Meet the owners: The Cider Barn – a stylish Devon holiday home
I think pretty much all of us have at some point or other thought to ourselves that it’s time to upsticks and start a new life somewhere else. Overseas, by the sea, in the countryside, wherever as long as it’s somewhere new. That’s what Cat and Gabriel have done by moving to their beautiful farm in Devon where you get the chance to stay at the converted Cider Barn. This time Cat answers a few questions to give you a sense of who they are and why this dog friendly holiday cottage in Devon is a perfect for UK staycation.
Are you Devon born and bred?
No, neither of us are. We previously lived in London, but I’m from Scotland and Gabriel from London. Previously Gabriel was an engineer and I was a gardener but we are currently starting a cut flower business on the farm, growing flowers for bouquets, weddings and events.
What was behind the renovation of The Cider Barn?
We wanted to create a beautiful and comfortable space in the heart of Devon. There aren’t a huge number of holiday rentals in this part of Devon so we wanted to encourage more visitors. This area has not changed much in over 100 years which is part of its charm!
We started the business in May 2022 when we renovated the cottage on the back of our 17th C farmhouse, which was our first project on the farm. Moving to the farm was a huge lifestyle change in itself and now we’d like the Cider Barn to help pay for the upkeep of the main house and hopefully help us finance renovating some of the beautiful old barns on the land. You can follow what we’re up to on the farm on our Instagram feed @the_devonian_farmstead.
What are a couple of the highlights of a stay with you?
We have a fantastic wood fired hot tub, in a private spot in the Cider Barn garden with beautiful views and there’s a lake that can be swum in upon request for our adult guests. We also sell bottled apple juice that we have hand-pressed and bottled in our orchard.
Do you have a favourite pub nearby?
Definitely, The Duck in Yeoford. They are an award winning pub run by wonderful hosts, with the most incredible locally sourced food. Dishes like pollock wrapped in pancetta or roast venison are on the menu – delicious.
What’s one unmissable thing for your guests?
Castle Drogo and Teign Gorge (With Fingle Bridge) are lovely and well worth a visit. The castle is the last castle to be built in the UK, with its stunning stone facades and it’s a very beautiful estate with amazing walks through the gorge below the castle.
What’s the best thing about running your business?
Unquestionably it’s meeting interesting and friendly people from all over and the satisfaction we get from providing people with a lovely place to stay and enjoy their holidays – that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.
