Devon holidays: Pickwell Manor near Croyde gives a taste of luxury in beautiful surroundings

On some holidays you see new places and new things, on some you have new experiences, and some people like the kind of vacation during which you are pampered. I’m not one for massage, essential oils or a spa but I would never turn down the chance to live like the other half do for a short time (ideally a long time, but hell, anything is great).

And after a blissful weekend spent at Pickwell Manor, it was confirmed to me that yes, I really could get the taste for a country mansion, thank you very much.

Pickwell is on the North Devon coast, a couple of miles from Croyde and within sight of the sea. It’s a wonderfully peaceful part of the world, and the manor house – the site of which dates back to the 10th century and is mentioned in the Domesday Book – is now holiday accommodation, divided up into apartments of various sizes.

We headed down from Hampshire on a Friday afternoon, being fairly lucky with the traffic jam lottery that is the A303 and reached Devon in about four hours (including a stop). Clutching our instructions, we found the door to our section, headed up the stairs and were all – for different reasons – instantly delighted by where we were staying. We were in an apartment called Constance on the top of the west wing. The adults thought it was beautifully done out, with plenty of space and we were really impressed by the double baths on the balcony. The children saw they would be sleeping in bunk beds in a cleverly hidden-away little alcove which had not a door but a curtain, and it turns out that if you are three and five years old then this is the best thing that has ever happened.

The next morning, in the light, we set about exploring. As well as main part of the manor house, which can accommodate 27 people across three apartments, there are also seven more smaller luxury self-catering spaces such as the one we were in. And there are also three fantastic-looking treehouses – The Hideaway, The Loft and The Den – within the grounds, wooden-framed structures that simultaneously look futuristic and yet blend into the woods.

We came across these as we walked round the grounds exploring. Other things we found included an area full of animals – chickens and ducks in a run, guinea pigs, goats and pigs – and a pixie trail which was great for getting the children enthused about going for a walk. They raced around looking for the pixie houses, while being delighted to stumble across an impromptu play area with a swing, a hammock, a hanging chair and a fallen tree that was ideal for climbing, in one corner of the grounds. Even better was reaching the end of one section of woods and finding a children’s games room, equipped with table football, table tennis, dressing up kit, books, dolls house and various sports equipment. As an adult it felt almost wrong to be invading what is a perfect hideaway – and you could imagine that during busy times in the summer it would be filled with kids making new friends (and probably plotting adventures).

Continuing our walk round the grounds we found what we had kindly been allowed access to – a hot tub called The Nook. We would return later with our swimming costumes and luxuriate in it, enjoying the unusual sensation of the warm water mixed with some brief rain showers and feeling very refreshed because of this.

While tempting to remain on the grounds, we went exploring in the nearby area too. It’s possible to walk cross-country to the beach but given the weekend’s weather and the presence of a temperamental three-year-old we didn’t chance it. We drove the short distance to Croyde and after parking in the village centre walked down to the beach there, enjoying some spring paddling with wellies and (obviously) watching the children getting soaking wet, as is their wont. A bracing walk back with a quick stop-off at a play area and we were ready for a lunch at The Thatch, a pub known to be a bit of an institution. It’s not fine dining, but that’s not what you want when you’re sandy and wet from a beach – you want burgers, a treat Saturday lunchtime pint and a couple of junior-sized sausage and chips. Spot on.

I’ve never been to Croyde before and was struck by how picturesque the village is given that in recent years it has become best known for attracting surfers; there was certainly far more to it than just talk of the waves.

The nearest beach to Pickwell, however, is Putsborough and it’s a gem. It doesn’t have the village and therefore shops and pubs that Croyde does but it’s a beautiful spot, a big clifftop car park leading down to expanses of sand. In the summer you could spend hours there, for sure.

We were only there for a weekend, but we all agreed that we definitely could have stayed for weeks. I will never tire of walking into the wing of a manor house through a solid oak door, then climbing two flights of stairs to reach a beautiful apartment. For a weekend, we lived in luxury. We loved it.

To find out more see pickwellmanor.co.uk

Pickwell Manor has 10 luxury self-catering apartments of varying sizes, each packed with period features and historic details, from the grand apartments of Affinity (sleeps 7) and Bliss (sleeps 10) to the 16th Century Chapel (sleeps 2), and everything in between,

From November to April you can take over the whole of the main house for a special occasion. Get friends and family together to play Lord and Lady of the manor and celebrate milestone birthdays, big anniversaries, family reunions, engagements – or just have a party.

National World readers can receive a 10 per cent discount by using the code TOM10% when booking.

To find out more see pickwellmanor.co.uk