Menagerie House offers very unique group accommodation for 10+2* guests in 5 bedrooms (3 en suite) in the glorious countryside of North Devon. You’ll be tucked away, nice and secluded with peace and quiet, and the most staggering views from almost every angle. This charming Grade II listed Georgian house oozes style and substance with original features galore – like the imposing entrance and façade, the leaded windows and the big thick timbers. It’s a wonderful place to stay for a family holiday, a hen weekend, or a self-catering corporate break, and a superb backdrop to any quiet celebration with your nearest and dearest.
If your idea is to escape to a gorgeous house and stay put for a few days, well, this will suit you well; if on the other hand, you’d like to get out and see what’s about in these parts, you won’t be one bit disappointed. There is SO much to see and do around here – lovely country pubs, family attractions, activities, beaches and a glorious, glorious landscape to explore. Menagerie House is right on the edge of the historic Castle Hill estate, so there are walks right from the doorstep; go and have a wander, see the follies and the sham castle on the hill. At the heart of the estate is a Palladian country mansion where the gardens are open to the public during the summer months.
Just a mile away is the little village of Filleigh; stroll there for lunch at the Stags Head Inn and a peek in the church. A very short drive away is South Molton where they have a regular Pannier Market; just outside the town is Quince Honey Farm, which is well worth a visit. A little further is Barnstaple, where you can hire bikes from Tarka Trail Cycle Hire by the station and set off to explore the Tarka Trail. If you’ve got kids on board there’s plenty of places that make for a brilliant family day out; go and say hello to the animals who live at Exmoor Zoo, go Geocaching at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, have fun on the rollercoasters and slides at the Milky Way Adventure Park, put the pedal to the metal at Keypitts Off Road Adventures or go and take in a big dose of Victorian history at Watermouth Castle.
There are activities galore, from golf and fishing to cycling and horse riding, and of course there are the beautiful beaches of the North Devon coast, some of the best in the UK, which appeal to families and surfers; Ilfracombe, Croyde and Woolacombe are all good, along with Westward Ho!, Saunton, Instow and Barricane. Pack a picnic and head off to Exmoor National Park for the day; see wild ponies grazing on the heather clad heaths, spot red deer feeding, discover beauty spots like Tarr Steps, Watersmeet and the Valley of Rocks. Stop for cream tea at Selworthy or Porlock, ride the cliff railway at Lynton & Lynmouth, climb Dunkery Beacon, the highest point on the moors, or walk up through the wooded cliffs to Culbone Church.
And here’s a little snippet for you; we are lead to believe Menagerie House was built for the mistress of the 1st Earl Clinton who lived at Castle Hill so that he could ride through the woods to see her. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.