Driftcombe Farmhouse

Reviews (16)

• Confirmed Guest

  Driftcombe Farmhouse is a stunning property in a wonderfully peaceful setting and is one of the most memorable places we have ever stayed. It has a very rustic feel in terms of décor and furnishings, which may not be to everyone’s taste, but for us that was a huge part of its charm and exactly what we wanted from a country cottage.The house is very well equipped for day-to-day living and cooking, with plenty to keep you occupied, including books, games, croquet and table tennis. The wildlife around the cottage is fantastic. Although we didn’t manage to see the famed badgers, rabbits and deer were frequent visitors, along with one particularly entertaining squirrel who seemed determined to provide the comedy element of the holiday. There are also lovely paths and walks leading directly from the gardens.The peace and tranquillity are exceptional. Once you are at the farmhouse, you genuinely feel as though you have got away from everything, and there is something very special about that. It is a beautiful, characterful property in a wonderful location.There is, however, one important issue which I think prospective guests need to understand properly before booking, and that is the access.The information available when we booked described the property as being accessed via a “rough track”, said that access might be more difficult in winter and referred to a “small steep hill” which could be tricky in snow or heavy rain. From that description, we expected a rough country track and a steep section requiring some additional care.In fairness, the arrival directions sent to us after we had booked were more specific. They described the track as very narrow and referred to a hairpin bend where a three-point turn should be used. However, even those directions did not really prepare us for the reality of encountering it for the first time.The hairpin sits immediately at the top of a steep descent, with only limited space in which to manoeuvre and a significant drop beyond the edge of the track. We were driving a Nissan Qashqai, so not an unusually large vehicle, and it still required very careful positioning. If you approach it as you would an ordinary hairpin, you can quite easily find yourself in a very awkward position with little room to continue, a steep gradient behind you and the edge of the track much closer than you would want.I want to be very clear that the bend can be negotiated successfully. Once we understood the correct technique — effectively using the flatter part of the bend to reposition the car with a controlled multi-point manoeuvre rather than trying to drive around it in one movement — it became noticeably easier, and after doing it a few times we were much more confident.Inside the cottage there are much more detailed handwritten instructions explaining how to negotiate the bend, and these were genuinely helpful. My strongest suggestion to the owner would be to provide those instructions to guests before arrival, ideally with photographs or a simple diagram showing the correct positioning of the vehicle. In my view, that information would also be useful before booking so that guests can make an informed decision about whether they are comfortable with the access.I would be particularly concerned about an inexperienced or nervous driver attempting the bend for the first time without understanding the technique. Even for a reasonably confident driver, getting the positioning wrong could leave the vehicle in a very awkward situation, put considerable strain on the clutch when trying to recover the position, or bring the car uncomfortably close to the edge. Poor weather or darkness would inevitably make that more difficult.The access did affect how we used our holiday. We had planned to go out for a couple of evening meals but decided against it because we simply were not comfortable negotiating the track and hairpin after dark. We also found ourselves thinking twice about going out because we knew we would have to tackle the access again when we returned.None of this is intended to discourage people from staying at Driftcombe Farmhouse. Quite the opposite. It is a genuinely lovely place and, once we knew how to negotiate the bend, the access became considerably less intimidating. My criticism is really about ensuring that guests understand the nature of the access before they arrive, rather than discovering it for themselves at the top of the hill.With clearer advance information, I would have no hesitation in recommending Driftcombe Farmhouse very highly. The house, wildlife, tranquillity and setting are wonderful. It is simply important that visitors arrive properly prepared for the access because, once you have mastered that, the reward at the bottom of the track is a truly special place to stay.

• Wim Poldervaart

  A delightful little house for complete relaxation, featuring a lovely open garden that offers plenty of shade on warm days.

• Kim Paskins

  Fantastic away from it all cottage. Lovely time spent with family. Enjoyed the space and wildlife. Hope to go back.