Sip and sup this summer on a cheering West Country vineyard or real ale break

May 23, 2011 - PRLog -- As UK winegrowers look forward to an early harvest for 2011 and we head towards English Wine Week there’s never been a better time to get up close to the vines. Learn about viniculture, get a taste for the fine wines and tasty brews coming out of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset and make a grape or grain holiday of it!

Farm & Cottage Holidays (http://www.holidaycottages.co.uk) have picked properties available in early June for Wine Week celebrations or mid-month to indulge Dad in real ales for Father’s Day (19 June):

•Merlot Cottage, Eastcott Vineyard, near Okehampton, Devon (sleeps 5)

Merlot is one of three recently refurbished holiday cottages on West Devon’s only commercial winery and vineyard with award winning wines on sale from the ‘cellar door’. Enjoy a tour of the vineyard, explanation of the winemaking process and a tasting session. Situated in one of the most picturesque and tranquil parts of Devon, Dartmoor is only a short drive away and the beaches of North Cornwall are 23 miles away - offering a range of long sandy surfing beaches and sheltered coves to explore. For food matching there’s plenty of local produce in nearby villages while Okehampton has a Waitrose. In the evenings the enclosed garden area is perfect for relaxing with a glass of wine.

From £468 for a week in June (sleeps 5). The neighbouring Cabernet Cottage costs from £395 a week in June (sleeps 4). The Sauvignon Cottage costs from £378 a week in June (sleeps 3).

Wine tours cost £5 per adult and £2.50 per child.

•Aller Hill Vineyard, Langport, Somerset (sleeps 6)

Aller Hill Vineyard lies in the owners' nine acres of grounds adjacent to their maturing vineyard, with panoramic views across the Somerset Levels, as far as the Blackdown Hills and Exmoor. Newly renovated, the property is furnished to a good standard throughout with modern conveniences and character features including exposed stone walls. The immediate area is ideal for nature lovers; in fact a Site of Special Scientific Interest can be accessed on foot directly from the garden allowing you to discover ancient woodlands and rare orchids. There are some great cider farms close by as well as Julian Temperley’s Somerset Cider Brandy distillery.

From £385 for a week in June (sleeps 6)

•The Martyn Room – in the courtyard of a coastal pub, North Cornwall (sleeps 4)

Minutes from the coastal path and with views out to sea this light and airy conversion was once the old community hall and sits aside the wonderful 13th century village pub - The Bush Inn. Blow way the cobwebs with a walk in the direction of Bude or Hartland for cliffs and beaches then kick back in the pub garden with a cold drink while the kids have fun on the sturdy wooden play equipment. The views are truly breathtaking, the sunsets spectacular and the pub’s food and local ales top notch.

From £750 for a week stay Jun-Sept (sleeps 6) -

•Cridford Lodge – in the grounds of the well know Cridford Inn, South Devon (sleeps 4)
Part of a Devon longhouse Cridford Lodge is ideal for pub-lovers and gastronomes. Enjoy a first class meal with fine wine or ales from the popular village Inn which is located right across the courtyard and renowned for its excellent cuisine. Set in the picturesque and peaceful village of Trusham there are some lovely countryside walks directly from the property. Just round the corner from the cottage is the Exeter Forest for observing deer, or for the more enthusiastic, hiring bikes and riding the miles of forest trails.  At the bottom of the valley there’s the beautiful Canonteign Falls - a fantastic walk for all with a cafe at the end to refresh you before you bound off for further attractions.
From £415 for a week in June (sleeps 4)

•Hendra Farmhouse – 2 mile country walk to the Blisland Inn, North Cornwall (sleeps 9)

Once a Duchy of Cornwall farmhouse, Hendra has been transformed into an exceptional retreat, easily accessible offering a good standard of accommodation in nearly an acre of gardens. Hendra is situated in North Cornwall midway between the market towns of Bodmin, Wadebridge and Camelford. Lovers of real ale will only have to make a short pilgrimage to the Blisland Inn (a CAMRA pub of the year) where the landlord serves seven real ales and one real scrumpy, or "mingmong juice" as it's known locally and every inch is covered in Toby jugs and beer mats. Close by are the towns of Rock and Padstow with cosmopolitan shops and many fine restaurants, including Rick Stein's famous seafood restaurant.

From £845 for a week in June (sleeps 9) -

Farm & Cottage Holidays (www.holidaycottages.co.uk) is a family owned and run UK holiday cottage rental specialist with over 30 years experience and 1200 properties covering Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. The company provides the a wide selection of hand-picked holiday cottages throughout the West Country, presenting them in a user-friendly way with an intelligent search facility, allowing you to not only search by location, price and size but also by features such as hot tubs, internet access, open fires and sea views.
For more information and bookings go to http://www.holidaycottages.co.uk or call 01237 459889.

You can also find us on  twitter http://twitter.com/#!/farmandcottage or on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/farmandcottageholidays


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For further information please contact
Fiona Reece or Claire Southern at Fiona Reece PR,
0117 973 1517 / 07725 167665 / 07702 684 682
claire@fionareece.com / fiona@fionareece.com