Overview

Knowle Farm is situated on 44 acres of picturesque South Devon countryside, boasting an array of family-friendly facilities and a range of friendly animals. Located on the doorstep of Dartmoor National Park and only 30 minutes from beautiful sandy beaches, Knowle Farm is an ideal location to explore the best of what the region has to offer.

Activities

The farm offers excellent child-friendly facilities, including a soft play area for toddlers, an indoor heated swimming pool, a walk-in rabbit enclosure, a toddler race track, a tennis court, and a six-hole adventure golf course. Visitors can enjoy various outdoor activities and meet friendly farm animals while exploring the farm’s woodland and riverside walks. Children can feed pigs, stroke donkeys, meet sheep, and hear cockerels crow. Ducks and peacocks can be fed just outside the cottage door.

The indoor pool measures 10 meters by 5 meters and has gentle steps leading into the shallow end. It has six large south-facing patio windows that overlook the pond and countryside. The water is kept at a comfortable 29/30 degrees, much warmer than most public pools, allowing guests to enjoy swimming all year round, regardless of weather.

The outer area provides an enclosed and safe play environment for young children, including ride-on toys, a fun tractor tyre tunnel, and a rubberised play surface. The inner area houses a walk-in rabbit/guinea pig enclosure, perfect for animal lovers. The grassed area is levelled, providing ample space for outdoor games such as football, badminton, and croquet sets. There is also a full-size purpose-built boules court and deck chairs to relax in between games. It’s perfect for all ages.

The six-hole adventure golf course, built in 2022, is a firm favourite among guests. It comes complete with a 5-meter tunnel and challenging obstacles. The Play Barn features a purpose-built soft play area for children aged five and under. It includes a ball pool with 1,500 balls, a slide, tunnels, loft house, and other toys. The same room also houses a pool table and table tennis table for older children and adults to enjoy. The outdoor tennis court has been recently resurfaced and repainted. It offers stunning views over the pond and countryside. Rackets and balls are available to borrow.

The woodland walk features various hidden animal signs waiting for children to track them down. A checklist sheet is provided in the cottage, including a secret mystery animal. The wooden play unit is equipped with towers, walkways, swings, ladders, ropes, and slides. It provides children of all ages with a fun play area while overlooking the pond and animals.

Food

The store offers a variety of locally produced ready meals and ice creams for purchase. Visitors can take a 15-minute walk to The Church House Inn, one of the oldest pubs in England, which serves delectable food and is family-friendly.

Knowle Farm has its own borehole water, which is free of additives and tastes purer than regular tap water. During the season, visitors can enjoy barbeques and outdoor furniture while dining by the pond or down by the river.

The store’s ready meals and ice creams are hand-made using locally sourced produce, including free-range eggs and meat. This supports farmers in Devon and is available for purchase directly from the store. A welcome tray with cookies, tea, and coffee is also provided.

Accommodation

There are six individual cottages, ranging from one to four bedrooms, which have all received the VisitEngland Gold award for exceptional quality of accommodation. They overlook lovely views, and all include Wood-burning stoves, Freesat TV (CBeebies, etc); DVD, Wi-Fi and just about everything you could hope for, including cots and high chairs.

To save you the packing they also have Baby Baths, Bed Guards, Blackout Blinds, Microwave Sterilizers and Booster Steps available to borrow.

Woodbine sleeps up to eight people (six adults maximum) and four cots, perfect for two families. The open-plan ground floor has a living area, a well-equipped kitchen, and a separate double bedroom with an en-suite shower room/WC. Upstairs, there are three more bedrooms, a bathroom/WC, and a gallery area with pleasant views. All first-floor rooms have roof lights. Woodbine can be combined with ‘Clematis’ to seat up to ten people for dining. The cottage has full central heating.

Moncks Green is an ‘upside-down’ cottage that can sleep four adults, two children, and a cot. It features three ground-floor bedrooms, a separate bathroom, and a comfortable living room with a well-equipped kitchen area on the first floor, along with a dining room and a shower room/WC. The cottage offers stunning views over the pond, river, and surrounding countryside and is fully equipped with gas-fired (LPG) central heating.

Applecross is an upside-down converted grain storage barn that sleeps up to 4 plus a cot. Downstairs there are two bedrooms and a separate bathroom. Upstairs is an open-plan living/dining area with a wood-burning stove and a well-equipped kitchen. The cottage is fully electric and heated using night storage heaters.

Foxglove and Cow-mumble are two-bedroom ‘upside down’ cottages that can accommodate up to four people and a cot. Downstairs are two bedrooms; one double with kingsize bed and one twin bedded room, along with a separate bathroom/WC with over bath shower. Upstairs, there is an open plan living/dining area and a well-equipped kitchen including a dishwasher. Both cottages offer lovely views of the surrounding countryside. Foxglove is slightly larger and has a more spacious bathroom. Both cottages have a wood-burning stove and full central heating.

Nearby

There are plenty of local attractions to enjoy in the area, including steamtrain rides, boat trips, and many fun activities for children. One of the best and most popular family attractions in Devon, Pennywell Farm, is just a five-minute drive away. Additionally, there are many great sandy beaches to visit, all of which are located within a half-hour drive from the location. The majestic Dartmoor National Park is also located nearby and is easily accessible.

For those looking for a fun evening out, there is an excellent child-friendly 11th-century local village pub nearby, as well as many other great pubs and restaurants in the area that are highly recommended.

Some of the must-visit attractions in the area include Pennywell Farm, which is perfect for a family day out, offering pig racing, pony rides, animal feeding, play areas, and much more. Visitors can also take a ride on one of the two beautiful steam lines located near the location, which can be combined with other activities at either end of the journey.

On a rainy day, the National Marine Aquarium is a fascinating place to visit, where visitors can see a great array of both local and exotic species. For sunnier days, the River Dart Country Park is an excellent option, offering assault courses, zip lines, tyre swings, and their very own pirate ship.

Finally, visitors who are in the mood for some scenic views can take a riverboat trip from Totnes to Dartmouth along the beautiful River Dart. This journey can be combined with a steam train and open-top bus to make it a round trip.

Summary

A truly child-friendly holiday Knowle Farm is idyllically set in 44 acres of South Devon countryside, with fantastic family-friendly facilities and many animals. Nestled on the doorstep of Dartmoor National Park and just 30 minutes from wonderful sandy beaches. With an indoor pool, soft play area, tennis court, walk-in rabbit area and friendly animals, you might not want to go out.