Lake View Holiday Lodge

Three Star luxury self-catering accommodation
Stars awarded by VISITENGLAND

Hello, and welcome to our website.

Lake View Holiday Lodge is a luxury three bedroom pine lodge accommodating up to eight people.
We love animals and are happy to welcome your pets to the lodge too.
Set in a 100+ acre site in the beautiful area of Hartland Forest in North Devon, the privately owned Lodge stands in deep countryside, and overlooks nearby fishing lakes. You can enjoy the glorious peace and quiet of this spectacular setting, yet be within easy reach of all the amenities you need.

The Lodge is situated no more than 20 minutes away from the lovely Hartland Abbey as featured on "The Antiques Roadshow".
This is an excellent place to visit set in beautiful grounds and the Abbey and adjoining house are well worth a visit displaying fine period artefacts and paintings by a number of famous artists.
One of our recent guests described the Devonshire Cream Tea here as the best tasted on their holiday! Another good reason to visit.

Lake View - A Relaxing Stay
Ready for that break, fed up with hustle and bustle of your daily routine and need to get away? Lakeview Holiday Lodge is the perfect place to relax and unwind.

This really is a "home from home" and we guarantee you will be thoroughly relaxed by the end of your holiday.

The site is quiet, peaceful and pleasantly free of the trappings of town living.

The surrounding area has an abundance of things to do and places to visit.
The big decision is what to do today? The glorious nearby beaches offer everything from surfing, sunbathing, superb sand, rock pools to explore and loads of delicious ice cream. Take the collapsible beach chairs from the lodge with you and relax in comfort.

If you are feeling more energetic, then the coastal path is close and stretches all the way into Cornwall offering superb views of the coastline and the Atlantic Ocean. Or maybe you have brought your bikes with you? then off you go exploring the country lanes and visit some delightful remote villages and pubs along the way.

And if you do encounter a day of rain, no need to despair. Perhaps some shopping at Atlantic Village, North Devon's Unique Outlet Village or at the numerous town markets offering locally grown fresh products will keep you busy.
Why not take in a bit of culture at the local museums or the stately homes and gardens; the Eden Project for instance is well within driving distance.

You may wish to spend a day doing nothing. Then the lodge is perfect for your needs. The Finnish pine design and construction keeps the lodge cool in summer and warm in winter. Just relax with the newspaper, read one of the books available in the lodge, or watch a DVD, walk your dog around the fishing lakes.

So no excuses for not having a wonderful visit to North Devon and in particular, your stay at Lakeview Holiday Lodge; our aim is to offer you a "home from home" and to make your stay as welcoming and comfortable as we possibly can. Please come and enjoy.
Patricia and Jeff Gosling


Billy The Resident Dog

Woof, my name is Billy and I am lucky enough to spend my holidays at Lakeview Holiday Lodge.
This place is wonderful, I can wander around the lodge all day and never get bored. The smells are fantastic here; everything from the birds including the site pheasant to rabbits, hares and deer to keep me and my nose busy.
Sometimes, the resident ducks will come along looking for food no doubt and they are quite friendly so I like to say hello to them.

There are lovely walks just outside the Parc where us doggies can have a great walk, without having to get there by car.
Nearby there are even more fabulous walks; long and short, depending on the state of your back legs - if yours are anything like mine they are a bit wobbly these days!
Every morning I decide which walk to take my humans on; countryside, coastal paths or the beach? hmmm, where shall we go today?

Of course I have to keep them happy, and that means finding places with great food so they can rest and get their energy back. Honestly, humans can be so slow and wear out very quickly, it is clearly an advantage to have 4 legs like me!
Now any discerning dog will have tasted the food at each eatery to be sure his humans will like it!

I like going to Padstow, fabulous fish & chips and pasties and if your owners park the car in Rock, then you can have the fun of the ferry crossing of the estuary.
Swimming is not for the faint-hearted dog, but it is so refreshing. I'm not sure about those waves though, every time I turn my back they come racing up the beach again!

In the evenings I like nothing more than a good pub dinner and a gentle snooze in the beer garden.
Most of the ones I've found are dog friendly, and I've made lots of new friends as lots of pubs have a resident dog to talk to.
All of them serve delicious food so it is well worth pretending to be hungry all the time!!!

Like my owners I sleep like a log down here; a combination of the quietness and the fresh air I expect and of course, because of the fresh air and the abundant exercise, I am constantly famished.
Mmm, I'm thinking about food again, so I have made sure that my owners leave some treats for you in the lodge.

So if your owner's are planning to take you on holiday for a well-deserved break, then believe me, this is the best place to visit by far. Please come and enjoy.


