Introduction
Bussells Farm has 7 self-catering cottages set in 30 acres of farmland in the Exe Valley, mid Devon. It is located 4½ miles outside of Exeter, 1 mile off the A396 Exeter/Tiverton road. Our Ordnance Survey map reference is 295031,98639
Pre-arrival
Directions to Bussells Farm are given on our website (www.bussellsfarm.co.uk) and in our brochure which is generally sent to visitors prior to their arrival. It is recommended that you have a car when staying at Bussells or make use of taxis.
The nearest village is Stoke Canon (1 mile) which is reached via a flat country lane with no street lighting or pavements
Buses : the nearest bus stop is 1 mile away in Stoke Canon. The no 55 bus runs between Exeter and Tiverton and passes through Stoke Canon – buses run every 30 minutes during the day and less frequently in the evening. There are buses to many locations around Devon and neighbouring counties departing from Exeter bus station
Trains : the nearest train station is Exeter St Davids approx 4 miles away. If arriving by train it is advisable to take a taxi from the station to Bussells Farm.
Airport : Exeter airport is a 20 minute drive away
Arrival and Car Parking Facilities
Arrival time is from 3.00pm unless by special arrangement. We are generally available to greet guests on their arrival and take them to their cottage. If for any reason we are unable to be present, we will ensure instructions are available for key collection.
There is plenty of car parking space approximately 50 metres from the cottages. The area is level although the surface is uneven in places. The cottages are accessed through a gate and down a gentle slope. Once through the gate the surface is gravel and there are paving stones immediately outside each cottage. For unloading purposes and for anyone with mobility difficulties it is possible to drive the car up to the front door of each cottage (5-10 metres away from Willow and Cherry cottages respectively)
Main Entrance and Reception
The office is located between the car-park and the cottages and is attached to the owner’s private residence. On arrival please ring the office doorbell. Each cottage has its own front door. We have plenty of ‘What to do’ information leaflets available as well as maps of the local area
Communal Areas/Facilities
External
There are 2 connected large lawn areas which are fenced off from the fishing lakes, swimming pool, car-park and driveway. The lawns are predominantly flat and can be accessed directly from the back of each cottage
The children’s adventure playground is located on the top lawn
The outdoor heated swimming pool is located next to Mallard cottage on the edge of the bottom lawn. There is a small step up to the pool and a self-closing gate. The pool is fenced in. It is 30ft by 18ft. The depth ranges from 3ft 6ins to 4ft 6ins. The pool is open from May to September
There are 2 ½ acres of coarse fishing lakes within 10 metres of the cottages. They are approached across the bottom lawn through a gate. It is possible to drive to and park by one of the lakes. There are rough pathways around the lakes. Fishing bait can be stored in a fridge provided for this purpose in the court-yard shed
There are no toilet facilities (other than those provided in the cottages) on the site or by the lakes
You can bring your own bicycles which can be stored in our garages. It is advisable to bring your own lock
Garden chairs, sun-shades, BBQs and a range of outdoor games (croquet, badminton, boules, giant chess) are available for your use. These are stored in the court-yard shed
A small plastic slide and climbing structure for small children is available on the lawn and these can be placed close to your own cottage as required
Internal
Large games room equipped with table tennis, table football, pool and pinball machine. This is located above the office and is reached via a staircase (14 stairs). It is open 24 hours a day
Laundry
This is located in the courtyard next to the office. There are 2 steep steps up to the room. There are 2 washing machines and 1 tumble dryer. The machines are operated using a token which can be purchased at the office (£2 per wash/dry). Washing powder is not provided
Dogs
You are welcome to bring your own dog by prior arrangement. Owners are requested to keep their dogs under control at all times and to clean up after them. There is plenty of space both on the farm and in the local area for dog walking. Please be aware that there are often sheep and cattle in the surrounding fields and care must be taken not to allow your dog to interfere with these animals
Individual Cottages
5 of the cottages (Mallard, Heron, Kingfisher, Teal and Swan) are joined to each other forming a terrace and overlook the fishing lakes. 2 of the cottages (Willow and Cherry) are semi-detached and overlook the lawn and the adventure playground at the far end of the lawn. There is a communal courtyard area between the two blocks of cottages. Willow and Cherry are in a slightly elevated position and are approached from the courtyard by 3 steps or via an alternative access point avoiding the steps.
General layout
Each cottage has its own front door and small hallway. The sitting room, kitchen and stairway lead off each hallway. The nature of the front door frame necessitates that you step over a small raised threshold to go through the door
The sitting rooms are a reasonable size for the number of people accommodated in each cottage. They have a 3-piece suite, remote control TV and freeview box, a selection of books and information leaflets. A DVD player can be provided on request. Sliding glass doors open onto a patio area and the communal lawn. (Willow cottage has a single door)
The kitchen/dining areas are equipped with:
Separate fridge and freezer (free standing)
Slimline dishwasher
Built-in double oven (electric)
Built-in hob (electric) on the work surface
Micro-wave on work surface
Crockery and glassware in eye-level cupboards
Cooking utensils in floor-level cupboards
Dining table and chairs
There is a door from the kitchen leading out to the patio area
Kingfisher cottage has a downstairs cloakroom/toilet leading off from the hallway
There are no steps within the cottage on the ground floor
The stairway is straight with 12 steps and a handrail on the right-hand side. Steps are 7“ high and the tread is 9“ deep
The bedrooms and bathroom lead off the landing. There are no steps upstairs
Each bedroom has a bed or beds (single, kingsize or full-sized bunk-bed), built-in wardrobe, built-in dressing table and bedside tables. Bedside lighting can be operated from bed. One hairdryer is provided in each cottage
The bathroom has a standard bath with an electric shower over the bath at head height and a low-level WC
Kingfisher cottage has an en-suite toilet and walk-in shower in addition to the family bathroom
Mobile phone signals are available on the farm but not always within the cottage. There is internet access via WiFi in some of the cottages where this is unavailable visitors may use the owners’ pc for limited periods on request
Emergency and General information
An information pack is provided in each cottage giving details about fire safety procedures, the local GP, dentist, vet, travel information, local shops and supermarkets, tourist information etc. A copy of the information pack and full cottage inventory can be made available to visitors prior to arrival if required
In an emergency Lucy or Andrew Hines should be contacted either in person in the farmhouse or by phone
01392 841238 (landline)
07802 435934 (Andrew’s mobile)
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