Are you ready to have the best family holiday ever?
South Coombe Country Cottages is a perfect place for a child friendly holiday. Located in a peaceful and safe location in the beautiful Devon countryside, we provide luxury self-catering cottages and great facilities for your children.
We also provide lots of baby equipment, not just the standard travel cots and high chairs! We have baby bouncers, baby Bumbos, baby baths, sink steps and much more. We can also offer a babysitting service (all babysitters have DBS certificates) by prior arrangement.
You can enjoy all of our facilities at no extra charge! There is a 10m x 5m indoor heated swimming pool at a constant depth of 1.2 metres, a colourful toddler tumble room and an outside play area with swings, climbing frames and a slide. Just follow the grassy paths through the orchard!
Your children’s bedrooms have blackout blinds, which combined with fresh country air should encourage a good nights sleep! We can also provide night-lights if anyone is afraid of the dark.
In the cottages we provide plastic cutlery and colourful tableware for our younger guests.
Discover and explore great attractions that are situated within easy reach of South Coombe Country Cottages. We have listened to our guests over the years and here are their top 10 places to visit.
Jonquil and Chris look forward to seeing you soon.
Top 10 places to visit
Quince Honey Farm
This is great place to visit come rain or shine. Located just 20 minutes away in the charming market town of South Molton. (Market days are Saturday and Thursday mornings).
The main attraction for the younger children is the large indoor play area with scramble nets, soft play and slides. Throughout the year there is honey tasting, bee demonstrations, talks and the opportunity to roll your own wax candle.
The café serves a great range of hot and cold drinks plus homemade cakes.
Outside you will find a fun packed outdoor play area and picnic area.
Quince Honey Farm >
Devon Railway Centre
A wonderful attraction for toddlers and the under 5’s. Devon Railway Centre is a popular Devon tourist attraction, which offers a unique railway experience and boasts a host of attractions in one location. The miniature railways give unlimited train rides around the centre and opportunities for you to become involved! Children can clip the tickets and wave the flag to start the trains.
The Indoor Play Coaches provide hours of fun whatever the weather. Children can enjoy spending time in the ball pool and large indoor sand pit or playing with the wooden railways.
Located just outside Tiverton and just a 25-minute drive from South Coombe.
Devon Railway Centre >
Knightshayes House and Gardens
This lovely National Trust property is just 20 minutes from South Coombe. The large gothic house is surrounded by acres of parkland and gardens for you and your family to explore. Buggy friendly paths and tracks will take you from the car park to the house, shop and restaurant and there’s even a miniature tram if you prefer not to walk.
Look out for Impey woods and the Four Oaks children’s activity area.
Also, not to be missed, the children’s play area near the kitchen garden.
Baby changing facilities and high chairs are available in the café/restaurant.
Dogs are also welcome in the grounds and in the outside seating area of the restaurant.
Knightshayes >
Exmoor Zoo
Set in the beautiful North Devon Countryside this family run zoo lets you get up close and personal with some of the animals. There is a daily timetable, which includes talks, feeding and petting some of the animals. Watch out for the Exmoor Beast!
The zoo playground is also free to anyone who visits. The playground is close to a covered eating area, a picnic area and snack shack.
Exmoor Zoo >
Woolacombe Beach
Woolacombe is one of Devon’s best loved beaches. A golden sandy beach, (several miles long), located in the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is renowned for it’s cleanliness, water quality and facilities. Lifeguards ensure safe family swimming during the summer. An ideal place for beach games, dunes for hide and seek, and rock pools for marine life.
Woolacombe itself is a lively village with great pubs and restaurants.
Access is easy and three large car parks are available with space for 3000 cars, including disabled parking. In the immediate vicinity there are toilets with disabled access and baby changing facilities.
Woolacombe Tourism >
Tarka Trail Cycle Hire
The Tarka Trail is named after Henry Williamson’s famous novel, “Tarka The Otter”. The story is based around many of the locations along the disused railway line between Braunton and Meeth.
You can hire bikes and trailers for babies/toddlers in Barnstaple (next to the railway station). There are over 130 models to choose from so everyone is catered for.
Once you have your bikes you can enjoy up to 21 miles of safe, level and traffic free cycling fun. There are opportunities for picnics and refreshments on the trail.
Tarka Bikes >
The National Marine Aquarium
On the harbour side at Plymouth is the nation’s largest aquarium. The big draw is the Atlantic Ocean tank (the deepest in the United Kingdom), which is home to several species of sharks and rays. Equally captivating are the jellyfish and the displays of local marine life. There are exciting talks and shows throughout the day that are designed to be fun and give more information about the fascinating animals.
The Aquarium runs ‘Toddler Tuesday’ sessions throughout the school term for children 2-4years. Sessions change weekly and include activities such as puppet shows, stories and possibly a meeting with the friendly mermaid Marina!
National Marine Aquarium >
The Milky Way
This is a fantastic all weather attraction located in North Devon. For parents with little children, head straight for ‘Little Stars’. Little Stars is a play centre specifically designed for babies and young children (0- 6yrs). It has a multi level soft play area, a sensory room for babies, a dressing up area and even a pretend car wash! Of course there are slides, a ball pool, soft bricks and tunnels to explore. Parents are not forgotten and you can enjoy a coffee and cake overlooking the lake.
The Milky Way >
The Grand Western Canal and Country Park, Tiverton
The canal is a wonderfully relaxing place to enjoy a flat and easy walk in the Devon Countryside. The Canal Basin is well signposted and provides ample car parking, a visitor centre, gift shop and toilets. This is also the home of the much loved horse drawn barge, which takes passengers for trips along the canal.The towpath is great for buggies, children on trikes or scooters. Dogs are also welcome but must be kept under control. After your walk you may be tempted to stop for a Devon cream tea at The Canal Tearooms or The Ducks Ditty Floating Café Bar.
Grand Western Canal >
The Big Sheep
This is great family attraction and fun for all the family. The big attraction here for toddlers and the younger children is the Ewetopia Indoor Playground. There is a safe and secure soft play area for toddlers away from the hustle and bustle of the older children. Within the indoor play area you will find Bo Peeps café serving hot and cold refreshments. There are lots of other attractions to keep you entertained such as The Eweston Train Ride around the lake, vintage pony carousel, duck racing trails and much much more!
The Big Sheep >
See also: Things to do in Devon.
