The Vintage Vardos - Camp in Devon, United Kingdom

Activities

At Fisherton Farm

Gavin and Jemma are happy to show you around the farm and introduce you to their beautiful pedigree animals. In the honesty shop you’ll find a vast collection of spare wellies and waterproofs, boogie boards, deckchairs, buckets and spades to borrow. The Farm Gallery houses table tennis, table football and darts and is a great communal space for when the rain decides to tip down!! 

Outdoors & Active

For a day out at the beach, whether your interests lie more in sunbathing or surfing, we can really recommend Putsborough Sands - voted best beach in Britain, 4th best in Europe and 13th best in the world! Venture out to Croyde for a surfer's beach and Saunton Sands with Braunton Burrows has great walks in the dunes.

Barricain Bay is intimate beach, with a good cafe selling curries. IIfracombe Tunnels beach was voted the best rockpooling in UK(!) with a Victorian natural swimming pool. Instow beach on the estuary is good for easy access and sandcastles but not swimming.

The Tarka Cycle Trail (over 30 miles ) Really good active fun. We suggest you hire bikes from Puffing Billy in Torrington 01805622633 and follow the almost dead flat cycle path, following the River Torridge all the way to Instow beach ( 9 miles 1.5 hrs approx) for a picnic or pub lunch, stopping for an ice cream/cream tea mid way from a converted train carriage at Bideford. Tip... ask for bike with a soft seat!

Natural Swimming in the River Taw & fishing for minnows. Simple fun! Just at the bottom of our hill,  strip off under the railway bridge and swim upstream or catch minnows in the shallows (help yourselves to nets and jam jars from our shop) 

Exmoor National Park: 267sq miles of jaw-dropping landscape to explore. The medieval Lanacre Bridge is a favorite spot to picnic and paddle in whist watching the wild ponies and red deer 

South West Coastal Path: 50 miles of which are in North Devon. Challenging, moderate and easy walking through stunning varied coastline. 

Tennis court, football pitch and swing park are a short stroll up our quiet lane to the village of Atherington, there is even a cycle track around the football pitch which is great for kids.

Places to visit

Families always love a day out at Exmoor Zoo, the beautiful gardens with children's area at RHS Rosemoor or Arlington Court, an elegant Regency house in a tranquil estate run by the National Trust.

Clovelly: an ancient and fascinating village . A labyrinth of steep cobbled streets, with almost tropical sheltered gardens leading to a beautiful harbour and stony beach.

Watermouth Castle: an eccentric collection of all sorts, like no other theme park on earth! Words can't really describe it! Set in a beautiful sheltered bay.

Cobbaton Combat Collection: one man's obsession and now museum stuffed with WW1 and WW2 memorabilia, plenty of tanks, a shop selling all sorts of interesting gear and a Naafi bus cafe run by his long suffering wife! 

The High Bullen Hotel & Country club for £5 per hour you can use the indoor swimming pool, with hot tub, sauna and steam room. There is also a gym, cafe, restaurant and golf course.

Quince Honey Farm and museum for all bee lovers , with live hives for you to see (behind glass!)and all aspects of honey making/bee keeping . There is also a large soft play area for your little bee's... 

Nearby towns and cities

Barnstaple, principle town of North Devon, with a Pannier Market most days.

Instow (30 minute drive), seaside style village on the Torridge estuary with sandy beach and dunes.

Appledore, growing artists colony with ship building roots and winding streets (over the estuary from Instow).

Or by train, Exeter is 1 hour on the Tarka line from Umberleigh, following the river all the way.

Hen parties

Vintage Vardos offers fantastic hen parties chock full of beautiful home-grown produce from the farm and vegetable garden, offering you a chance to get away from it all and spend some quality time together doing the important stuff. Hen parties can be completely tailored to your needs, with loads of activities on offer from woodland yoga, pilates and tarot reading, to surfing and life drawing 

12 guests (up to a maximum of 14). Friday 4pm - Sunday 10:30am

Half Package, £110 per person, includes: 
Two nights' accommodation in the Vintage Vardos (12 adults, some sharing beds, in 4 doubles, 4 singles plus 2 singles on request) 
Transfers to and from the train station 
A tailor-made dinner and dessert of Fisherton Farm produce, full English breakfast and a delicious cream tea
Hot shower with an outdoor view!
All linen and towels provided
Tea, coffee, cool boxes and ice buckets for drinks (BYO), all kitchen equipment provided

Full Package, £160 per person, includes all of the above plus: 
Homemade Victoria sponge cake, a Ploughman’s or picnic to take to the beach with homemade bread, an additional tailor-made dinner, dessert and a continental Sunday breakfast

Basic package, accommodation only: a £20 per person surcharge will be applied

For £20 per person check out can be extended to 5pm, to include a lunch of fresh farm produce

Please call 0117 204 7830 to enquire.

