The Weekenders - Search for weekend getaways around the UK.

Highcliffe House - Lynton

5|4|3|2|1

Boutique b&b with incredible sea views

There’s only one word to describe the views from lovely Highcliffe House - jaw-dropping. Sitting high above the twin Exmoor villages of Lynton and Lynmouth, every bedroom in this gem of a boutique b&b has views down over the wooded cliffs and out over the Bristol Channel. Yet, as hard as it is to believe, the far-reaching sea views are just the icing on the cake.

Set amid lush woodland and sitting in its own acre of garden, Highcliffe House is a Victorian villa that screams romance. Seven gorgeous en-suite bedrooms have huge, squidgy beds, beautiful vintage decor and lots of lovely period features. Little touches such as DVD players, luxurious bed linens and bathrobes will make you feel even more special. And then there’s the views. All of the bedrooms have big sash windows boasting those amazing, far-reaching sea vistas, while the Myrtleberry Room has full length French windows leading out onto your own elegant balcony - it’s all terribly Noel Coward.

Downstairs, a light and airy dining room, with huge, conservatory-style windows plays host to owner Karen’s delicious breakfasts and dinners. Lots of local produce (including fantastically fresh fish) is used for both - the award-winning dinner menu is full of mouthwateringly simple, British classic dishes, plus puddings and local cheeses to die for, while breakfast is a sumptuous spread, including yummy smoked kippers or pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. Whether you’re sitting at your candlelit table watching the lights twinkle below you, or looking out to sea after a great night’s sleep, you’ll remember eating at Highcliffe House for a long time to come.

Where is it?

Lynton - officially a village, but really a very small town - is a pretty enclave on the North Devon coastline. The windy lanes, small shops and tearooms and bustly atmosphere (especially in tourist season) are lovely, but what really makes Lynton, and the tiny adjoining village of Lynmouth, stand out is their location. The poet Shelley, who stayed in the area with his new bride, named it ‘little Switzerland’, and one look at the wooded hills and rocky outcrops that surround Lynton and Lynmouth, before dropping down into the sea (ok, so that’s where the Swiss analogy might fall down a bit...) and you can see why.

Lynton itself is a potterer’s paradise and the perfect place for a relaxing break. The nightlife pretty much consists of cosy pubs and the tiny Lynton Cinema ( www.lyntoncinema.co.uk) located in a Grade-1 listed former Methodist chapel. The sleepy pace of life continues apace in the little port of Lynmouth, which sits below Lynton at the bottom of the gorge created by the two Lynmouth rivers. The villages are joined by the historic, and decidedly quirky, water-powered Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway ( www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk Tel: 01598 753486). Lynmouth is a spectacularly picturesque spot, dwarfed by its dramatic backdrop where Exmoor meets the sea. Painters and poets have raved about the traditional fishing village over the years, with Wordsworth and Coleridge starting their own Lynmouth fan club (Samuel Taylor Coleridge was said to have been inspired to write ‘The Ancient Mariner’ after viewing Lynmouth Harbour) and Thomas Gainsborough exclaiming that it was "the most delightful place for a landscape painter this country can boast". Unsurprisingly, today’s tourists flock in the summer, but the long shingle beach - great for surfers, baskers and paddlers alike - and the beautiful stretches of river reaching back from the coast offer more than enough room to find a quiet place to escape.

Walkers and general fresh air fanatics will love this place. The Lyn Valley is stunning, with ancient woodland, waterfalls and high rockfaces on all sides. Walk up the valley from Lynmouth, beside the bubbling East Lyn river, to Watersmeet House ( www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01598 753348), a lovely 19th century fishing lodge and now a National Trust teashop. Slightly inland from the coast and back from Lynton is the spectacular Valley of the Rocks - one of the most dramatic parts of the Exmoor landscape. Popular with walkers and climbers, the almost surreal clusters of rocky tors and outcrops are distinctly Alp-like - it’s even home to an ancient herd of wild goats. For maps and directions for walks in the valley and elswhere on Exmoor, log on to the brilliant www.walkingbritain.co.uk.

