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| Photo courtesy of Jacob Spinks |
One of the most well-known and tempting features of the West Country is its edible produce. Eggs, pies, pasties, cider and cheese are just a few of the foodstuffs that are freshly made around the region and if you head down to Darts Farm Shop, you will find a collection of the best seasonal products sourced from local growers…
Based in Exeter, the shop has been open for nearly 40 years and recently won the accolade of ‘Best Farm Shop in the UK.’ This honour is extremely well-deserved with the shop entirely dedicated to stocking food which has been grown, reared, baked or caught locally. As a working farm, baker, deli, cider marker and lifestyle shop, Darts Farm offers an all-encompassing authentic local experience. With pick-your-own fruit and vegetables, fishing ponds, a number of animals and a Maize maze, this is a great family attraction. It is also a lovely place to simply have a stroll among the West Country landscapes and crop fields.
Fruit and vegetables are collected daily from the surrounding fields to be sold in the shop or used in dishes at the on-site restaurant. As another purveyor of fine foods, the restaurant’s menu includes traditional favourites such as Devon sausage and mash, home cooked casseroles and Devonshire cream teas. There is also a selection of local ale and cider.
The site is also home to the magnificent Food Hall, which brings together produce from the best local suppliers and specialist artisan retailers. The award-winning range of luxury includes many homemade products, the caliber of which reflects the care and passion that has gone into their creation.
The on-site master butcher sells entirely traceable meat, and also have their own herd of native Devonshire cattle, slow-reared to produce the highest quality beef. Elsewhere, the Fish Shed produces delicious fish and chips with all fish caught and landed within 12 hours of serving.
The Darts Farm Shop is based in the old town of Topsham within easy reach of many of our cottages. We have a two-bedroom apartment in the town close to the antiques shops, pubs riverside walks, cycle routes and boat trips, as well as birdwatching at the RSPB reserve. The spacious, second-floor property includes a comfortable living area and compact kitchen with lovely countryside views.
Just nine kilometers outside Topsham in the red-stone hamlet of Poltimore, you will find our gorgeous three-bedroom property, Mallard Cottage, which set in the private grounds of an organic farm. Just ten minutes from Exeter, this cottage boasts a peaceful location and bright, fresh ambience. Sleeping six, this welcoming home includes communal gardens with trampolines, slides, swings, climbing frame, picnic table and barbecue, as well as a games barn with a small pool table and darts board. The smart interiors include stripped flooring, original stable doors and spiral staircases.
Another great property local to Darts Farm is our charming two-bed ‘upside down cottage’ in the pretty village of Lympstone. Sleeping four, the property is situated on a cobblestone street and features a balcony with views of the estuary and Powderham Castle in the distance. The picturesque surrounding area takes in local pubs, shops and shingle beaches, as well as the Exe estuary - the ideal spot for windsurfers.
