Battens

Clean, comfortable and quiet.

A perfect place to stay in the countryside. Very well equipped with everything we needed. The beds were very comfortable. We loved the apple juice and the marble cake, waiting for us on arrival. I can also highly recommend the Victoria sandwich cake, wonderfully moist, made with duck eggs from the resident ducks.

The converted Barn/Cottage was clean, spacious and well equipped.

It was situated in a small hamlet, therefore, nice and quiet. Owners lived on site and were very friendly. Ideal for someone wanting a low key quiet time. Having a car is essential for traveling to local attractions and beaches. Overall, a great place to stay.

Simon and Sue were lovely.

The view is lovely and the accommodation is good and well equipped. The gardens and setting are very attractive. The shower could be improved.

We had a wonderful stay.

The cottage had everything we needed, and the playroom was a bonus especially for the grandchildren. Lovely spacious garden. Welcome treats (lovely homemade apple juice and cake and eggs from the farm) were very much appreciated.

Lovely cottage and owners were very nice.

...lovely welcome pack of fresh hens and duck eggs and home made apple juice...cottage had everything you needed and the views from outside were beautiful...would definately recommend it and gladly go back again

We have been staying at Northleigh Farm for over 10 years.

We absolutely love it. All the cottages are cosy, well maintained and well equipped. There are always eggs from the farm's chicken's or ducks when you arrive. Sue and Simon are wonderful hosts - nothing is ever too much trouble. Northleigh is a lovely village at the top of the Coly Valley and the farm has beautiful views across the valley. There are lots of fantastic walks and plenty to do for all ages within 30 min drive.

Lovely cottage with excellent access to the coast and a fab games room on site for kids and adults alike.

We had a lovely stay here for a little Easter mini break. Great access to places like Lyme Regis for fossil hunting/fish and chips. Can see how the garden and patio would be a lovely place to relax in the summer months as well.

Battens is a very clean and well presented cottage, set on a working farm.

The location offers easy access to coastal towns such as Sidmouth and Seaton. The accommodation is very comfortable and peaceful. The patio and garden area to the rear offers amazing views of the surrounding hills, and is a nice place to relax. The games room is a bonus, as are the duck pond and chicken pen. Very friendly and helpful owners are on site. I would recommend a stay.

Thank you so much for a wonderful week staying with you.

The cottage was brilliant - everything was so clean, the view was beautiful, the welcoming juice, milk and eggs were a nice touch (we're sorry we didn't use the eggs) as well as the sweet peas. You are in such a good location for visiting local beaches, but when we were with you it felt like we were in our own bubble away from the rest of the world.

A wonderful holiday in a lovely cottage!

Spotlessly clean, extremely comfy beds, fabulous views and friendly,helpful owner . We also had some lovely produce left as a welcome...thank you Sue

Friendly owners Comfortable cottage with all facilities Beautiful views Chickens and ducks on site so fresh eggs daily A bit remote and local lanes a bit tricky to navigate

Beautiful Cottage.

When we arrived the boiler had broken ( we knew this was the case before travelling) and heaters were provided which were great and we were toasty warm in the property. We used the shower in next door property on the first day and this was fine and we were grateful that this was an option. Boiler got fixed on our first full day so then everything was great. The property owner was very informative and kept us up to date with this process all the way through so all in all we felt well looked after. Would recommend this property - and the games barn was a great social space as we were with family in another cottage. The property has all facilities that you would need for a cozy new year break. Would like to visit in summer months also.

We have already sent you feedback.

The stay was as comfortable as ever as we have been staying af Northleigh Farm since 2091. Sue and Simon are so welcoming. Our 9 year old Grandson loved the games room and our granddaughter helped with collecting the eggs. We will be back.

Absolutely beautiful property with the best views.

Facilities were absolutely amazing and we had such a good time there. We would ve quick to recommend this place to anyone who will listen. The owners were lovely and offered to fix any problems we had. The farm products were amazing too, but my favourite part was the apple juice!!

Battens was a lovely place to stay and very friendly.

It is very comfortable and of a high standard. Having a downstairs bedroom was helpful as my mother has limited mobility but could manage the one step down into the cottage.

