Esmé's Cottage, Ivybridge, Devon.
Welcome to Esmé's Cottage. Whether you have stumbled across this website by accident or have been directed here by us, a friend of ours or someone with whom we've had a good association in the past, please take a moment to get a feel for our cottage as potential holiday accommodation, and understand why we enjoy this part of England so much.
Esmé's Cottage is our bolthole in Devon in the South West of England. The cottage is located in the town of Ivybridge, which sits on the southern edge of Dartmoor, is easily accessed from the main A38 Exeter to Plymouth dual carriageway and is roughly 20 minutes drive from Plymouth.
The South Hams as a holiday location
The county of Devon is made up of 10 'districts' stretching from North Devon on the Bristol Channel to Plymouth and South Hams on the English Channel. Ivybridge is located in the South Hams district; one of the most scenic areas in the South West of England. Of course, we could be accused of bias because we have been taking short-breaks in the South Hams for a number of years, and have become well-acquainted with everything the area has to offer.
However, this website doesn't attempt to describe in detail all of the attributes of Ivybridge and the South Hams. We have left that to the specialist sites which you can visit via our 'Links' page. We hope that the site gives you a flavour of our personal experience of taking holidays in the area. We are a family of 3, including an active teenage daughter and have been having holidays, half-term breaks, out-of-season breaks and long-weekends in the South Hams since our daughter was a toddler. Yet, the area continues to hold us under its spell, to the point where we decided to buy and let Esmé's Cottage.
Why Devon?There are a number of reasons why we were attracted to Devon. It almost goes without saying that it is beautiful, but then so is Cornwall. However, Devon is a little closer to our home location in Berkshire, allowing us to reach Ivybridge with little hassle. Once there,we rarely leave the South Hams district, but know that a short journey across the Tamar Bridge gives us access to Cornwall and all it has to offer. We also find the towns of Devon to be a little more vibrant and, dare I say it, a little less touristy. We enjoy inland walking and climbing on Dartmoor as well as beach activity, cliff-walking and water sports. We also love wandering around the art galleries and boutiques of towns such as Dartmouth and Salcombe, and hunting for antiques in Modbury. And of course, the attractions of a Devonshire cream tea speak for themselves. So, for us, Devon provides more than enough. |
Why South Hams?Rather than specifically seeking out the South Hams district, we stumbled upon it thanks to a good friend who let us use her cottage in Ivybridge for a short holiday. We loved it. Our daughter was very young at the time, so we needed to have access to lots of organised entertainment as well as beaches and Dartmoor. The South Hams delivered everything we could have wanted within a 20 mile radius of the cottage. As well as all of the normal in-town activities such as playgrounds, swimming pools, libraries, etc, we discovered the pottery and the famous Marble House at Bovey Tracy, the quaint Buckfastleigh to Totness steam railway, the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth and a host of other child-friendly activities. With the South Hams beaches and Dartmoor playing such a major role in the attractiveness of the South Hams district, buying a holiday let in the South Hams seemed an obvious choice. |
Why Ivybridge?We selected Ivybridge for its prime location as an all-season 'touring destination' or base from which to experience all that the area has to offer. A short drive in any direction from the town leads to a wealth of interest, amenities and natural beauty, regardless of weather conditions or time of year. Unfortunately this cannot be said of other towns in the region which can be prone to traffic gridlock during busy periods. Ivybridge lies on the southern edge of Dartmoor - in fact you can walk on to Dartmoor by taking the Viaduct walk from Esmé's Cottage, giving you access to 368 square miles of moorland walking - and the South Hams beaches of Slapton, Thurlestone, Bigbury, Wonwell, Hope Cove, etc, etc can be easily reached by driving for 20 minutes or so across the rolling hills of the South Hams. Ivybridge itself is more of a small working town, active all year round, than a quaint Devonshire holiday village. That said, parts of the town date from the 12th century. In fact, the original Ivy Bridge across the River Erme is approximately 50 metres from Esmé's Cottage. Ivybridge also has a mainline train station, is just one stop from Plymouth, and links to Bristol and London via Exeter. |
Why Esmé's Cottage?Esmé's Cottage is a delight. The cottage is between 150 and 200 years old. Originally thatched, it was probably used to house mill workers employed by the paper mill which sits at the head of the River Erme's fall into Ivybridge. The cottage is mid-terrace and is located in the old part of Ivybridge, a quiet location but just a couple of hundred metres from the High Street. The original Ivy Bridge, a beautiful 12th Century hump-back bridge, is just 50 metres from the cottage. The Cottage itself has been developed over the years and is now a well-specified 3 bedroom home. A number of original oak beams and an attractive stone fireplace feature in the cottage, whilst the cottage has been recently refurbished to provide a clean modern living environment. We have furnished the cottage to a high standard and we trust our guests to treat it with respect. Click here for more on Esmé's Cottage. |
