Parkers Farm Cottages and Caravans

Parkers Farm Cottages and Caravans is perfectly placed for both Dartmoor and the south Devon coast, so we think a few days at each should be in order.

Animal fans can find out all about Dartmoor’s wildlife at the High Moorland Visitor Centre at Princetown in the heart of the park, with free admission, regularly changing exhibitions and knowledgeable staff who can point enthusiasts in the right direction.

Kids will probably also want to ebb towards the award-winning River Dart Country Park for adrenaline activities, zipwires and nature trails, and to Becky Falls, picked by the World Wildlife Fund as an Incredible Family Day Out.

If you have to firmly tell your disappointed offspring that no, wild Dartmoor ponies are not there for riding, take them instead to one of the several stables around on the moor for horse rides and pony treks. There are stables for all abilities from beginner to expert, including enclosed schools for beginners, and different parts of park recommended according to experience: the south-east quarter is best for beginners, with accessible moorland and gentle slopes. Many Dartmoor pubs have tie rails or paddocks for horses if you’re making a pitstop.

Also in the national park, spend a day or three at Pennywell Farm and the Buckfast Butterfly Farm and Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary, both in Buckfastleigh. Farm rides, a falconry centre and regular shows are on the agenda at Pennywell Farm; listen for the bell every half an hour which rings in the start of a new activity.

Now knackered? Also at Buckfastleigh, browse peacefully around Buckfast Abbey to browse around, or have some sedate steam-based sightseeing on the South Devon Railway to Totnes (once there, the kids will probably find more energetic things to do at the Woodlands Adventure Park, which has a zoo farm including Meerkat Hotel, a dinosaur ride and several hair-raising play and adventure zones).

Towards the coast, let little folk make a splash at Paignton’s Quay West, the biggest outdoor waterpark in the UK, or get busy on the beaches of the English Riviera at Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.

On the way, stop off at Newton Abbot for the brilliantly bonkers House of Marbles for its games and marbles museums, games and glass for sale, and the games garden with giant floating marble.