Where to Stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
Devon
With Exmoor and Dartmoor vying for the accolade of England’s most spectacular national park, and a coastline littered with beautiful villages, expansive beaches and rugged coves, Devon is one of England’s most diverse and scenic counties.
For walkers and cyclists, Devon is full of spectacular trails and tracks that showcase the county’s dramatic landscapes. For drinkers and gourmets, Devon offers a smorgasbord of fresh seafood, organic farm-to-fork eating, artisanal cheeses and breads, locally brewed ciders and beers and thriving sparkling wine industry.
For wildlife enthusiasts, Devon offers exceptional birding on Dartmoor, Exmoor and Lundy while also being the centre of recent beaver reintroduction projects. For those seeking active adventures, Devon is a playground for kayakers, surfers, mountain bikers, paddle-boarders and wild swimmers. But if none of this appeals, then just head to Devon to connect with nature and the welcoming, lovely laid back people.
Highlights of Devon
Devon's South Coast
For beaches, Devon is hard to beat. Wide, wind-swept bays give way to family-friendly, sandy shorelines and little pebble coves, whilst 95 miles of its southern shore is known as the Jurassic Coast, where layers of sedimentary rock tell the story of 185 million years of Earth’s history. Chocolate box villages line both the north and south coast as Devon boasts some of the prettiest in the south-west.
In the south, the popular resort town of Salcombe and smaller Bigbury-on-sea are both cherished for soft, golden sands. The picturesque fishing village of Beer begs a visit, where coloured beach huts adorn the pebble beach beneath white-chalk cliffs. Dartmouth graces the headland at the mouth of the River Dart, its castle guarding the narrow entrance to the estuary.
Highlights of Devon
Devon's North Coast
The north coast is enchanting. Carved perfectly into the North Devon hillside is the timeless and unique village of Clovelly. Its cobbled streets are filled with stunning 16th-century cottages with breathtaking views overlooking the small harbour, 120 metres below. Further along the coast, Croyde is a surfer’s paradise while Damien Hurst’s 20-metre bronze sculpture, “Verity”, overlooks the pretty harbour at Ilfracombe. Travel between Lynton and Lynmouth via the unique cliff railway that links these two small communities.
Highlights of Devon
Battle of the Moors
Bridging the two coastlines lie the wide-open spaces of Exmoor in the north and Dartmoor in the south. In Exmoor’s deep valleys, rivers and waterfalls cascade alongside ancient oak woodland and England’s highest sea-cliffs. It is a great location for seeing red deer, raptors and a whole host of other birds.
Dartmoor is a landscape of heather-clad moors and rugged tors stretching almost 600 square kilometres across. It is a landscape quite unlike any other, populated by lofty granite tors, mysterious standing stones, woodlands, rushing streams and Dartmoor ponies. The rivers running through both moors, provide a playground for kayakers and lovers of wild swimming. Photographers will be smitten by the dramatic landscape and the wonderful, golden light that falls on both Exmoor and Dartmoor.
Experiences
Tell us what you love doing and we’ll curate a journey that’s perfect for you.
Family Holidays
Coast and Moors – Devon Adventure
This is a guided holiday for active families or adventurous couples, who love the feel of the sea air on their face and want to experience the great outdoors on Devon’s iconic open moorland. You will be fully guided throughout and can expect your local host to give insight and provide great company along the way. Travelling from north to south, you’ll have the opportunity to swim in hidden pools and coves, bike along disused railways lines, trek across Dartmoor or the South West Coastal path and jump on a paddleboard or take a kayak along Devon’s rugged south coast.
Devon
Sandy Cove Hotel
Sitting proudly on a North Devon cliff top, and nestled in the middle of Exmoor National Park, Sandy Cove Hotel could not be better situated for those looking for dramatic views and beautiful, inviting surrounding natural…
England
Bovey Castle Hotel
With five Red Stars from the AA to its name, this sprawling hotel and golf resort has a reputation for exceptional service. With 275 acres of beautiful grounds surrounding it, guests can be forgiven for never…
Devon
Wolf Wood Treehouses
A hidden gem tucked quietly away in a 13-acre woodland just outside Bratton Clovelly. Stays here reach different heights when it comes to mixing the outdoors with luxury.
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Paul Bird
It wasn’t part of the script, career plans were quite different but after four global trips visiting such exciting destinations, travel became a passion that eventually led to me entering the industry. The more I have travelled the greater the desire has been to see and do more.
Talk with our experts
- 01285 880 980
Sue Grimwood
I was inspired to travel south from an early age. My form teacher when I was nine made us listen to tapes from Shackleton’s expeditions, I didn’t know it at the time, but it obviously left a deep impression on my psyche.
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- 01285 880 980
Clare Higginson
It was my passion for languages that first encouraged me to leave the UK behind and grab my rucksack. Since then, it’s been a mixture of intriguing cultures, jaw-dropping landscapes and the wonder of seeing animals in their natural habitat that sees me continuously extending my travel wish list.
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- 01285 880 980
John Faithfull
My love affair with travel began in a vintage Italian train carriage at sunset on a hot and sticky September evening in 1983. Sardined into a two-bench compartment, I’d spent five hours sharing sweaty thighs, broken-Italian pleasantries and furtive glances while rattling towards Turin, stopping at every wisteria-draped village along the way.
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- 01285 880 980
Illona Cross
Born in a small South African town, I have always followed my passion for nature and discovery. After studying Nature Conservation in Pretoria, I was one of the first women to complete a very tough cadetship in the Natal Parks Board. It was here where I cut my teeth in African wildlife management.
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- 01285 880 980
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Other regions to explore in England
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
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