Swallow's Nest

If you want different. If you want quirky. If you want an experience that you will remember forever, come and stay here. How about this for a holiday experience combination like no other - wild swimming in the deepest of pools in the River Exe and on-hand tastings at Hatherland Mill Farm's micro-brewery!

Swallows Nest, perfectly befitting its name, nestles at the heart of the farmstead which is home to rare breed cattle, sheep and goats, incredible wildlife and a free-spirited ethic that is infectious. This imaginatively created retreat for two has a cobbled floor, wood-burning stove and TV in the living area, a bespoke fitted kitchen-area which includes a dishwasher and has a breakfast-bar too. There is a small dining-table and a well-sized shower-room on the ground floor. Ladder stairs lead to a mezzanine bedroom - protected by a carved wooden panel, reclaimed long ago from a local church, with a super-king (6') bed and free-standing roll-top bath!

Spot the medieval patterns engraved into the cob walls, carved to welcome in good fortune and fend off witchcraft. The more you look the more you see here - the extra width stable door to let the breeze flow though and to keep your dog safe. The industrial scale bi-fold doors open onto a private courtyard with not only a wood-fired pizza oven but a Kamado barbecue and ceramic smoker too. From the courtyard your own gate leads to the meadow that borders the river.

This traditional smallholding has earned conservation awards from Natural England and offers a wonderful opportunity to feel part of a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of living. The owners - who live in an historic thatched farmhouse on the other side of the farmyard, with a little holiday cottage attached to it that also welcomes guests to this unique environment - are happy to advise where the best riverside spots are for the chance to see an otter or a kingfisher. They are living the dream and hope to offer some of that back to their guests.

The nearby market town of Tiverton with its 12th Century castle is well worth a visit, as are the gothic mansion of Knightshayes Court and its beautiful formal gardens and the small town of Bampton, renowned for its prize-winning flower-lined streets and historic buildings. Exploring Exmoor National Park, with its unique landscape of moorland, woodland, valleys and farmland, is a must - the delightful village of Dulverton is home to one of the park's visitor centres and is a good place to start. For something totally different, why not take a trip on a horse-drawn narrowboat along the Grand Western Canal? It's now a nature reserve and home to numerous wildlife, from swans and otters to dragonflies and kingfishers.