Cleave Retreat

Get back to nature in a slice of rural heaven with a break at this unique destination that’s just perfect for a solo adventure or romantic retreat for two. Cleave Retreat, comprising a "living hut" and adjacent little brother "shower hut" sits at the top of a valley and feel incredibly private, with stunning views towards a rolling, wooded hillside.

You’re surrounded by nature, and if you sit still long enough you may spot foxes and deer, and hear owls and other birds, yet you’re just a mile from the nearest pub that serves award-winning food and drink. Wander for miles among beautiful woodland or through Exmoor National Park, the edge of which is just 5 miles away.

For an interesting day trip, the National Trust’s Arlington Court is just 3 miles away, while the market town of Barnstaple is 8 miles away. Beach days are easy too, with Woolacombe, Croyde and Saunton Sands all reachable within 13 miles.

This superb getaway is a pair of adjacent shepherds’ huts – one for living, one for bathing – which have been hand-crafted to a traditional design by the owner, with a barrel-shaped roof and corrugated-metal cladding. After wheeling your belongings across a couple of small fields, you’ll reach the gate to your private meadow and the level, gravelled outside area where the huts are located.

Head up five wooden steps to the stable door and enter the ‘living’ hut, an open-plan space with a cosy wood burner and a cabin-style double bed at the far end. An award-winning hybrid mattress and Egyptian-cotton bedlinens will help you slip off to the land of nod, and in terms of practicalities, you’ll have under-bed storage, reading lights and thick curtains at the window (though you may want to keep them open and simply take in the gorgeous view).