What a joy it was to have Bryan and Janet Deacon to stay at Orchard Barn B&B………they booked in several months ahead ostensibly to come and see if they could find some Devon Dippers!!

Well to our absolute delight they not only managed to see several on a variety of different days and locations nearby but also managed to prove it too!!

Er tizz…………….as they say down in these parts!!!

It’s wonderful to note that guests are booking in to come and see both the ‘Dippers’ flying about and hunting on the River Teign with their distinct gizz and bob as they watch and wait for their next meal to float/swim/crawl past ……………..and others who’ve planned a variety of  walks along the river bank to see the marvel of Daffs, a short stemmed local variety with a charm of their own.

Spring Daffs on the

Edge of Dunsford’s famous stepping Stones across the River Teign

Ian’s favourite Fergie T20 Tractor used for Cider Pressing and other essential jobs around the place!!!

Lesley has helped me launch into the world of Trip Advisor promotion to assist Orchard Barn in both the Exeter and Dartmoor fields of e-finding me!!

It’s an exciting time as we’ve already had 5 or 6 enquiries since we started……..so it bodes well for our ‘Get Away’ ourselves plan!! Fingers Crossed.

And the Daffs are starting to come out again………………..it’s pure magic!!!!

As Lesley’s son Jamie is a boarder at Mount House School in Tavistock we find ourselves regularly driving passed The Warren House Inn on Dartmoor about halfway between home and school. It’s reputed to have an open log fire which has never been out since the pub opened in 1835 (but I know 2 highly spirited now also former Royal Marines who decided to extinguish it for a laugh some 30 odd years ago and served 2 weeks in Jankers shortly afterwards for their efforts!!!!) – but anyway it serves excellent Real Ales as you would expect, Dartmmor Bitter and Jail Ale from the nearby Princetown brewery…………..just what’s needed!!!

Awaiting opening time at The Warren House Inn

Just a bit further on at Two Bridges is another wonderful ‘Watering Hole’ this time an old coaching house and still a hotel known as The Two Bridges Hotel…again good real ales and another lovely fire (no known RM extinguishers here mind!!!) – makes going to school sound like fun for a change!!

Two Bridges Hotel

Wow – the Two Bridges Hotel former access bridge at dusk – quite magnificent

Dartmoor Bed and Breakfast…………..welcome to the West Country, God’s Country as some would have it, but I’m sure we can all say that about our home county with pride. However in Devon we really can and many do mean it…….and the heart of Devon is Dartmoor and its beauty, its tranquility, its rugid topographic  variety mixed with a breathtakingly awesome soul.

Running a Bed and Breakfast business inside the Dartmoor National Park is a real joy……….and indeed a privilege. I’m fortunate enough to be able to welcome people to stay in my home and to happily give and suggest to them any number of facinating places to visit, to walk, to fish, or to play a range of sports, point them in the direction of numerous wonderful pubs and restaurants and lots of marvellous National Trust Properties all on our doorstep.

I’m very privileged indeed…………so much so that in addition to trying to promote Orchard Barn as a magic place to come and stay ………….I can also promote Dartmoor and all its glory with genuine ease and true emphasis.

The Dartmoor National Park authority looks after the best interests of  our national treasure………….in turn, The Dartmoor Partnership of which I and a number of other local business and property letting owners share as members mutuality in joining the corporate collective, have a vested interest. As such we all share in promoting and welcoming visitors from all over the World to come and visit Dartmoor and to stay and enjoy its many pleasures.

As a Bed and Breakfast Dartmoor business therefore I welcome you and your friends and family to take a look at my web (and others of course) and see for yourselves what’s on offer………….if you then book in and come and stay I promise you you wont be disappointed.

So take a look at orchardbarn(dot info)  on the web and see for yourself.

Cheers………..Ian and Lesley