A Chagword in your ear…

Click here to read the Chagword brochure

We are delighted to be the main sponsor of Chagword literary festival. Held right in our very own backyard – the pretty little town of Chagford – this inaugural weekend-long event has attracted a tremendous line up of the good and the famous from various areas of the world of books and writing.

Some very dedicated and imaginative organisers, plus Dartmoor’s rich literary heritage, have attracted an eclectic mix of literary talent – with authors ranging from bestsellers (Sydney-born Kathy Lette and historical novelist Kate Mosse) to literary heavyweights (novelist, critic, blogger and stand-up comedian A.L. Kennedy), from academics and broadcasters (Jonathan Dimbleby) to popular children’s authors (Philip Reeve).

Completing the line up are former Labour MP Chris Mullin, gothic comedy writer Malcolm Pryce, Austen and Waugh specialist Paula Byrne, picture book writer and illustrator Simon James, poet and nature writer Miriam Darlington and a musical slant will be offered by Neil Sorrell.

Clearly the programme offers an event for every literary taste. The festival runs from 15-17th March 2013, and full details of the event programme, timings, presenters and tickets can be found at http://www.chagword.com, or follow @Chagword on Twitter.

There’s still time to book a cottage nearby – use the Advanced Search function on our website to see all of our cottages available. And of course you can always call us for human help on 01647 433593.

It’s all happening in Chagford!

Chagstock

The Fun Lovin’ Criminals and KT Tunstall are on their way to Devon and you can join them!

They are playing the Chagstock Festival – the ‘biggest little festival in the South West’, in aid of Devon Air Ambulance Trust and Water Aid.

The event takes place just outside the pretty Dartmoor town of Chagford – our home town – and originated as a private party for around one hundred people, back in 2003. The two-day festival takes place 20th and 21st July and there are a few tickets left if you want to head along.

Take your pick of Dartmoor cottages available the week of the festival.

Chagford Show

Devon Air Ambulance is also supported by a more traditional Chagford event: Chagford Show. Taking place on 16th August, this is an opportunity to see the area’s farming industry take centre stage. Livestock, produce and equestrian displays make for a grand day out in the Devon countryside.

Take your pick of Dartmoor cottages available the week of the show.

Indulge your guilty holiday pleasure: sit back and soak up West Country views…

Stopping to smell the roses is a big part of the West Country holiday culture. If gazing idly at a glorious view is your guilty pleasure, take a look at this selection of holiday homes.

Sandsgate, three miles from Chagford in Devon, is a magnificent detached house with superb sweeping views across the river Teign valley to Chagford, the National Trust’s Castle Drogo and the moors beyond. It has just been beautifully refurbished and extended, so you can enjoy it as one family or with a larger group of family and friends. The quarter-of-a-mile driveway approaching the house, set in 18 acres of gardens and woodland, makes the perfect start for a special gathering.

Apartment16 is just 20 yards from the beach at Bigbury-on-Sea, South Hams - a perfect vantage point from which to enjoy the shifting panorama. The tide below the first floor apartment will creep in, giving waterside views to Burgh Island, and drift out again, revealing a huge expanse of smooth washed yellow sand. The island's jolly pub, The Pilchard, is fun to visit, whether you walk across the beach or take the long-legged sea tractor at high tide. Visitors can also enjoy the leisure club, including a smart bar and kidney-shaped pool.

Salcombe is one of the most beautifully sited small towns in Britain. It sits at the mouth of the Kingsbridge estuary, where the spacious Underbecks is perched, looking out over bobbing yachts and South Sands’ golden beach. The loungers on the enclosed terrace are in an ideal spot for taking in the sensational views upstream to Salcombe itself. When it’s time to go and explore, boats can be hired locally and the National Trust’s Overbecks is less than half a mile away.

For a real taste of West Country history, head to the once famous Elizabethan port and beautifully kept old town of Dartmouth. At Last is a Grade II listed town house with views over the river Dart to Kingswear and situated just above Bayards Cove – the oldest part of Dartmouth's harbour with cobbled quayside.

For more outstanding vantage points, take a look at our holiday cottages with sea views and holiday cottageswith country views in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. 

Space to play: holiday homes with pools, gardens and more

Whether you’re six years old or 66, holiday time is synonymous with play time. Take a look at a selection of our holiday cottages with leisure activities built in.

Weddicott Barn in the pretty Devonshire town of Chagford is the ideal holiday home if you’re taking the whole brood away for a break. Spacious and beautifully converted, it includes an indoor pool and a large enclosed garden with lawn, gas barbecue, badminton and table tennis. With two double rooms, one twin and one family, a group of ten can happily rest and play here. Visitors are also welcome to enjoy the 70 acres of Dartmoor farm.

If you can tear yourselves away from the stunning outdoor swimming pool, Rashleighayes Farm near Tiverton in Devon is the perfect venue for music and film enthusiasts. The contemporary cinema room is home to a 10’ home-cinema screen with digital projector, Sky and a DVD player, a baby grand piano and half-sized snooker table. Set on a 150 acre working farm in a thatched village, it could easily provide inspiration for budding directors and musicians.

The sun terrace at Park Farmhouse must have been made with the view in mind. The lush green garden enjoys the rolling hills of Chideock and the surrounding Dorset countryside as a lovely backdrop. The large, detached, Grade II listed farmhouse also has an indoor pool and games room, offering a respite from the suntrap garden.

For more ideas, take a look at our hand-picked holiday homes in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. 

Holiday cottages in Chagford - our home town!

We’re lucky and proud to work in the bustling, friendly town of Chagford. Helpful Holidays has been based here since 1999, and we’ve lots of lovely holiday homes in and around the town for you to enjoy.

Chagford has a vibrant local community, an easy-going way of life and a picturesque setting on the edge of Dartmoor. Around the pretty square and 'pepper pot' market house, the town has more than 25 shops, four pubs, three restaurants and three churches - one of which dates back to the 15th century.

The town also has a fantastically fresh open air swimming pool (open daily from May to September), the largest in Devon. Nearby is the river Teign (good for fishing), which hurries through woods and meadows below Castle Drogo (a grand National Trust property). The whole area offers excellent walking and superb views. If you're around in July, Chagstock is a rather special ‘chill-out’ music festival and if you're around in August, the Chagford Show is a local phenomenon - a great day out for the whole family, showcasing the very best of Chagford and the surrounding area.

On the moorland side of Chagford, almost 1½ miles from the square and high on a hill with the most terrific views towards Meldon Hill and the surrounding moor, is Down Cottage. This recently and carefully refurbished granite cottage is part of a magnificent estate built in 1911 for the Jameson whisky family. The cottage has been renovated with sensitivity and style, with muted tones and beautiful furniture. A highlight is the spacious kitchen, with those fabulous views – perfect for lazy breakfasts. This is a really exceptional moorland cottage, in the most elegant setting. Sleeps 6.

Just 2 miles from Chagford in a very peaceful setting with lovely views is Yelfords Cottage, a superbly renovated, detached cottage with its own enclosed garden, within the 15 acre grounds of the owner’s country house and hidden by a high screen of rhododendrons. From inside the cottage there are plenty of lovely views of Meldon Hill. With open moorland within walking distance, this is a walker's dream - there are many lovely walks straight from the cottage. Sleeps 4. 

Why not take the time to browse our holiday cottages in Chagford - we guarantee you'll be tempted!

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