Tors Park in Devon is my favourite new family holiday destination
As the edge of the road plummets away to the right and the car stalls on a white-knuckle steep slope, I question whether a family trip deep into north Devon was such a good idea. We're on our way to Tors Park, self-catering apartments in a Swiss chateau-style building perched on a wooded hillside overlooking the tranquil village of Lynmouth.
The drive isn’t for the faint-hearted, particularly when you meet an on-coming bus packed full of tourists, but once the roads have been navigated and conquered and the car locked, it’s walking all the way (I didn’t use the car again for three days, bliss) and worth the lengthy drive South West.
So what’s the apartment like?
Scandi chic all the way. We booked a three-bedroom Overwater Penthouse and it was a delight to live in. The spacious open-plan kitchen, lounge and diner opened onto a balcony, complete with dining table, giant Jenga set and views of the forested valley. We were so high up it felt like living in a treehouse - extraordinary to wake up to every morning, while at night we heard owls hooting.
The interior design was calming, think neutral shades, wood bowls with pine cones, design books, vases of flowers and choice ceramics. I curled up on a beanbag with a book, sipped a glass of wine overlooking the valley below, and the peace was only occasionally shattered by the clattering of the Jenga set as the kids battled it out on the balcony. I even managed to get a bit of work done at the wood desk in a nook at the top of the stairs, with a window opening up to the sky and tree tops. A pile of board games on a side table was a thoughtful touch for rainy days, as was the cosy wood-burner stove and pile of logs
The upstairs master bedroom had the same calming cream, white and wood design, and the bed was SO comfortable, with soft, squishy bedlinen to rival any five-star hotel. It’s ensuite too, with large bottles of Faith in Nature toiletries to wash away sand from a day on the beach.
It’s self-catering, but a surprise awaited. Instead of empty shelves when I opened the fridge, I was greeted with two boxes of goodies courtesy of A Little Deli in nearby Lynmouth, including olives, cheeses, chutneys, chocolates and charcuteries.
What did you get up to?
I enjoyed an uplifting early morning yoga session with teacher Molly Robertson, a friendly Canadian now based in Devon who was keen to teach on Tor Park’s brand new yoga deck, which is set into the hillside and trees - at times I felt more like I was practising in Bali than Devon, what with the vines hanging off branches and exotic bird calls.
Another blissful experience was a facial with a local therapist who gives in-room treatments at Tors Park and uses organic oils to help plump and smooth. The highlight of the treatment was her gentle scalp and third eye massage, which was incredibly relaxing and nourishing - I left the room feeling like I’d had a full body massage rather than simply a facial. A sauna and open-air plunge bath were being installed while I was there, which will further cement Tors Park as a wellbeing getaway.
You could stay in Tors Park's peaceful hillside bubble, but it would be a shame to miss out on the surrounding area, which is magical. It’s a five-minute walk down a hillside (past an adorable flower-basket filled cafe serving cream teas) to Lynmouth, a charming village dissected by the Lyn River, with a small sheltered harbour and shingle beach.
The first thing you have to do (after skimming some stones into the sea and trying to cross the river on stepping stones) is take the water-powered vernacular railway from Lynmouth up to Lynton.
The steepest vernacular in the world, it was built in the Victorian era which wasn't much comfort to the kids as they clung to the side of the shakey wood cabin and stared at the very thin cable pulling us up the cliff. They were happy about the reward at the top though: an ice cream parlour, with more flavours than we knew existed (there was even unicorn).
Want to improve your cardio (and calves)? Walk up the mega steep zig-zag path instead, stopping along the way to recover and stare at the gorgeous sea views.
Lynton turned out to be another delight, particularly the cavern-like shops selling woven baskets and antiques tucked away in white-washed buildings - it felt more like France than Devon.
From Lynton you can strike out along the South West coast Path to reach the Valley of the Rocks. It’s a two-mile walk along a cliff-top path with a heart-in-your-mouth sheer drop on one side and no fence, so don’t even think about tackling this on a windy day (there’s a more inland, wood walk option).
Eventually the path widens and leads to a dramatic valley with soaring stone stacks, one called Castle Rock and the other, a curious cube shape, was said to once be the home of a witch and featured in Lorna Doone. The kids and I scrambled up on all fours to reach the top, then slid back down the shingle on our bums. Hot and sweaty from our excursion in this remote place, it felt like a mirage when we saw a cafe at the bottom of the stack, serving up cool drinks and ice cream. We chose the forested walk back.
Another epic walk is Watersmeet. Striding out from Lynmouth along the Lyn River, you eventually hit this forested Site of Scientific Interest, thousands of acres of ancient sessile oaks, boulders, rare flowers and birds. We felt like we’d been transported to the jungle, albeit a temperate one, and were surprised at how quiet and peaceful it was despite being peak season.
After walking for around a mile-and-a-half you reach a National Trust cafe via a bridge, where you can sit on the lawn quaffing drinks while kids (and dogs) wade around in the river below. On the way back, don’t miss the site of the former spring water factory dating back to 1920, which was wiped out in the deadly Lymounth floods of 1952, if you look carefully you can still spot a fireplace, chimney and original spring water bottle embedded in the rock.
And then there’s the harbour and beach. Lynmouth’s is shingle, and to the right there are soaring cliffs, caves and boulders to climb, to the left are round pebbles ideal for skimming, stacking and having a barbecue on, which we saw groups of friends doing at sunset.
What about food?
Grazing on platters from A Little Deli only goes so far and, if you don’t fancy cooking every night, there are some great options on the doorstep. Rising Sun Pub, overlong the harbour and beach at Lynmouth looks like a setting for stories of smugglers and fishermen, but is actually pretty haute, serving up dishes likes seafood linguine and chicken wrapped in prosciutto with polenta chips.
Rock House for the outside garden and sunset drinks, Esplanade Fish right on the seafront serves fish and chips, white bait and calamari which you can douse in vinegar and eat on the beach, or carry up the hill home to devour on your balcony beneath the stars.
Verdict?
This is the perfect mix of old school English seaside holiday and sleek modern living and amenities. I loved the steep walk back up the hill from the beach, the scenic harbour, captivating river and valley views. It's definately the kind of place you can imagine moving to to be by the sea, which many people have as the apartments are sometimes available to buy as well as rent for a holiday. Lucky owners.
Go there
Two nights in an Overwater Penthouse (sleeps six in three bedrooms) at Tors Park from £564 in October. There are also one- and two-bedroom apartments available BOOK NOW
Three more family holiday ideas...
A multi-family holiday to Eurocamp in Holland
Family photography trip on London's South Bank
This Mallorcan agrotourism hotel is ideal for family holidays
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