Philham Water Cottage; a fairytale hideaway

In an area of outstanding natural beauty, near the coast and beside a stream, this cottage sits in its own secluded vale, less than 2 miles from Hartland's shops and 3 pubs. A very special, tiny C16cottage, rumoured to be the oldest of its type in Devon - a charming getaway for honeymooners, hikers, writers and holiday-makers. One bedroom. Low ceilings & doorways, thick walls, uneven pathways. Updated for comfort & convenience yet rustic. Summer visits must start/end on a Friday or Monday. The space The front door leads into the living room with a fireplace at one end that holds a wood-burning stove. Two windows overlook the front garden; another faces the stream that flows next to the cottage. There is comfortable seating around a coffee table, including a sofa that transforms into a sofa-bed if required. There is a table with chairs for dining as well as a smaller table and chair under the roadside window that serves well as a computer desk. A bureau next to the door, a side-table and a large bookcase (holding books, dvds, games, maps & a first-aid kit) make up the rest of the furniture, along with a standard lamp and two table lamps. From the living room a step down leads to a hallway and double doors to the fully-equipped kitchen, another door to the recently refurbished bathroom (toilet, basin, bath and overhead shower), and stairs leading up to a small landing (with hanging rail, clothes basket and ironing-board) and the entrance to the bedroom. In the bedroom, the double bed has bedside tables and reading lights. A wooden chest holds bedding for the sofa-bed. Another low piece of furniture holds a cd player with bluetooth capability. Two chairs, a chest of drawers, mirrors, a bookcase and an easy chair make up the rest of the furniture. The corner closet contains the hot-water boiler and extra bedding. The window opposite the bed looks out over the front lawn and the stream. Guest access Full access to the cottage, large garden and parking area. Other things to note Please note that the ancient nature of this property means you will encounter low doorways and ceiling beams, a step down between the Living Room and the entrance to the kitchen. While the bedroom is upstairs, the bathroom is downstairs. The stone paths around the cottage are uneven and can get slippery in wet weather. Driving: when pulling over on narrow lanes, beware of the deep ditches that may be hidden by vegetation. Therefore use the lay-bys provided at regular intervals, even though this may sometimes entail reversing. Although the cottage has wifi, there is no phone in the cottage and – as the cottage is in a valley – you may have to drive a quarter of a mile up the road and out of the valley (towards Stoke) to make or receive a call. Some mobile networks (i.e Three ) are able to use the cottage wifi to connect and make calls. On account of fire-risk, candles are not permitted inside the cottage. Lost Property: In most cases, the housekeeper will agree to return mislaid guest property via Royal Mail for the cost of postage & packing, plus a £20 fee. Please do not feed any horses that may be in the meadow on the far side of the stream.