Had a great week away at Battens.

We have teenagers and a dog and it worked brilliantly with a mix of great dog walking out in the countryside, yet close to the seaside. The owners are really helpful and accessible. Would definitely recommend if you want peace and tranquillity yet still want to out and about.

A lovely property in a fantastic location.

Our hosts were very welcoming and the games room was a lovely additional feature. Highly recommend.

We were here for the weekend.

There were 6 of us. 4 adults and 2 children. We all enjoyed our stay at Battens on Northleigh Farm. It was very clean and comfortable. It was also very well equipped. There is a lovely garden which we were able to enjoy due to lovely weather. We appreciated the welcome pack with goods from the farm.

A very comfortable cottage with good views in a delightful rural position.

Fabulous all round - peaceful location but within short drive of Seaton, Lyme Regis, Charmouth, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton etc.

Lovely owners and well-equipped accommodation

We had a lovely comfotable stay.

The house was lovely and warm.. Wonderful views and quiet.

The Cottage was lovely, but unfortunatley for us a little too rural.

We were hampered by the weather with heavy storms that led to treacherous driving conditions trying to visit anywhere local as the roads were flooded. The couple staying in the owners cottage were very kind and helpful There was a lack of cleaning equipment. i.e. no vaccum cleaner or mop.

Sue and Simon were very friendly and helpful .

The cottage is in a lovely rural location and was fully equipped with everything. On arrival we were provided with fresh eggs, cake and apple juice. The games room was great and well stocked and enjoyed.

Lovely practical space, downstairs bedroom perfect for mother and 2 year old.

Cot, high chair and stairgate all provided on request without additional charge. Cool indoors with curtains closed during heatwave which was a blessing. Well equipped kitchen, plus fresh cake, eggs and milk left for us. Washing machine / drier easily available at very small additional cost . Fabulous outdoor space with chickens, ducks, pigs, Guinea fowl plus grass for playing. Very friendly and welcoming owners. Very many thanks for a very happy week spent and will be looking forward to going again.

Our second visit here.

The accomodation was excellent, well equipped and very clean and tidy. The owners went out of their way to help with anything we needed. Thank you for providing a lovely accomodation in a beautiful rural setting. We will return again!

Excellent, well equipped and comfortable cottage, with outstanding views over the rolling hills.

Nice and welcoming owners, lovely free range egg, apple juice and cake in the welcome pack.

The barns are so beautifully restored, and are clean, comfortable and welcoming.

So well equiped, loads of kitchen stuff, crockery, cutlery. Lovely touch of home produce left for us (cake, duck/chicken eggs, fresh apple juice) The grassy area (meadow) was fabulous, the children had a ball!! Great for family games, cricket/badminton This was our 5th visit, and already booked for net year!! Thank you so much Sue & Simon, for making us so welcome. Best holiday. Thank you Dorset/Devon, you always deliver!

Battens is a very comfortable cottage maintained to a high standard.

The kitchen was particularly well stocked, and special mention must be made of the welcome pack left by Sue - delicious cake and apple juice with milk and eggs from the farm :)

Had a lovely week at Battens.

Well equipped cottage that was warm and comfortable. Owners were friendly and welcoming,with lovely eggs, cakes and apple juice on arrival. Highlight for us was the games room which children spent hours in. Outside space was nice although a bit chilly to properley use when we visited. Highly recommend and will use again

We had a fabulous stay at Northleigh farm cottages.

The homemade apple juice and cakes were a lovely welcome. The cottage has everything you could possibly need for a stay and was very clean. Spacious outside area and the animals were a bonus. We all loved the games room, which was also full of board games, puzzles, dvds and books. Great sausages too! Would highly recommend.

Just returned back home to Hampshire after a weeks stay at Northleigh Farm.

The hosts - Sue and Simon - couldn't have been better.The facilities and location gave us the the comfort and peace we required.Our stay in Jan 23 included an extreme cold snap, but to return - after being out most of the day - to a warm, cosy cottage was simply wonderful.Thank you Sue and Simon, a lovely break that was much appreciated.

