Lower Hearson Farm Cottages - North Devon

Lower Hearson Farm Cottages - North Devon 6 family-friendly cottages in North Devon, sleeping 2,4,4,4,5 & 7 (whole site: 26 + infants). Just 5 miles from Barnstaple & 30 mins from beaches or Exmoor.

Perfect for families or groups. Heated outdoor pool, games room, garden & friendly animals to meet Welcome to Lower Hearson Farm – a small collection of family-friendly holiday cottages set on our 15-acre smallholding in beautiful North Devon. We’re just a short drive from Barnstaple, the stunning North Devon coast, and Exmoor – so it really is the best of all worlds. Whether you're paddling in ro

ckpools, exploring wild moorland, or enjoying a slower pace of life on the farm, there’s always something to discover. Our six self-catering cottages are practical, comfortable and well-equipped – designed with real families in mind. You’ll find space to play, space to gather, and plenty to keep everyone entertained. We’ve got a seasonal outdoor heated pool, a games room, big shared gardens, and lots of friendly animals to meet – including chickens, sheep, guinea pigs and our much-loved kunekune pigs. We’re proud to offer relaxed, down-to-earth holidays where you can make memories, reconnect, and enjoy time together. We’re always here to help with anything you need – and that’s part of what makes staying with us so special 😊

Whether you're planning a break with toddlers, a big family get-together, a multi-generational holiday, or just a weekend away with friends – we’d love to welcome you to Lower Hearson.

Otto (our pool cleaning robot) was hoping it was time to hibernate but he's got to keep working hard for a bit longer ye...
05/09/2026

Otto (our pool cleaning robot) was hoping it was time to hibernate but he's got to keep working hard for a bit longer yet.

Our swimming pool is still open until the end of September and I have a feeling it will be popular this weekend with the sudden reappearance of the sunshine 🏊🏾‍♀️🌞

Anna x

🏠We’re not originally from North Devon and guests often ask us why we chose to live here.I know that in theory, moving 2...
03/09/2026

🏠We’re not originally from North Devon and guests often ask us why we chose to live here.

I know that in theory, moving 200 miles from a town in the Midlands and buying a farm in Devon is a big step. However, it never seemed like a big jump to me, it just slotted together and made sense 🧩 I can give lots of practical reasons why the relocation went smoothly but I have a feeling the seeds of this journey were sown a long time ago 🌱

I recently came across some photos of our family holidays in the Barnstaple area in the late 1980s. I think there’s a good chance these pictures were taken at The BIG Sheep Family Attraction in the first year or so of it opening so 1988 or 1989. Clearly my interest in sheep started a lot earlier than I realised 🐑

Please, no comments about the fluorescent bum bag – it was the 80’s!

It’s odd to look at these photos of childhood holidays and think about how those experiences influenced my life without me even realising it. Spending time with the animals, being outside and having time with my family in this beautiful part of the world…. maybe it’s no surprise that I now live in North Devon and run Lower Hearson.

Maybe I was always destined to come back 💕

It’s a good reminder that it’s not always the most expensive trip or outing that our children remember, sometimes it’s the little experiences that make the biggest impact and last a lifetime.

Anna x

The TV might be full of "back to school" adverts for new shoes and uniforms but September looks rather different if you ...
01/09/2026

The TV might be full of "back to school" adverts for new shoes and uniforms but September looks rather different if you home educate. Are any other home ed families planning any September adventures?

We are looking forward to "not back to school" picnics and restarting our groups as the cottages and North Devon get a little quieter. We're currently busy making plans for the next few weeks and so far on the list we have a visit to Exmoor Zoo and a trip to Bideford to see an exhibition at The Burton. We're also going to jump on the train and spend some time at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.

September normally means decent weather still so we'll make the most of that with a bit more exploring along the Tarka Trail, a visit to the coast and a day at RHS Rosemoor.

Whether you are back to school or embracing a different path, I hope you have a fantastic month.

Anna x

What says "Autumn's coming " to you?As we roll towards another change of season I'm looking forward to all the little si...
30/08/2026

What says "Autumn's coming " to you?

As we roll towards another change of season I'm looking forward to all the little signs that Autumn is here. I think one of the most under-rated things about the cool, damper months is the fungi. I'd never seen so many different mushrooms until we moved to the countryside. They turn an autumn stroll into a mini-treasure hunt and sometimes it feels like your exploring a whole undiscovered world in the undergrowth or tree stumps.

There's something about taking the time to spot the hidden natural gems around us that can really help us reset and be ready to face the world again.

