The Clock House, Devon

Beside one other cottage and disused barns 200 yards from the Victorian house at Lukesland, with its lovely 24 acre garden, is this cottage 1½ miles on the Dartmoor side of Ivybridge. Light and roomy with the stunning surroundings, this is wonderfully peaceful accommodation for relaxing and recharging your energy levels. Head through the stable doors into the hall and from here you will find the cosy sitting room with lofty ceiling and traditional wood burning stove and the efficient kitchen with space for family meals. French windows lead out to your terrace from both these rooms. For anyone who doesn't want to climb the stairs to bed, there is a handy downstairs en suite bedroom, with the other two bedrooms peacefully upstairs. Above the sitting room is a gallery with an optional sofa bed, comfy seating and the gently ticking clock workings after which the cottage is named. Your little terrace is a fine place for a barbecue, or go beyond to explore the woods, lawns and pretty glades around a central stream. For walkers, this is a perfect spot with direct access to the open moorland of Dartmoor and the Two Moors Way footpath which starts in Ivybridge, and the River Erme valley is also very beautiful. City fans will love Plymouth, a vibrant and buzzing place with theatre, cinemas and shops aplenty. For bucket and spade seaside fun, beaches don't come much more lovely than Mothecombe, which has starred in several movies. The Clock House is set in a unique and beautiful garden, yet with all the delights of Dartmoor and the South Hams beyond.