Bed and Breakfast at Holbeton, near Plymouth

The Ivy Barn is nestled in beautiful South Hams, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Ideal en-suite B&B holiday accommodation near Dartmoor, also close to the South West Coast Path www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/
With beaches around every corner of South Devon there is lots to explore and enjoy.
Mothecombe beach is situated approximately 2 miles from The Ivy Barn. It is suitable for swimming and surfing. Dogs are only allowed on the beach between October and March. There is a car park and the beach is accessed via a wooded path.

Coastguards Beach is down a paved path from the same car park as Mothecombe Beach. It is an ideal place to kayak and paddle board. Dogs are allowed all year round on this beach and the beach is a fantastic place to take your dog at Low tide. Between High Tides you can walk between the two beaches among the rock pools.

We display the Low Tide times for these beaches in the Breakfast room each morning.

The Famous School House Restaurant sits in the car park for the beaches.

Bantham Beach is approximately 9 miles away and is a large flat sandy beach ideal for surfing, good rocks for rock pooling, sand dunes and a large car park. Dogs are not allowed on the main beach from 1st May to 30th September.

Bigbury on Sea is 10 miles away where you can visit Burgh Island either walking over the sand at low tide or taking the Sea tractor when the tide is in.

Holbeton village and the surrounding area and beaches were settings for the films Sense and Sensibility, Rebecca, International Velvet and more recently My Cousin Rachel and the series Hornblower and the BBC TV series The Coroner. f you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us on 01752 830484 and speak to Nicky and Rik or email us on [email protected]

The Ivy Barn is situated in a delightful unspoilt area and is an ideal spot for nature lovers.
The nearby South West Coastal Path offers fantastic sea views and is much loved by walkers, bird watchers, artists and photographers. For information on walking the South West Coast please see www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk

The Dartmoor National Park has a dramatic landscape from the magnificent granite tors to the steep wooded river valleys, heather covered moorland to the tucked away villages and hamlets. If you are seeking tranquility or in contrast the activities of walking, cycling, canoeing, climbing or horse riding then Dartmoor National Park is the place for you.

The City of Plymouth is 9 miles away from The Ivy Barn . Plymouth Hoe is well worth a visit for the dramatic coastline views . Take a walk along the sea front, then sit down and relax with a Devonshire cream tea, lunch or dinner whilst watching the ships sail in.

Plymouth has an interesting and extensive history, and there are many sites to visit including the site where the Plymouth Fathers departed for the New World in 1620 in the Mayflower.

Plymouth has a number of Marina's with incredible views, some of which, such as the Barbican area offer a variety of eating places with a cosmopolitan café culture. The Barbican is also the home to The National Marine Aquarium.

Plymouth is an area of arts and culture with the popular Theatre Royal Plymouth and the city also hosts a number of exhibitions and events. The city is home to Beryl Cook, the artist whose work featured comical images of people whom she encountered in her everyday life and the infamous painter Robert Lenkiewicz whose work still exists on the walls of buildings within The Barbican.

Some interesting facts about Plymouth:

Plymouth Original Strength Gin has been distilled at England’s oldest working distillery, Black Friars on Plymouth’s historic Barbican since 1793. Why not take a visit to the Gin Distillery.

The original Eddystone Lighthouse (1698 - 1703) was the first offshore lighthouse in the world and constructed of wood. The third Eddystone Lighthouse (Smeaton's Tower) was re-erected on Plymouth Hoe in 1882 and is worth a visit. The fourth Eddystone Lighthouse is still in use and can be seen with the naked eye on a clear day whilst walking along the Coastal Path towards Noss Mayo.

Captain Cook left Plymouth on the Endeavour in 1768 on his first voyage.

Napoleon left Plymouth on the Bellepheron in 1815 on his way to exile in St. Helena.

Please note that The Mildmay Colours Inn and Dartmoor Inn in Holbeton are both currently closed.

The School House is a Sea Food Restaurant at Mothecombe. Created by the team behind The Beach House at South Milton Sands. This is a very popular venue and it is better to book in advance for evening meals there. Check their opening times by calling direct on 01752 830522.

Our guests have recommended the following places to eat outside the village:
The Modbury Inn Modbury - 01548 831230
The First and Last Bistro Ermington- 01548 830671 Not open on Monday or Tuesday.
The Swan Inn Noss Mayo - 01752 873115 Dog friendly. Kitchen closed Sunday evening Monday and Tuesday
The Ship Inn Noss Mayo - 01752 872387
Rose & Crown Yealmpton - 01752 880223
The Victoria Inn Salcombe - 01548 842604

If you like walking then this is the place for you as there are walks to appeal to every level. The Coastal Path is beautiful all year round. Unlike many places we do not have a minimum number of nights stay (other than the busy seasonal period) as we appreciate walkers may stay for one night before carrying on with the Coastal walk the next day.

Alternatively you may wish to stay at The Ivy Barn longer and explore the area returning to the bed and breakfast in the evening. As you may not be able to cross the River Erme due to the low tide times we offer a pick up and drop off service at Mothecombe Beach and across the Erme at Wonwell Beach. Advance booking is required and we would ask that you do this when booking the accommodation.

A great tip for those walking from Plymouth - there is a fabulous cafe at The Yacht Haven Quay PL9 7HJ Plymouth. You can find out more about the café on their Facebook page under The Mess Room @ yacht Haven Quay.

Further, heading away from Plymouth once you reach Mothecombe Beach there is the café/restaurant called The School House at the top of the hill. A great place to stop off for a break before reaching The Ivy Barn.

The Dartmoor National Park is a 30 minute drive away where there are plenty of beautiful areas to explore and lovely villages with quaint village pubs or tea rooms.

We provide a walkers lunch if ordered in advance should you become peckish on your walk.

For further information about the Coastal Path www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/

We have visited the following places since we moved into the Ivy Barn and you may also be interested in visiting these places:
DZP The REAL We Bought A Zoo, zoo!
Haytor
Widecombe in the Moor
Totnes
Dartmouth
Kingsbridge
Plymouth Hoe