Food & Drink

At Fisherton Farm

Your hosts will provide you with a welcome basket, and Gavin & Jemma can supply freshly baked bread, home grown vegetables, preserves and meat straight from the farm including delicious lean lamb from the Zwartbles sheep. If you ask in advance, they can even produce an assortment of home cooked meals. In season you can pick your own - salads and veg - and collect the eggs from the Maran hens in the orchard.

Shops

There is a small honesty shop on-site selling delicious farm produce and a PYO vegetable garden for guests to use

A 5 minute stroll up our quiet lane is Atherington Village and the Post office selling essentials and delicious home made cakes.

Less than 2 miles is a family run Costcutter/Texaco Garage, open late and sells almost everything. 

Several major supermarkets are a 15 minute drive. 

Pubs & restaurants

The Rising Sun, Umberleigh (1.5 miles) is the local pub on our doorstep, with great views of the river, serving good ale all day and food from 12-2 and 6-9.

The Bell at Chittlehampton (5 miles) is one of the best pubs in North Devon, always popular, good atmosphere and good grub.

Chichester Arms at Bishops Tawton (5 miles) - huge portions of good pub grub

The Rams Head at Dolton (10 miles) posh pub grub set in pretty village and next to Halsdon nature reserve , excellent walks by the River Torridge

The New Inn at Roborough (5 miles), good locally sourced food

Meet your hosts

Both well travelled, Gavin and Jemma finally settled down at Fisherton Farm in 2006. Gavin has farmed all his life and they are passionate about farming and family, and their wonderful 'Foreland' herd of Simmental cattle (est 1978) are regularly exhibited at agricultural shows. A recent addition to the farm is a flock of rare and striking Zwartbles sheep, producing delicious lean lamb. Jemma is an accomplished artist who has exhibited all over the world, and is now a keen vegetable grower and cook.

Their two small children prompted Gavin and Jemma to buy their first wagon. The discovery of the beautiful wood at Fisherton then inspired them to continue restoring two more wagons to create this low-impact holiday experience and provide the perfect place to share with other lovers of rural beauty.

Wildlife & Environment

Fisherton’s 100 acres of undulating grassland and woodland make it a real haven for wildlife. If you’re quiet you may well see deer, foxes, badgers, owls, buzzards and all kinds of other little creatures, as well as the farm animals. The peaceful woodland with its stream is home to native primroses, indigenous daffodils, bluebells, iris and honeysuckle. The aim is for the field where the vardos nestle to revert back to a traditional hay meadow with a wide variety of local grasses and wild flowers.

You will be completely off the grid, and that's the point!

Getting there

Higher Fisherton Farm, Atherington, Umberleigh, Devon, EX37 9JA

By train

The nearest train station is Umberleigh (within walking distance of 1.5 miles, although a free pick up can be arranged). Tiverton Parkway is also a 40 minute drive away.

By bus

The nearest bus stations are Barnstaple and South Molton, provided by National Express. A taxi can be arranged from these stations.

By car

Leave the M5 at junction 27. Follow the A361 towards Barnstaple/Tiverton. After approx. 25 miles, exit left on the roundabout to South Molton. Go through the town and fork right (by Boots). After 100 yards, turn left to Torrington on the B3227, and you will arrive into Umberleigh after 10 miles. Cross the River Taw (facing the local pub, the Rising Sun), turn right and then left round the corner, taking the B3227 to Atherington. After just under 1 mile, turn left, signposted Fisherton. Continue up a narrow lane with grass growing up the middle until you reach a white farmhouse with black railings, which is where you can park. If you reach the church you've gone too far!

Booking Terms

Canopy & Stars low price promise
 
Book with us in confidence knowing you won’t find that place cheaper elsewhere. All of the prices we display are set and matched by our Owners. (In this world of foreign currency, we do have to say 'subject to exchange rates' for some of our European places.)

What does ‘from price’ mean?
 
