you can taste the difference.
• Walk
It takes about an hour to walk from Ottery St Mary to Tipton St John along the Otter river. Early on you follow an old railway line, but most of the walk is by the river. Watch out for egrets and if you’re very lucky, beavers. In Tipton a stop-off at the Golden Lion pub is a must for its great food.
• Shop
Rio (or Recycling in Ottery) is a not-for-profit community organisation in Ottery St Mary. It’s a treasure trove of furniture, toys, and bric-a-brac in good condition.
• Visit
Seaton Jurassic visitor centre is a great place to find out about the Devon coastline and wildlife. It’s great for kids as there are indoor and outdoor activities (we love the giant rockpool). The centre also runs guided walks.
