We’re celebrating 15 years at Twistgates

15 years ago, on the 15th May 2004, we welcomed our first visitors to Twistgates Farm Cottages. Over the years we’ve made changes, added Apple Loft and the Orchard Guest Suite, seen many guests make return visits, made many friends along the way, prepared hundreds of scones for traditional Devon Cream Teas and grown and picked kilos of strawberries to turn into jam – phew!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few photos to show Then and Now.

The first shows what holidaymakers found at the top of the drive in 2004 – the remains of what was once a pig barn. We are located in the Blackdown Hills, and in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and that meant that we had quite a fight on our hands to get the necessary planning permission but in 2013 work started on the footprint of the old barn to construct a building that had to blend in seamlessly with the existing cottages.

When we took over in 2004 Twistgates Farm Cottages consisted of three self catering holiday homes that had been converted from old stone barns. In their previous lives, when this was a working farm, these had been the dairy, milking parlour and fodder store and the character of those bygone days was retained in the form of wood beams and exposed stonework.

Guests’ expectations had risen so our work was cut out for us and over time night storage heaters were replaced with central heating, new bathrooms and kitchens installed, furniture and fittings upgraded, every external door and window replaced, and each kitchen now includes an essential dishwasher (after all you don’t want to spend your holiday washing up).

 

                      

      

 

 

Our countryside location offers peace and quiet with a varied and rich birdlife that is fascinating to observe, and having outside space to relax in is very important. Each of the cottages already had their own patios however we have enclosed them to offer more privacy and the patio outside Garden Cottage was given a complete make over.

 

 

 

             

 

 

Building the Apple Loft gave us an opportunity to offer something a little different from the cottages so we furnished it with an eclectic mix of vintage finds and contemporary fittings and have created a very romantic space just for two; we had fun putting it all together and the views from the first floor open plan apartment make it very special.

On the lower floor of the building we created the Orchard Room, this is a stand-alone guest suite that can be rented in connection with a booking in any cottage and, as it can be hired on a nightly basis, is ideal if you need an extra bedroom to give relatives or friends a bit of space to themselves or if they can only join you for part of your holiday.

 

 

Come and join us for the next chapter of our story at Twistgates Farm Cottages. To book a holiday or short break click on the BOOK tab and check availability

or give Suzanne a call today on 01404 861173