“Four of us (two adults, 8 year old, 10 year old) visited.”
We are regular visitors to Devon due to family links, so are fairly seasoned in the Dartmoor way of life.
There were no nasty surprises to greet us when we arrived. Yes, it's on a farm, but it's safe what with barely any agricultural vehicles on site. There aren't any animals on site, for those who were wondering.
The house is upside-down, but that makes for lovely views of Manaton rocks from the lounge and kitchen.
The upstairs (living area) is well-insulated, never getting cold. The downstairs is cooler.
The kitchen is well-stocked and the hosts left the necessary bits and pieces for our arrival. For the observant prospective customer, there is a Tassimo machine, but there are no pods, so make sure to bring some yourself, if you're that way inclined.
The upstairs is very roomy and at no point did we feel on top of eachother.
The WiFi coverage, for those who rely on their phones, is very good. 4G and phone coverage is non-existent however, but a landline phone is provided to receive incoming calls.
There had been an advert on another site advertising the fact that there was a bath, but there was a shower only. This is a power shower which provides hot water immediately, which is good for a Dartmoor property.
There is a little outside area where the bench catches the sun during most of the other day.
This is on the outskirts of the hamlet of Manaton. There are numerous fields containing sheep (and lambs!) and cattle.
Manaton is around 10-15 minutes away from the small town of Bovey Tracey, which is worth a visit for a leisurely trip to the cafes/bakeries/restaurants and the park by the river. The kooky House Of Marbles is also in Bovey Tracey and is free admission. If you have children, you will undoubtedly come home with a bag of marbles from the well-priced gift shop.
Moretonhampstead is further afield where there are two places of note - The Miniature Pony Centre (a family favourite, well worth visiting if you like Horses and Ponies) and Berto's (a truly authentic Italian restaurant, but be sure to book up. It's a gem of a place with reasonably-priced, but lovely Pizzas and Pastas).
It ought to be mentioned that Wingstone Farm Cottage is located well into the countryside and as such, one has to navigate the narrow roads typical of Dartmoor. This was not an issue for us, but just consider this if you are particularly precious about your Chelsea tractor having the hedges brushing up against your metallic paperwork.
In summary, this really provided a typically Dartmoor, quiet and lovely place for us to wind down from our respective hectic work and school commitments.
