LOCATION

Overview of location - Up a track off a country lane the Rose Barn Devon is between moorland and sea. Although it feels like you are in a secluded spot, you are actually near many amenities, only a few miles from the thriving bohemian medieval market town of Totnes (dubbed the most eccentric town in Britain) and also Ashburton in the other direction, known for antique shops. Surrounded by Riverford organic farm land and rolling hills, you can walk easily to both Ben's Farm Shop for fresh foodshop, cafe and coffee, and the other way to Riverford Field Kitchen restaurant (pre booking essential). You can also walk to river swimming spots, the pubs of Landscove or Staverton, as well as Dartington estate where there are cafes, events and arts cinema or Dartington village itself, where there are many facilities from the somewhere sauna to a music venue and food outlets. A 30-40 minute drive, and you can find glorious wild south coastal beaches of white sand, sea and surf with surf schools, or in the other direction you can explore Tors and Standing Circles of Dartmoor along with Hembury Castle and Buckfast Abbey.

HOW TO GET THERE

The Rose Barn is in between Totnes and Ashburton in a private location, you will be sent exact location details upon booking or viewing enquires.

You can walk from Staverton Steam railway, and get a taxi or cycle from Totnes station (well connected railway), see below for further walkable locations.

For those of you driving, the rose barn is away from the country road and off a small green private lane. The driveway is shared with the owners and there is space for 5 cars with no parking on road nearby.

You need to know that for more than 5 cars coming for retreats or workshops, it is necessary to organise lift sharing. There is easy day short time parking for extra cars nearby (5 min drive) to then get lift up to the barn. We see this as a positive in that it is pretty easy to arrange & can even make short daytime classes feel like an occasion and bring connection

WALKING & EASY CYCLING DISTANCE

Staverton steam railway is a 10-15 min walk along a country lane, where you can catch a steam train into Totnes, or it is an easy cycle to Totnes or taxi to train station which is well connected https://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/
Staverton Playing Fields & Tennis Court, 15 minute walk away, pre booking essential, bring rackets and balls https://www.staverton.org/history/
River Dart walk and swim spots, cross the playing fields the the gate to the river is behind the tennis courts (woods closed on sundays). Then walk along the river to Staverton village where there is the church & the Sea Trout pub
Walk along bridal pathways to Ben's Farm shop, deli and cafe 20 - 25 minute walk or 5 min drive https://bensfarmshop.co.uk/
Walk to Riverford Field Kitchen Restaurant booking essential, 15-20 minute walk or 5 min drive https://fieldkitchen.riverford.co.uk/
Walk to the foodie pub Live and Let Live in Landscove https://liveandletlivepub.com/ and the village also has Hill House Plant Nursery and Cafe https://hillhousenursery.com/
Cross over Staverton bridge and walk 40 mins through the woods along the other side of the river to Dartington Hall Estate, where there are 2 cafes and a thriving barn cinema as well as a literary festival, a music festival and many other events. https://www.dartington.org/
Aside from the cinema and arts and culture programmes at Dartington Hall, there is also Dartington village itself which is also a walk away has many facilities from gift shops to restaurants & cafes, a pizza take away place, a music venue, mobile vegan wrap street food vendor and excellent garage with the good food shop selling organic produce, home made take out curries and raw chocolate https://thingshappenhere.co.uk/
Book The Somewhere Sauna https://www.thesomewheresauna.com/dartington (also at mothercombe beach a drive away)
And many other circular walks around.

AN EASY CAR RIDE AWAY

Totnes thriving market town 8 miles - visit Totnes castle, hang out in the vibrant market on a Friday and Saturday form 10-3 with fresh fruit & veg, many treasures to shop, buskers & delicious street food from Persian falafels to Sri Lankan dosas, I recommend the Dosas by Kumar. Totnes boasts Italian & vegan restaurants and cafes, health food stores, lifestyle boutiques, crystal shops and street music. Grab coffee at the Curator. The Hairy Barista is another fave. The Bull Inn https://www.bullinntotnes.co.uk/ for organic, locally sourced & seasonal food, best to book or walk ins seated outside in square in summer. Tamarind Tree for Indian Street food style. Live music at the Barrel House, the home of live music in South Devon & a great pub. Totnes cinema has an old speak-easy aesthetic, playing a range of films from current blockbusters to indie. They also do live music here and good coffee. (the major supermarket is Morrisons, but there are lots of organic fruit & veg shops).
Ashburton and its array of antique shops is 10 miles, 15 mins or so by car. Find here the locally renowned Rafikis veggie café-bar-restaurant for https://rafikis.co.uk/ or Osteria Emilias renowned Italian https://www.emiliaashburton.co.uk/
South Devon is packed full of beautiful towns and villages with Pubs and Fish Eaterys, along the River Dart estuary from Totnes leading all the way to Dartmouth which itself is a lovely town to visit, with many walks, and you can also catch a boat up the estuary. There are local companies offering canoe day and night time adventures - examples include organised night time canoe trips, the River Dart country park or Agatha Christie's country home or Sharpham Estate
Dartmoor is just twenty minutes or so away (depending on where you go) you will find yourself with access to the many tors, more wild swimming spots and standing stones.
Hembury Woods & ancient castle is a 15-minute drive which I highly recommend, great for wild swimming.
The wild beaches of the south coast from East Prawl, Mothercombe (where you will also find the somewhere sauna and restaurant), Bantham and Gara Rock are all recommended as easy day trips and are around 40-60 minutes. Bantham has a Surf School and delicious mobile food vans, Gara Rock has a restaurant up form the wild beach. Or you can go to the more built up beaches that are closer by such as Blackpool Sands or Torquay resorts.