Ashwick House

VERY LUXURIOUS THANK YOU

Ah, Ashwick House. What a delight.

I hadn’t been to Exmoor before, and so was very excited as we weaved our way through its treasure trove of villages, bound for Dulverton. Then we took a turn on to the moor, across a cattle grid, down a single track road, and past the Exmoor Pony Centre. In a wooded Coombe lay Ashwick House, an old shooting lodge tastefully refurbished into a very comfortable country house hotel.

The first good point about this hotel became evident immediately - the host came out to meet and greet us with an easy, relaxed air. Staying at Ashwick House feels more like staying with some friends for the weekend, but in luxurious comfort. The host and hostess are very friendly, but also allow you enough privacy to enjoy your weekend. The balance is perfect.

When you enter the house you’ll encounter the main hall - very much the central room. A grand hall for a grand house, but still cosy enough to enjoy your evening drink in. It also has a very good collection of oriental furniture which manages to blend perfectly with the age and atmosphere of the house.

We were then shown to our room. Nicely decorated and a newly refurbished bathroom. I was particularly pleased to see that there was a small fridge in the corner meaning we had been given fresh milk in a jug. (I can’t stand those horrible plastic pots of milk.)

You have the option to dine in at Ashwick house, and I would strongly recommend trying this at once during your stay. The 5 (or is it 6) course menu is excellent, with a good selection each evening. The price is at the higher end of the scale, but I was perfectly happy to pay for the quality of the food. The chef is also happy to be adaptable, as proved when I asked for plain pasta pre-marathon!

The breakfast was also very good. Homemade fruit compote and yoghurt, a selection of cereals and then the delicious full english. I’ve never seen a full english presented so well, and boy did it taste good! Slightly sad to see the absence of beans, but I think that’s more my fault for not asking for them.

Ashwick House made me realise the value of a weekend in a country house hotel. Not something I’ve done that much, but I have now made a mental note to indulge myself in the future. I think I’ll definitely be returning to enjoy this magnificent area of the West Country.

(I haven’t mentioned any of the history of the house, as I’ll let you enjoy discovering this when you stay!)

Follow the river,cross the cattle grid : where were we going as we followed the directions across Exmoor to Ashwick House ? It turned out the directions were as well thought out and attentive to detail as Ashwick House itself.
The house,beautiful in its individuality and graceful in its decor was at the same time
comfortable and welcoming.
A nice touch: the host came out to greet us as we arrived and later showed us around some of the private rooms.
The food was excellent;the menu varied and we particularly enjoyed sitting in the hall before the wood burning stove savouring the first drink of the evening whilst hearing from our host and hostess about the history of the house.
We did not see the red deer this time but we’ll be back to this special place