The Collective at Woolsery
Culinary cottage-core
Pocket-sized Devonshire parish
The Collective at Woolsery may be rural, tucked away in England’s southwest corner, but it draws a rather cosmopolitan crowd. In fact, discerning diners flock from far and wide to sample the goods of this gastronomic getaway spot, with its farm-to-fork spin on British classics. Speaking of which, when’s the last time your lodgings came with their very own fish and chip shop? ‘Cause they do here…along with a vintage-style village store selling local, artisanal produce. Get nostalgic in the 1940s-themed rooms or hunker down in one of the Collective’s quintessential country cottages, where the only thing sweeter than the local cider is the gentle hum of life in this postcard-perfect town.
Planes
Exeter Airport is the closest, around 90 minutes away by car. Alternatively, Bristol Airport is just over a two-hour drive away. Each has flights to and from most major UK cities and Europe. International travellers may be better served by London Heathrow airport, which is around a four hour drive away.
Automobiles
For exploring the coast’s best beaches, wheels will come in handy. There is a free off-street parking spot available for each room at the hotel.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
North Devon offers some of the best walking spots in the country with its jaw-dropping scenery, ancient woodlands, sheltered footpaths and open moors. One of the most notable (and the most arduous) is the South West Coast Path which starts just north of Woolsery in Minehead and traces the coast right round to Poole in the south. On the way, you’ll pass the Hartland Heritage Coast, a 60-mile stretch of rugged cliffs and wave-battered beaches which makes the area a hit with surfers – most of whom gather at the Sandymouth’s National Trust beach thanks to its tidal tendencies. But if it’s sunbathing you’re after, head to Crackington Haven, just south of Bude, where you can kick back along golden sands and let the little ones explore the rock pools. Elsewhere along the coast, Morwenstow is known for its distinctive twisted geology and razor-sharp black rocks. It’s also where you’ll find eccentric local poet ‘Parson’ Hawker’s grave, alongside those of shipwrecked sailors – after all, they don’t call it the ‘Wreckers coast’ for nothing. Speke’s Mill Mouth is a sight to behold – a dramatic 50-foot waterfall splitting the green cliffs. Further inland, take a stroll around Hartland Abbey, a Augustinian-priory-turned-stately-home with 18th-century walled and woodland gardens, historic interiors with architectural details from Mediaeval, Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras, and traditional tea rooms. Heading north, quaint village Clovelly makes for a great day out, with its whitewashed 16th-century cottages that sit on a clifftop overlooking the harbour. Cars are banned along the town’s high street due to how steep it is; instead, donkeys are employed to carry visitors to and fro. From here, catch a boat over to Lundy island – England’s answer to the Galapagos with its wild gazelle-looking Soay sheep, sika deer and local pod of dolphins.
