15th Century Thatched Cottage 21st Century Comfort

Vale Cottage is a 550 year old thatched cottage 9 minutes walk to the centre of the picture postcard village of Croyde. It is traditionally built of cob & lime render and is Grade II listed, to recognise and protect its historical significance. The cottage has recently been fully renovated, but in keeping with its age and character. So it now perfectly combines 15th century charm with 21st century comfort & amenity. Croyde has a great selection of pubs and restaurants, all just a stroll away. The space Bedrooms & Bathrooms There are 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms across two floors. There are 4 double beds and 2 single beds. All beds are made up ready for your arrival with high quality linen & towels, which are professionally laundered. Hotel quality hand soap, hand cream and shower gel is provided in all bathrooms. All bedrooms have a 32" smart TV, full length mirror and hairdryer. The Den has a 50" TV with Wii, PlayStation and DVD player. Please note that the minimum trip length is 3 nights and in summer the minimum is 5 nights, which has to be from Thursday to Tuesday. Upstairs - Pipit - Master bedroom. Kingsize bed with ensuite bathroom with rolltop bath and separate shower. Dimpsy - Kingsize bed with ensuite shower room if The Den is unoccupied. Also access via stairs to family bathroom. The Den - Single bed with ensuite shower room. Sofa, 50" TV with Wii, PlayStation & DVD player. The Den doubles as both a single bedroom or a separate living space, to suit your party. Squinches - 1 double bed and 1 single bed. Access via stairs to Family bathroom. Downstairs - Pigsty - Double bed with ensuite shower room. Family bathroom with shower and bath. 2 travel cots are available. Living & Dining space Downstairs you will find a really well equipped kitchen, utility room, dining room, living room and dedicated work from home space. Downstairs has cosy underfloor heating, in addition to standard central heating throughout. Kitchen - Range cooker with 5 ring induction hob, separate microwave/air fryer combi, dishwasher, kettle, toaster, Nespresso machine & ice cream maker. The large fridge, separate freezer and washer/dryer are in the adjoining utility room. There is a stable door at the back of the kitchen leading into the covered & carpeted courtyard, described below. Dining room - Seats 8 comfortably and the table can extend for larger parties with additional chairs. Marshall Bluetooth speaker. Living room - Seats 8 with additional chairs available for larger parties. TV, Marshall Bluetooth speaker and selection of board games. The living room has a very large old brick fireplace, once a bread oven, with an electric log burner effect fire. Work from home space - Large desk with monitor in a quiet corner of the cottage. We have Starlink Wifi and have found it to be fast & reliable. If you have to combine business and pleasure, you have a quiet space to work. All rooms have wonderful original oak beams and, as Vale cottage was originally three cottages, there are different levels and some low thresholds. Mind your head! Outside Space Go through the stable door from the kitchen to the private, covered & carpeted courtyard, where there is a dining table and seating for10, which is a perfect space for al fresco drinks and dining. There is also a separate, bigger garden next to the parking area, an 85 metre walk up the lane. The garden has a lawn and a patio, with a dining table & benches and a large charcoal BBQ. There is also an outside shower and large tub to wash wetsuits, which can then be hung to dry in the carport. Please note that the garden & parking are not attached to the house, but a moments walk away up the lane. Parking The dedicated private parking for the cottage is 80 metres up the lane, beside the garden. There is space to easily park 3 cars, as illustrated in the photograph. There is a car port, so you can park undercover if you wish. This much private parking is a rarity at holiday rentals in Croyde. There is an EV charger in the free car park at Georgeham, which is less than five minutes away. Our insurance specifies that we cannot let guests use the sockets in the carport for EV charging and that they must always remain locked. Guest access Vale Cottage is a 9-minute walk to the centre of the village of Croyde, passing along the way our nearest pub, The Manor, which is 3 minute walk. We fell in love with Croyde's unique combination of surfer chill with olde-worlde thatch and charm - an odd mix, but it works and is great fun! Croyde has two further pubs serving food, three restaurants, a rooftop bar/pizzeria, an ice cream parlour, a fudge shop, a Post Office and general store, some great clothes shops, a local craft market weekly in the Summer and a small skate park year round. Some restaurants are seasonal but most are open all year round. Croyde is nicknamed Devon's Mini Maui, as it is famous for its world class surfing beach, which is life guarded most of the year. There are plenty of surf shops to buy or rent equipment and plenty of surf schools if you want to learn. As well as surfing, both paddle boarding and coasteering are growing in popularity and there are plenty of places that you can learn and take part in both. Walkers are in for a treat, with direct access to the South West Coast path and never ending sea views when you get up to the top. You can walk to three separate - and all stunning - beaches in less than half an hour from the door. For runners, the nearest 5km Park Run is Woolacombe Dunes, which includes an exhilarating 1km beside the waves - it is one of the most beautiful (and toughest) Park Runs in the UK. If you like cycling, check out the Tarka Trail along the river and to the beaches. There are plenty of places to hire bikes, even electric ones. Saunton Golf Course is a 10 minute drive away. They offer two challenging links courses and welcome guests, with green fees of £130 summer, £80 winter and £65 with a county card. We love Vale Cottage and this wonderful part of North Devon and hope you will love it too. Other things to note Out of peak season, you can book just two bedrooms- both ensuite - and enjoy a cheaper rate. You still get exclusive use of all the living space, we simply close off the other bedrooms. Please enquire about prices for this out of season option. The cleaning fee includes good quality, professionally-laundered bed & bath linen, but please bring your own beach and dog towels. We do not accept bookings of less than three nights. In July & August, the minimum booking is five nights and at Christmas & New Year the minimum is four nights. We do not accept any party or event bookings.