If walking on its own doesn’t float your boat, Exmoor is also a playground for all things equine - the National Park is home to the famously hardy Exmoor ponies, plus lots of great Riding Stables. Lower Dean Riding Stables ( www.deanridingstables.co.uk Tel: 01598 763565), 10 miles from Lynton, is a good place to start. An afternoon’s hack is the ideal way to enjoy the countryside made famous in RD Blackmore’s romantic classic, Lorna Doone (a book which, incidently, couldn’t be a better choice for curling up with back at the b&b).

If miles of walking (or riding) really isn’t your thing (or maybe you weren’t quite as fit as your unused Holmes Place membership card led you to believe...), there’s plenty of fantastic places to visit by car. Twenty miles along the coast is the romantic medieval village of Dunster. With over 200 listed buildings, the village is remarkably well-protected from the scourge of mass-tourism and is great for an afternoon’s dawdling. Pretty boutiques, galleries, antique shops and cafes line the main street, that has stayed pretty much unchanged for centuries. But it’s hard to miss Dunster’s main attraction - the fairy tale Dunster Castle ( www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01643 823004), which sits on a wooded hill overlooking the village and has views and gardens to die for. For the full romantic experience, walk from the castle to Dunster’s West Somerset Railway station ( www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk Tel: 01643 704996) and board a steam train. The trains stop at the long and sandy Blue Anchor Beach just a mile or so from Dunster and the lovely little harbour town of Watchet, before travelling inland, past the Quantock Hills, towards Taunton.

If it’s full-on watersport action you’re after, the pretty village of Croyde and its 800m of golden, sheltered beach is only a 40-minute drive from Highcliffe House. Known by many surfers as 'The Place of Legends', it’s one of the UK’s most popular surfing destinations. If you fancy having a go, Surf South West ( www.surfsouthwest.co.uk Tel: 01271 890400) offer classes, from 2-hour introductions to full weekend courses.

Where can I eat?

The restaurant at Highcliffe House really is a no-brainer of an eating option. Not only is Karen’s food fantastic, but the views are heart-stopping and there’s nothing better than enjoying an amazing meal and a bottle (or two) of vino, safe in the knowledge that your bed’s within stumbling distance.

If you are looking for an alternative, there are some lovely places to eat within reach, but you’ll have to resort to the car for some of them. The restaurant at the St Vincent Hotel ( www.st-vincent-hotel.co.uk Tel: 01598 752244) is a great option in the centre of Lynton. The very cosy dining room plays host to a delicious menu of Belgian (the chef-owner hails from Belgium), French, British and Mediterranean dishes, much of which is made from the freshest local produce.

Further afield is the lovely Andrews on the Weir ( www.andrewsontheweir.co.uk Tel: 01643 863 300), a gorgeous, award-winning restaurant right on the water at Porlock Weir, 14 miles along the coast from Lynton. Simple, but mouthwatering, dishes, including fresh fish landed at the harbour outside are served in a beautiful dining room overlooking the pretty harbour outside. Or you could venture the half an hour to 11 The Quay ( www.11thequay.co.uk Tel: 01271 868090) in the seaside resort of Ilfracombe. With financial backing and some great art on the walls from Damian Hirst, this is a restaurant with style that stands out in this very traditional, Victorian town. The delicious menus are just as stylish - all vibrant flavours and beautiful presentation - while the views of the crashing Atlantic and the cliffs diving into the sea are amazing.

For a great gastropub, the Fox and Goose ( www.foxandgoose-parracombe.co.uk Tel: 01598 763239) in the pretty Exmoor village of Parracombe, 5 miles from Lynton is full of rustic favourites, made with great Devon and Somerset produce.

Top of page

There’s only one word to describe the views from lovely Highcliffe House - jaw-dropping. Sitting high above the twin Exmoor villages of Lynton and Lynmouth, every bedroom in this gem of a boutique b&b has views down over the wooded cliffs and out over the Bristol Channel.