Allerford Cottage forms one part of a complex of charming 4-star country cottages in a beautiful section of Exmoor National Park’s Avill Valley, between Dunster and Timberscombe. This property is one of the largest on the site and is particularly well-suited to families, with three bedrooms—one double, one twin, and a single. It occupies the north end of what used to be a roomy stone barn and engine shed, and each of the lower and upper levels has its own separate entrance.
3 bedrooms (one ground floor double, one first floor twin, one first floor single)
Open-plan ground floor lounge/kitchen/dining area
Ground floor bathroom
Up to two dogs welcome (supplement of £20 per dog)
Wifi, Biomass boiler heating, and electricity included in cost
Bed linen provided; towels can be hired for £3 per person
Child-friendly accommodation with cots and high chairs available upon request, plus complex’s two-story Gate Lodge Play Centre featuring swings, slide, fireman’s pole, and assault course
Check-in between 3pm and 6pm, check-out by 10amApartment located within idyllic 9 acre country complex, featuring picnic areas and a river safe for guests to paddle in
Shared use of indoor heating swimming pool and spa bath with changing and shower facilities; games room with pool table, table tennis table, table football, and mini trampoline; a further large (14 foot-round) trampoline with protective barrier netting; hard tennis court (operating on "turn up & play" system with racquets/balls available for guest use); and football net, situated in the "play paddock" where guests often play cricket or badminton, fly kites etc.
Shared information room with payphone, information brochures, children's books, videos, and DVDs
Often possible to see owner's two Shetland ponies grazing in nearby paddock
Short breaks available outside of main school holidays (Mon-Fri / Fri-Mon)
On-site car parking with plenty of space. Also possible to drive directly to apartment for unloading/loading purposes
FacilitiesEntering from the courtyard, there are a couple of stone steps to get up to the front door. Once inside, ahead is the double bedroom and to the right, the bathroom. On the left is the staircase which leads up several steps to the open plan kitchen/lounge/dining area. Another staircase leads up to the first floor where you will find the twin and single bedrooms.
Bed linen is provided, towels can be hired for £3 per person.
Central heating and electricity is included
LocationDunster is a medieval village on the edge of Exmoor National Park in West Somerset, dominated by its magnificent castle perched on a wooded hilltop above the High Street.
Often described as one of the most intact medieval villages in England, Dunster has a rich history stretching back over a thousand years. The iconic octagonal Yarn Market, built in the early 1600s, sits at the heart of the village -- a reminder of its prosperous wool-trading past. The broad High Street is lined with independent shops, galleries, tea rooms, and characterful pubs, many housed in listed buildings dating from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The village has its own Post Office with a cash machine, a deli, and a good range of places to eat and drink. For larger supermarkets, banks, and petrol stations, the coastal town of Minehead is just 1.5 miles away -- Tesco and Morrisons are both on the outskirts with long opening hours. Most shops in Dunster keep traditional hours of 9am to 5pm, often extending in summer.
Dunster hosts a lively programme of events throughout the year, including the Dunster Show, Dunster Country Fair, and the much-loved Winter Festival in early December when the village is lit by candlelight with music, dancing, and medieval re-enactments in the streets.