Our ‘from price’ is based on a four night stay in low season and designed to help you to compare different prices across our collection. Some of our Owners vary their nightly rates and check in days throughout the year, so it may differ from the rate quoted below the calendar. It is quite common (although by no means universal) for places to charge a little more in peak season or for shorter stays, to cover changeover costs. Consider booking longer stays during the cooler months if you’re looking for the lowest nightly rates.

Agency Terms & Conditions

Except where otherwise specified, we Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd Company No 09088366 of Merchants House, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RW act only as an Agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. Sawday’s Canopy & Stars is part of the Alastair Sawday’s Group of Companies. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any services or arrangements you purchase (“Booking(s)”) or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any Booking. For all Bookings, your contract will be with the supplier of the Booking in question, and in most cases this will be the owner of the property you’ll be staying at (“Owner(s)”). When making your Booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the Owner of the Booking. Your Booking with us is subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions and any specific booking conditions of the relevant Owner(s) you contract with. The Owner’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Owner’s liability to you.

You may decide to make more than one Booking with us at the same time. The price charged in total for more than one Booking will always equal the prices charged separately for each individual Booking. All Bookings are available to be purchased separately at the same price as they are when more than one Booking is made. This means that any multiple Bookings do not constitute a package as defined in the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.

By making a booking, you agree that:-

1. you have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
2. you consent to our use of your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy;

and

1. you are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age.

The Canopy & Stars online booking system enables Guests to make Bookings 24 hours a day. A Booking is confirmed on receipt of a 25% non-refundable deposit for all Bookings with check in dates of more than 10 weeks away. For all Bookings that have a check in date of less than 10 weeks before check in, payment for the Booking will be required in full and the entire Booking will be non-refundable. The Canopy & Stars telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. When using the online enquiry form, for those Properties without online booking, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the Booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm). Online or email enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment. Therefore, if possible, we do recommend that you book on the Canopy & Stars website using the online booking system.

1. Booking and payments

1.1 In order to confirm your chosen Booking, you must pay a non-refundable deposit as required by the Owner of the Booking in question (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of the date of your check-in).

1.2 Your Booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Owner will exist when we receive payment of the deposit and send you a booking confirmation on the Owner’s behalf. This booking confirmation will normally be sent out within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post, and will contain the details of your Booking and of payments made and due. If you have not received your booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk). Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. As we act only as booking Agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.

1.3 We're sorry for any inconvenience, but payments can only be made by credit and debit cards. A 2% surcharge will be applied to credit cards. We do not accept American Express, cheques or cash.

1.4 Where a deposit has been paid, full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in date and a reminder will be sent to you two weeks prior to this date, where applicable, by email. We automatically take the balance payment using the same card as used to make the deposit payment. It is your reponsibility to advise us if we should use a different card and to contact us by telephone (0117 204 7830) to arrange for alternative payment method. If the balance payment does not successfully go through as there is a problem with your card, such as it expiring, then we will contact you to try and take alternative payment. If we have been unable to take payment after two weeks of the balance due date, then with regret, we will notify the Owner who may cancel your Booking.

1.5 Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Owner concerned, all monies you pay to us for a Booking will be held on behalf of the Owner(s) concerned.

1.6 Credit Card payments are processed via Alastair Sawday’s Publishing Co. Ltd who provide merchants services facilities to Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd.

2. Cancellation and Amendment by You

2.1 Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk) and will be considered and responded to within one working day of receipt. You are also advised to confirm all changes to our Customer Services Department by calling 0117 204 7830. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your Booking prior to travel. Whilst we will always try to help, we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met.

2.2 Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the booking conditions of the Owner of your Arrangements. The Owner may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of departure). The Owner may charge cancellation or amendment charges in accordance with its own booking conditions, however for the sake of convenience only, we have outlined the Owner’s charges at clause 2.3 and 2.4 below. Please note that these are the Owner’s own cancellation and amendments charges, not Canopy & Stars’, and therefore the Owner may vary their charges as they wish, without notice to us. The correct charges will be notified to you at the time of your cancellation or amendments.  

2.3 Owner’s General Cancellation Charges:

2.3.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable.

2.3.2 All monies paid for a holiday (deposit and balance) are non-refundable within 10 weeks before check in date.

2.3.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you. 

2.3.4  Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way.

2.4 Owner’s General Amendment Charges:

2.4.1 Alterations to your Booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time alterations will be treated as cancellation. All alterations are subject to availability and may incur a £30 adminstration fee.

2.4.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from alterations will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.

