House style

Contemporary

Grounds

Five acres of gardens, five acres of woods and 30 acres of farmland with spectacular views across the Dart estuary

Sleeps

Eight adults and three children in three double rooms, one twin, one single and one bunk room

Ideal for

Family holidays, birthdays and quiet getaways with friends. The views from the pool and garden are absolutely amazing.

Rates

From £1,825 for a three-night midweek stay, £2,695 for a three or four-night weekend, or £3,950–£5,750 a week.

Minimum hire

Weekend breaks start on Friday; three-night midweek stays start on Monday or Tuesday, subject to availability.

Also

Lamper Head is not suitable for pets, and smoking is not allowed in the house (well, it is made largely of wood).

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Interior

Bedrooms 

Bedrooms: There are two master bedrooms, a double room, a twin room, a children’s bunk room and a single room, also suitable for children. The double rooms cannot be converted into twin rooms. There’s a shower room on the first floor for the single and bunk rooms, and a larger bathroom and separate shower room on the ground floor for the double and twin rooms.

Ground floor:

Bedroom 1: The Zen Master suite is a double room with en suite shower room. The pop-up TV at the foot of the bed has Sky and a DVD player. Bedroom 2: A double room with excellent views of the estuary. It shares a separate bathroom and shower room with Bedroom 3. Bedroom 3: A twin room with fantastic views.

First floor:

Bedroom 4: The Aqua Master suite connects to the pool area as well as the rest of the house. There is an en suite bathroom on a mezzanine level, with a glass roof for stargazing. This room also has a CD/DVD player. Bedroom 5: The single bunk room is ideal as a child’s room. Bedroom 6: The double bunk room has a hatch leading to a ‘secret’ children’s room.

Kitchen The fully equipped kitchen has an Aga, a fridge with an ice machine, a dishwasher, a coffee machine and a freezer. Complete picnic sets are available. There is a small herb garden next to the kitchen and guests are welcome to pick fruit from the trees.

Living room There's a lofty beamed ceiling, an open fireplace and French doors onto the garden and main barbecue terrace. This area has a TV and DVD, a CD library and WiFi. There’s a telephone in this room, which is very useful as mobile coverage is patchy.

Dining room All the guests can comfortably fit around the dining room table next to the main living room.

Other There's a massage room for beauty treatments. Kids will love the tiny children's room with bean bags, toys, books, games, TV and a Playstation; the glass wall means you can keep an eye on the kids from the kitchen.

Outdoor

Poolside The indoor pool is a highlight of Lamper Head, and its French doors open up both onto the front garden with views of the estuary, and the more sheltered Mediterranean courtyard garden at the rear of the house. There are loungers next to the pool.

Gardens Lamper Head is surrounded by gardens and several patios and terraces. The views from the front of the house are across unspoilt countryside, with Dartmoor to the north and the Dart estuary to the south.

Parking There’s plenty of space for five cars.

Other There is an enclosed and sheltered patio garden with a barbecue to the rear of the house. On a different side of the house there is a larger terrace and a play area for children, with trampolines and swings. Next to the kitchen there is a deck with another barbecue.

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Getting there

Planes Exeter airport is 30 miles away (www.exeter-airport.co.uk). If you arrive by helicopter you can land in the garden by prior arrangement.

Trains The nearest station is Totnes; a change at Exeter St David's station might be necessary but there are also direct services from London Paddington, taking a little under three hours.

Local taxi service Sercombe taxis (+44 (0)1803 864 745) and Castle Cabs (+44 (0)1803 867 770) are both based in Totnes. For car hire, click on our Travel Offers page. Smithcard holders get a 10 per cent discount with Hertz.

Directions by road You will need some detailed directions from Lamper Head; apparently sat nav might attempt to direct you up a nearby bridle path if you’re not careful. Beyond Exeter, take the A30 towards Plymouth. At Buckfastleigh take the A384 to Totnes and then the A381 out of town towards Dartmouth. As you climb the hill out of Totnes you will see signs to Cornworthy on your left. Lamper Head is above the village, beyond the church, towards the hamlet of East Cornworthy.

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High on a hilltop above the beautiful Dart estuary in Devon, Lamper Head has some of the finest views in southern England. The panorama takes in moors, rolling countryside and the serried ranks of beaches and headlands, marching off across the horizon. The house itself is no less eye-catching, mixing bold contemporary architecture with a traditional oak frame structure. The result is a perfect combination of style and rural seclusion – although some of this seclusion is due to the baffling country roads around the property and the fact that in-car navigation systems seem to want to direct motorists up a nearby bridle path.

Originally designed as a family home, Lamper Head still feels ideally suited to family groups. The network of interlocking rooms includes luxury bathrooms, treatment rooms and secret children’s dens, so everyone is more than adequately catered for. The six bedrooms, including the serene and appropriately named Zen Master, maintain a studied balance of minimalism and warmth. Meditation classes are one of the many activities that can be arranged at Lamper Head, but with these views and such a harmonious house you might not find them necessary.

Large panoramic windows let light flood into the modern interiors. While the barn-sized, timber-framed living area creates a wonderful sense of space, it is undoubtedly the indoor pool that provides the house’s principal ‘wow’ factor. Large French doors allow you to open up the whole area onto the gardens, but even in winter you can splash around in the pool and enjoy views over to Chisel Beach in Dorset, 40 miles away.

The kitchen is fully equipped and includes an Aga, fridge-freezer and dishwasher; there’s also a utility room with washing machine and tumble dryer. The dining table can easily seat all house guests, but as Lamper Head is surrounded by several terraces, patios and courtyard gardens with barbecues, it's difficult to resist the temptation to eat out in the garden if the weather is fine. A chef can be arranged to prepare meals for you using local organic produce; meanwhile you can get wholly into the spirit of the house and enjoy Tai Chi classes or a massage in the treatment room.

Beyond the house’s five acres of gardens and orchards, there’s the estuary and the beautiful South Devon coastline to explore. Some of the region’s most impressive beaches are only a short distance away at Slapton Sands, Blackpool Sands and Bantham; complete picnic sets are provided but there are excellent seafood restaurants in the Dartmouth area and some informal but fantastic seafood stalls and cafés, too. There’s sailing and kayaking year-round on the Dart, but nothing quite beats the magic of a moonlit paddle downstream on a summer night, followed by a barbecue on the riverbanks.

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