Anna x

🏠Sometimes it's the little touches that make a holiday cottage feel like home....and sometimes it's a massive 55 inch TV...
28/08/2026

🏠Sometimes it's the little touches that make a holiday cottage feel like home....and sometimes it's a massive 55 inch TV that does it 🤣

📺We've upgraded the family film night experience in the Shippon snug over the last few years. From no TV signal and only being able to watch DVDs on a dinky screen to this 55 inch, curved HD TV with Roku and DVD player.

🍿Just bring your passwords and popcorn and then carry on binge watching your favourite shows or enjoy a family film night. It's the perfect place to spend some quality time together as the evenings draw in and the rainier days start 🌧

Anna x

What was the highlight of this Summer for you?There have been so many amazing moments at Lower Hearson over the Summer s...
26/08/2026

What was the highlight of this Summer for you?

There have been so many amazing moments at Lower Hearson over the Summer season but here are some of my favourite things -

💞Seeing the love that all the children (and a fair few adults) have shown Snow the guinea pig. He is such a calm and happy boy and he's had so many dandelions, bamboo leaves and handfuls of grass lovingly picked for him.

📆Guests booking their 2-week holiday for August 2027 as they checked-out

🏡Welcoming back 5 families for a second (or more!) stay with us.

🖌Being gifted hand drawn pictures, important stones, a shell and some carefully selected foliage by some of our younger guests

🐜Watching the kids enjoy a spontaneous bug hunt led by one of our teenage guests

😎Experiencing the solar eclipse with several fantastic families

We've still got the last little bit of the holidays left to enjoy and although the weather isn't quite as good I'm sure there will still be plenty of special moments shared and happy memories made as August draws to a close.

Anna x

Have you ever laid awake at night wondering if a fridge/freezer will fit into the back of the average SUV? I'm going to ...
24/08/2026

Have you ever laid awake at night wondering if a fridge/freezer will fit into the back of the average SUV?

I'm going to take a wild guess that the answer to that was a resounding "no". Well, this weekend we have answered the unasked question and can confirm - it fits!!

A cottage's fridge/freezer broke down on Saturday evening and sometimes the only way to solve a problem is to roll up your sleeves and cram the replacement in the car.

Many thanks to HBH Woolacotts in Barnstaple for their fantastic help and advice first thing on a Sunday morning.

I'm sure my memory is getting worse with age - how about yours?I was looking at our cottage adverts just now and spotted...
22/08/2026

I'm sure my memory is getting worse with age - how about yours?

I was looking at our cottage adverts just now and spotted one of the Roundhouse photos is out of date. One of Tim's winter projects at the end of last year was replacing the shower unit and I've still got the old photos everywhere online🚿 I'm hoping he hasn't realised that I totally forgot to update the pictures after he did all the hard work of getting it installed. Oops! 🫢

Anyway, here's a quick "first look" and "unveiling" of the lovingly installed cubicle and shower that guests have been enjoying for the last 8 months!!

Wow!! This might actually be the best rainbow I've ever seen.The scientist in me asked Google for more details about an ...
20/08/2026

Wow!! This might actually be the best rainbow I've ever seen.

The scientist in me asked Google for more details about an inverted double rainbow but then I decided to just enjoy it and grab a few photos to share with you all instead.

It's been great to get a little bit of intermittent rain the last few days - the animals have been very relieved to have the temperatures drop and then this stunning display was the icing on the cake.

Anna x

Would you be interested in bat walks here at Lower Hearson?We have a lot of bats here on the Farm and we always enjoy wa...
18/08/2026

Would you be interested in bat walks here at Lower Hearson?

We have a lot of bats here on the Farm and we always enjoy watching them flit about the site at dusk. A couple of years ago we even rescued a little bat who was on the Annex wall in bright sunshine looking very unhappy and lethargic. We got him to a proper bat expert so they could nurse him back to health. They are amazing little things and are as much a part of Lower Hearson as the chickens and sheep.

We already offer our animal feeding sessions but we'd love to start offering some extra experiences for our guests to enjoy during their stay. One of my thoughts is to introduce a guided bat walk around the gardens. What do you think? If we developed this plan would you join me for an evening stroll?

Anna x

Address

Swimbridge
Barnstaple
EX320QH

Opening Hours

Monday 12am - 11:59pm
Tuesday 12am - 11:59pm
Wednesday 12am - 11:59pm
Thursday 12am - 11:59pm
Friday 12am - 11:59pm
Saturday 12am - 11:59pm
Sunday 12am - 11:59pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Lower Hearson Farm Cottages - North Devon posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category