*IT’S CHRISTMAAASSSS * Sorry, had to get that out there. We love Christmas. But the festive period can be a hard nut to crack, what with our compulsion to share gifts, imbue our homes with illusive notions of ‘warmth’ and ‘festivity’, spark joy in our loved ones…the list goes on. Thanks to its forefather – Charles Dickens, not Mr Bublé— Christmastime...

While we love a bracing walk on Dartmoor at any time of year at Long Barn Holiday Cottages, it might not always be ideal for families with young children in the middle of winter. So what is there to do in and around South Devon this time of year? There are lots of fun and exciting things to do for kids of all ages come rain or shine. Here’s a look at some of the best so you can plan your...

We’ve been lucky to enjoy a sustained period of amazing sunshine here in South Devon. But the Great British Summer is known for throwing something different our way like an odd thunderstorm or windy cyclone.  Families, friends and couples alike will always need a handy list of where to dash if the weather does take a turn for the worst. Not that we are tempting fate. Far from it, may the...

Soon enough, school will be out for the summer. For children the summer holidays seem to last forever—hazy, endless days of running free and wild.  Lollipops, flushed faces, grazed knees, bee stings, laughter, jam fingers, tears, and over tiredness. We wouldn’t have it another way.  Children remind us that life is for the living.   As adults our job is to facilitate their...

It’s the first morning of your self-catering family holiday in Devon – you’re lying in bed. Your thoughts swirl with the rolling countryside, wild moor and heritage coastline you can explore.  Oh, and the pretty villages and towns. Devon seems so romantic; you place an arm around your partner. What about the food? Mmmm, you remember the local bacon and eggs you grabbed for...