Woof-woof, Billy



A Lodge for all Seasons

Without doubt summertime in North Devon is a terrific time to visit. The area is alive with the colours and sounds of summer. The countryside is truly stunning, and you can spend hours observing the wildlife, plants and flowers.
The beaches are glorious, and there is an abundance of watersports and activities to try out.
There are some wonderful village pubs to relax in and enjoy a good lunch before you continue exploring this wonderful area.
Not so busy and full of tourist trappings as South Devon, you can always find peace and quiet somewhere in North Devon during the busiest times.

Returning to the Lodge, sit out on the decking to enjoy the summer air along with a glass of wine.
The pine structure ensures the lodge doesn?t get too hot, and open windows and doors to let the breeze through will do the rest.

Spring and autumn are fabulous times to visit also.
The area is relatively free of tourists outside of the main season, kids are at school, and the roads are blessedly empty! The weather is quite even, not too hot or cold, and you can explore countryside and places of interest at your leisure. These seasons are wonderful for walking through Hartland forest.

Treating yourself to a winter break is a must. The colours of summer are replaced with clear, crisp skies, bare branches showing wonderful structures of the trees. Winter air here is lovely, it?s an inspiring and satisfying place to walk and see in the winter months.

Christmas is magical, and if we are lucky enough to have snow, the place is transformed into a wonderland.
The lodge has heaters in every room, keeping it toasty and warm throughout. Enjoy the clear nights, where you can see a wonderful display of stars in the dark sky. Home cooked meals with a nice bottle of wine go down a treat.
Or perhaps make your way to the local pub, for a hearty pub meal sat next to the open fire.
This is what rural country living is all about!




Wining & Dining

There are so many wonderful places providing good food and drink around Hartland Forest, the question is where to start!

The nearest inn is The West Country. Situated on the A39 near the exit road from Hartland Forest, about 5 minutes drive away.
It has a good range of real ales and good pub grub.

The Farmers Arms in Woolsery is about 15 minutes away.

The other side of Woolsery is rather an unusual place for a spot of lunch. The Merry Harriers started life as a simple garden centre, now it boasts The Mad Hatters Restaurant, a farm shop selling locally grown produce, a home furnishings department, and of course the original garden centre.
Enjoy a Devon Cream Tea, or stay for lunch or dinner. Sundays here are also busy, so booking is necessary.

Going slightly further afield now.

The Old Smithy in the village of Welcombe near the coast is a fine old country inn serving excellent food and good beer. It has a sizeable beer garden, dogs are welcome.

The Bush Inn at Morwenstow is about 20-25 minutes drive, but well worth the visit.
Dating back hundreds of years, it was a haven for smugglers in the old days. Serving superb food, with a good range of beers and wines, it is a little more expensive than your standard pub food, but definitely worth it.
It boats a lovely beer garden, dogs are welcome, and they serve wonderful Cornish pasties that both you and your dog will find delicious!!

On the A39 travelling towards Bideford is the Hoops Inn near Clovelly. A traditional Inn and country hotel, this place has been a landmark for as long as anyone can remember.
The restaurant has a sophisticated menu, with a good wine list.
The fish and chips are delicious, there are real ales and dogs are welcome, but restricted to the cosy bar area.

Our favourite is the Bell Inn at Parham.
This is your typical village pub, usually busy, very welcoming and serves great pub grub at sensible prices. They stock real ales from local breweries, and it's best to book if you want to eat in the evening.

The seaside resort of Bude is a great place to visit, with it's own microclimate there is plenty of sunshine. Try The Falcon Inn for good pub food, real ale and dogs welcome. Try the Sunday Lunches, great value. The beer garden overlooks the canal, a super spot to stop, rest and enjoy the sunshine.

On the other side of the canal is The Olive Tree, a good quality, licenced café for light lunches.

The Castle is also worth visiting if you are in Bude. The restaurant is intimate with great views out to sea, it's ideal for a romantic dinner. Sunday Lunch is especially popular.
It's a busy place, so book in advance.

If you prefer to stay in the lodge for dinner and feel too relaxed to cook, there are excellent "chippies" in nearby Woolsery and Kilkhampton. Also in Kilkhampton (20 minutes drive away) is a Chinese Takeaway and a Pizza Parlour. We understand that both of these establishments will deliver to the lodge for you.

We are sure you will find many more wonderful places to eat during your stay here, write your finds in our Eat & Drink Book and the next guests can also enjoy them.

Wherever you decide to eat, you can be sure of a warm Devon welcome, and finish up Well Fed and Watered.
Local Area Information

The nearest village Woolsery which is about 10 minutes drive away. The village has a well stocked store, newsagent, post office and off licence.
The nearest town is Bideford, with Barnstaple not much further.
Given the rural setting, mobile phone signals can be a little erratic but usually a wander around the lodge or onto the decking will get you to a position from which you can make or receive your call.
The site does not have WI-FI access but there are a number of internet cafes within easy striking distance.