DEVON is fast becoming one of my family’s favourite destinations for the sheer variety of things to see and do.
When we visited during the October break we managed to cram in high adrenaline surfing, relaxing spa treatments, glorious coastal walks and even a food masterclass!
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However, my absolute favourite part of the holiday was the couple of days we spent exploring Sandridge Barton, the home of Sharpham Wine.
The Sandridge Barton Estate is stunning in its own right, with beautiful orchards and vineyards as far as the eye can see, as well as three stunning self-catering options all located on the River Dart.
The jewel in the crown of this estate is the winery itself which produces wines which have won awards both nationally and internationally and, when I learned they offered guided tours and tastings, I knew I just had to visit.
We booked The Boathouse — an absolutely gorgeous wee building perched on the bank of the river. It’s a five-minute walk through the woods from the main house and is steeped in local history.
We were met by Ty — one of the groundkeepers — when we arrived and he transferred our luggage onto the back of his Defender to transport us to our lodgings.
He also pointed out the various points of interest on the short drive down and Cameron, my 13-year-old, was fascinated to learn that the woods had been the base for U.S. soldiers at the end of WW2, in preparation for the D-Day landings.
And while on exercise they had carved messages onto the trees which are still visible today.
The Boathouse was superbly kitted out with two generous sized bedrooms, one with a full ensuite upstairs.
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Downstairs we found a fully-equipped kitchen, beautiful living room with a wood burning stove, but the best bit was the decking with the most spectacular views of the river.
Sitting on the comfy patio furniture you could easily lose hours absorbed in the surroundings and watching the boats sail by.
As a special treat, hubby Steven and I had booked a tour of the winery followed by lunch at Circa, the onsite restaurant which offers a relaxed environment where diners can enjoy dishes prepared using local seasonal ingredients, most of which are grown on the estate.
We’d first heard about the estate through the brilliant website FoodDrinkDevon.co.uk and were keen to try the wine and food which came highly recommended.
Expert Sarah met us to take us on our tour of the winery and we were astounded by her knowledge and her enthusiasm.
We tasted some of the most delicious wines, and we were taught how best to pair them with delicacies that would compliment them.
It goes without saying that the gift shop was ravaged as we took home a variety of bottles to keep us going at home.
We were ready for lunch by the end of the tour and were excited to experience the offerings of Circa.
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The menu changes often with what is available and the chefs are exceptionally talented at turning foraged ingredients into absolutely stunning, small dishes.
We couldn’t decide so greedily ordered one of each of the eight dishes on offer. Each one was better than the last but my absolute favourite dish was the pinot noir braised beef shin — oh my goodness, it was sensational!
Steven was a big fan of the wild sea bass and we both thoroughly enjoyed the dark chocolate cream for dessert.
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We were definitely happy to walk off our meal by meandering through the orchards and vineyard back to the boathouse where we lit the fire, opened a bottle and sat admiring the views as the sun set across the river.
It’s an absolutely idyllic location for anyone looking to recharge the batteries and take in some local Devonshire hospitality.