There is much to see and do in the immediate vicinity as well as further
afield in the beautiful counties of Devon and Cornwall.
LYDFORD
The village of Lydford dates back to King Arthur in the 9th century
who built a fort here, the site of which is now occupied by Lydford
Castle which was erected in 1195. It was in fact used as a rather notorious
prison until 17th Century. Besides the castle stands St Petroc's church,
named after a Celtic missionary. The present church dates from the 13th
Century, look out for the Watchmaker's Tomb with its famous inscription.
Lydford Gorge belonging to the National Trust attracts over 75,000 visitors
a year. It is a haven to plant and wildlife. The gorge is a magnificent
walk and includes the 100 foot waterfall White Lady and the swirling
whirl pools of the Devil's Cauldron.
RESTAURANTS & NIGHT LIFE
There are a plethora of excellent rural eating houses both
in Lydford and neighboring villages, we are more than happy to recommend
and reserve tables for you should you require.
Jethro's
"The worlds Funniest Cornishman" has his home in
the next Village of Lewdown where he often performs at his restaurant/club.
Many travel from far and wide to attend such shows and a shuttle service
for guests is operated on performance evenings, for details of dates
etc go to the official Jethro's site.
FISHING &
SHOOTING
Brown trout and salmon await you in many of the reservoirs, lakes and
nearby rivers. For further details on this and further information on
fishing in the area go to http://www.wrt.org.uk/a2k_tokens/index.htm
There a number of excellent game shoots close by and during
the season we have a number of shooting parties reside with us.
OKEHAMPTON
A market town 7 miles from Lydford which also has a castle established
by the Norman's and rebuilt in the 14th century. The remains owned by
English Heritage are the largest of their kind in Devon. The town has
an interesting Victorian Shopping Arcade and the Museum of Dartmoor
Life is worth a visit.
MELDON
Above Okehampton lies Dartmoor's two highest peaks one being the highest
point in Southwest England. There is a long and wild walk to visit both
peaks, Yes Tor (618m) and High Willhays (621m), below the peaks is Meldon
Reservoir (wind surfing, sailing and canoeing) a pleasant stretches
of water, fishing permits are obtainable. At Meldon Station there is
a visitors center, a buffet and access onto the Granite Way Cycle Path
from which you can admire Meldon Viaduct. It is possible to cycle here
along the Granite Way from Lydford House. Trains run on public holidays
and at the weekends across the moors and down into Okehampton.
TAVISTOCK
A charming market town on the river Tavy 7 miles from Lydford, once
a stannary town where local mined metal was weighed. It was the home
of Sir Francis Drake. The town has many interesting and specialist shops
including the covered Pannier Market with plenty of cafes and restaurants
to choose from. There is a pleasant walk along the river meadows where
the towns leisure/sport facilities are situated.
DARTMOOR
The moors cover an area of 365 square miles, the last un spoilt wilderness
of southern England. The whole area lends itself to outdoor pursuits
best enjoyed on foot, horseback or bike. However there are numerous
car parks for those who like to motor across the moor and stop to admire
the scenery, watch out for the ponies and sheep! From Lydford House
you can access the moors at the top of the lane and find a rich and
varied landscape. Though the area speaks of isolation man has left his
mark through the centuries and there are numerous archaeological sites
and interesting ruins (book a guided walk exploring the history of the
region). At Princetown is the High Moorland Visitors Center with a wealth
of information on what to do and see. Its famous prison dominates the
town and there is a prison museum you can visit. Surrounding the high
moors are numerous attractive and interesting villages and towns to
explore. In particular the un spoilt Chagford, Buckfastleigh with its
Abbey, Lustleigh one of the prettiest villages, Widecombe-in-the-Moor
immortalised in the song Uncle Tom Cobberly and all, Ashburton with
its specialist shops and many more.
LETTERBOXING
Lydford is part of a network of thousands of letter boxes scattered
across Dartmoor, the original being more than 150 years old! Some can
be found next to log fires in the guest lounges of its Country Houses,
whilst others are hid on the remotest of tors and take many an hour
of hard walking to find. Join the many enthusiasts who stay with us
and take part in this pursuit, our guest record, set by one of Lydford
House's regular families, stands at over 200 stamps collected in a week!
THE COASTS
For a change of scenery Lydford House is equal distance between the
North and South Devon/Cornish coasts, taking less than an hour to reach
both by car. To the North is, Padstow, Tintagel, Bude, Clovelly. all
small resorts with cliffs and sands and great surf beaches with superb
cliff walking. To the south is a choice of either the south Devon or
Cornwall coast. South Hams the southern most part of Devon has very
beautiful coastline with sandy beaches and mighty cliffs between the
estuaries. Places to visit include Dartmouth, the cliffs at Start Point
and Prawle Point,, the resort of Salcombe, Bigbury and Slapton huge
sands. Nearer to Plymouth are Ness Mayo and Newton Ferrers, which lie
opposite each other on a creek, a haven for yachtsmen. Alternatively
head south into Cornwall and find a coastline with long stretches of
sandy beach Whitsand Bay, high headlands and sandy coves at the foot
of cliffs-Lantic Bay. Classic fishing villages Polperro, historic ports-Fowey
and pleasant resorts-Looe
HOUSES AND GARDENS
There is a number of houses and gardens that are worth exploring one
of the nearest is Cotenhele an enchanted remote medieval house in the
Tamar valley. There are miles of riverside and woodland walks together
with formal gardens. Buckland Abbey the 13th century home of Sir Francis
Drake was originally a monastery, there is an exhibition of its famous
owner. Castle Drogo built by Sir Edward Lutyens for a tea baron in the
early 20th century as his dream house combines the grandeur of a medieval
castle with the comforts of the 20th Century. There are stunning views
and wonderful walks along the Teign valley. Lanhydrock is one of the
finest houses in Cornwall set in 450 acres of woodland and gardens with
many rare plants. Lastly Saltram House near Plymouth is an imposing
mansion with a landscaped park. The Eden Project is less than an hour
away and a good destination for a rainy day The Lost Gardens of Heligan
are a beautiful and mysterious place to delight the visitor time and
time again, restored in 1990 after 75 years of neglect. The Garden House
has become one of the most written about gardens in Britain today
CITIES
For those who want culture and entertainment and quality shopping the
cities of Plymouth and Exeter are equal distance away, around 30 minutes
by car. Each city has additional attractions Plymouth with its navel
history and Exeter as one of Britain's oldest cities.
GOLF
Within half an hour's drive there are six different courses to suit
all levels of ability.
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