Special note: Generally Owners will charge the above cancellation and amendment charges, however we must stress that these are a guide only and charges may differ from those shown here depending on the Owner. The exact charges will be notified to you by the Owner at the time of cancellation and/or can be found in the Owner’s own booking conditions which are available from the Owner on request.

3. Changes and Cancellations by the Owner

We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Owner needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Owner in relation to any alternative Booking offered by the Owner but we will have no further liability to you.

4. Complaints

Because the contract for your Booking is between you and the Owner, any queries or concerns should be addressed to them. In the event that you have any complaint about your stay, please notify the Owner as soon as possible. If you don’t follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Owner to investigate and resolve your complaint and so make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Delays may also mean that amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback. It’s important to us and the Owner to know that you’ve enjoyed your stay or if anything could have been improved.

5. Pricing

Canopy & Stars reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time on behalf of the Owner. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices.Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.

6. Information & Accuracy

The information and prices shown on this website are varied from time to time and may change between the time you first view a property and make a Booking. You should check that all the details are as you expect prior to making a Booking. It is always possible that, despite our best efforts, some of the properties (including the features and extras available) may be incorrectly described and/or priced. If we discover this is the case after you have made a Booking, we reserve the right to contact you with details of the correct information and/or pricing and will give you the option to:

(1) proceed with the Booking based on the correct information and/or pricing, which may require the payment of an additional amount by you;

OR

(2) subject to availability, change your booking dates to dates when the pricing can be honoured ad so no additional charge to you. In the event that a lower price can be offered for alternative dates then the difference would be refunded;

OR

(3) cancel the Booking. If we do not receive your instructions within 5 days of contacting you, we reserve the right to cancel your Booking without liability to you.

7. Our Responsibility for your Booking

Your contract is with the Owner and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Booking. Our responsibilities are limited to making the Booking in accordance with your instructions and acting properly in accordance with our legal duties as an Agent. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Booking that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your Booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the Booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.

8. Pets

Not all properties accept pets. If you wish to take your pet on holiday, please advise us before booking and we can check whether pets are accepted at the property. You must obtain the prior consent of the Owner before taking any pets to the property. A nightly charge may be made by the Owner for each pet and additional terms may apply.

9. VAT

Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable, the tax is included in the advertised holiday rental price.

10. Visa, passport and health requirements.

Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume that all members of your party are British citizens who hold or will hold full British passports valid for the entire duration of the Arrangements you chose to purchase. Information on visa, passport and health requirements, where given and applicable, is so given on this basis. Requirements may change and you are therefore strongly recommended to check the up to date position with the Owner of the Booking, Passport Office, appropriate embassy or consulate or your doctor as applicable in good time before the commencement of your holiday.

11. Insurance

You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance you purchase is adequate and appropriate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details and take them with you on holiday.

12. Special requests

If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Owner, but unfortunately, we can't guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.

13. Group Bookings

Not all Owners accept Bookings for a single sex group (for example, a stag or hen party). Guests wanting to make such a Booking should check with us beforehand to enable us to check whether the Owner is prepared to accept the Booking. We will then advise you accordingly. In event that an Owner does not accept this type of Booking then it is with regret, that the Booking may be cancelled and cancellation fees may apply. It is the Guest’s responsibility to enquire with Canopy & Stars and/or check on our website beforehand to make sure that this type of booking is permitted.

14. Maximum Numbers

Please note that except by prior arrangement confirmed in writing, only the number of persons specified on a booking confirmation may occupy  a property. Most owners reserve the right to refuse admittance or revoke a booking if this condition is not observed and you are unlikely to receive any refund.

15. Your Responsibilities

Please note that you have a contract with the Owner of the property. As such you are under a responsibility to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner whilst staying at the property with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. You are responsible for informing the Owner of any losses or damage to the property as soon as possible. Please note that you will be liable to pay the Owner for any losses or damage to the property caused by you or a member of your party (except reasonable wear and tear). Some Owners will also require damage deposits. You must also leave the property by the check-out time specified on your booking. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period and/or refuse any future bookings from you.  Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner. In addition, the Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property. As agent, we will have no liability to you in these circumstances. 

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These terms and conditions have been drafted in accordance with and are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any and all disputes arising out of these Agency Terms & Conditions.

17. Discrepancies

In case of a discrepancy between these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Agency Terms & Conditions shall prevail.

18. Validity clause

In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Agency Terms & Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Agency Terms & Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.