There’s little point in booking a weekend at Fountain Violet Farm. You’ll need at least a week to have half a chance of doing everything you want to. One of the most regularly repeated comments by former guests is that they wish they’d booked for longer. You’ll want some time to hire paddleboards on the River Dart, for example. And at least a day at idyllic Mill Bay Cove beach. You'll want another to hike on the South West Coast Path. Another for the steam train ride and a visit to the nearby National Trust properties and there’s the whole of the English Riviera to explore. And, in between all that, don’t forget to set aside some time to just relax on the farm. When you see its lofty setting and the views of Dartmouth Bay, you’ll definitely want to do that.
Fountain Violet is a Feather Down farm; part of a network of farm stays offering off-grid holidays in roomy safari tents (or ‘tented cottages’ as the Feather Down team likes to call them). Lit only by candles and oil lamps, the rustic but homely accommodation is provided by Feather Down and invariably lovely with log burners, en-suite loos and cute kids’ cupboard bedrooms as particular highlights. And while the well-set up accommodation doesn't vary much from location to location, the on-site experience is unique, with hosting left in the capable hands of Feather Down’s partner farmers.
Here, it’s the Jones family (and their dogs) who’ll welcome you in. They look after 130 acres of grasslands and 5,000 free-range chickens for their organic egg business, as well as the residents of their five glamping tents. Each of the abodes is well positioned, with its own en-suite hot shower, so cleaning off after a day on the beach couldn’t be easier or more convenient.
You could say the same about getting to the beach itself. Fountain Violet Farm is on the outskirts of the village of Kingswear, which sits across the River Dart from Dartmouth. A speedy and great-value river ferry can whisk you across the water to get there but there’s plenty to explore on this side of it too. Mill Cove Bay is just 15 minutes' walk from site, with Agatha Christie’s former home a 10-minute drive away. It’s all within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Brixham, Paignton, Torquay and Totnes are all within easy reach too.
It takes just 10 minutes to walk to the coast and 15 minutes to get to sandy Mill Bay Cove. From there, serious walkers might like to hike along the South West Coast Path all the way to Coleton Fishacre (01803 842382) a National Trust Arts & Crafts house and garden – with a handy cafe. And, if you don't fancy the walk, it's a 10-minute drive. The farm is on the outskirts of Kingswear, a charming village on the edge of the River Dart opposite Dartmouth. Kingswear offers a huge variety of watersports to visitors, with opportunities to kayak, paddleboard, surf and sail on the River Dart and at the local beaches, such as Blackpool Sands. To reach Dartmouth, you can take a very reasonably-priced passenger ferry across the river or, to further explore the English Riviera, buy a Round Robin ticket for the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway (01803 555872), which includes your ferry ticket. Agatha Christie's former home Greenway House is another popular place to visit (you can arrive by steam train). It's just five miles from site and it's about the same distance to Berry Head Nature Reserve and the harbourside town of Brixham where you can go crabbing. All of the English Riviera is within reach with Paignton seven miles from site and Torquay three miles further.
There's an on-site honesty shop for basic supplies and down in the village The Steam Packet Inn (01803 752208), overlooking the river, is a great place for a stonebaked pizza. Rockfish (01803 832800) in Dartmouth is a good option for fish and chips and if you don't fancy dessert there, try the Salcombe Dairy Ice Cream Parlour. For fresh fish to cook on the barbecue, head to Brixham market.