We went for a new year's break, the cottage was lovely and clean and very comfortable, the only problem we had was the bedrooms was very cold, becouse the heating was hit and miss, didn't seem to be on for long, this was out of our control as I think it was on some sort of timer, but it didn't come on very often.

The roads to the cottage was full of potholes and very narrow, with no passing points on meny of them, which at times was a bit scarey, specifically when it was dark, so we didn't tend to go out much on the evenings. I was a bit surprised to find that the lights out side the cottages on site was turned off really early, as it was pitch black out side and we had dogs to take for walks. The owners was very nice and pleasant, and all in all we did enjoy our stay, and the cottage was well equipped with every thing we needed, prob not good to go in winter, but can imagine it would be beautiful in the summer.

Fabulous stay - lovely hosts - perfect location, games room a real bonus.

Thank you for a great week away - highly recommend.

Lovely location and lovely hosts.

The Guinae fowl were delightful to watch! The accommodation was faultless, very clean and comfortable with all the facilities one could want. A lovely rural location and a good base to explore the south coast. Honiton is only a short drive away if supplies run low or you want a takeaway! Previous comments have mentioned the narrow roads with high hedges. This is accurate for some roads but ironically, they were probably safer roads to drive on as motorists drive much slower. It certainly shouldn't put anyone off staying here.

We had a great stay and it was a really lovely touch to be greeted by homemade cake, fresh eggs, tea and milk and homemade apple juice - we enjoyed them all!

In terms of things that could have been better, the set up with the shared washing machine wasn't ideal and I don't remember that being clear on the listing. Other suggestions: - the drying rack was too small for a load of washing so would suggest providing a bigger one. - the beds had lovely feather duvets but they were 13.5 tog so we all boiled at night! I'm sure they're needed in the winter but a summer duvet is needed for the summer months! - a blanket for the living room as it could get chilly in the evenings. There were lots of thoughtful touches and the kids loved having the animals and games room close by!

Lovely owners who made us all very welcome.

The facilities are very good . The upstairs bathroom would benefit from a power shower but not a big deal . The produce sold at the farm was delicious. The pigs and the Guinea Fowl made the holiday for the kids !

Well equipped comfortable cottage with breathtaking views.

Sue is very friendly and happy to help if needed. Lovely to see the animals and games room is a bonus. Close to local attractions. The lanes around the property are an experience so be prepared. Would definitely return.

Very comfortable property, spacious and clean.

The holiday property was fine.

The cottage was great, the garden and games room excellent. One small problem was the journey to find it. The farm is very remote and the country lanes are a nightmare with high hedges and farm vehicles suddenly appearing. Three miles from a shop in Colyton. A less than competent driver would find it very difficult . But, a very lovely place to stay.

Wonderful owners of the property.

Idyllic surroundings which meant our days felt so long. I took my baby to see the ducks and chickens every day and our dogs loved the openness of the back garden. We had a bbq and many lovely evenings looking at the fabulous view. Perfect.

We really enjoyed our stay at Battens, Simon and Sue gave us a warm welcome, the well equipped cottage was a great home for 5 of us just before Easter.

Lovely to be on a farm with newly acquired piglets and the fresh apple juice, eggs and homemade cake that greeted us were a lovely treat. Battens had a slightly secluded outdoor terrace (though other guests have access to the garden to so it isn't completely private) with a large table for meals and the shared use of the very well stocked games room was also a big bonus. If I had one suggestion it would be to have a more stable kitchen table as most meals were eaten there and it was somewhat wobbly! It was great (in fact imperative!) to have a separate loo downstairs with 3 teens in the house however I would agree with some of of the other reviews mentioning how useful a downstairs shower would be, I realise this would be tricky to do with the space, perhaps a wet room?! Thanks for a great stay.

An excellent cottage, everything you can think of is catered for.

Simon and Sue are extremely friendly and helpful and we had a amazing 6 days stay here. Perfect for our dog too.

Beautiful location, very comfortable and very friendly hosts

Overall we was delighted with our holiday accommodation the only thing I would say is it could do with a walk in shower for people that have trouble getting in the bath to use the shower and the double bed mattress needs replacing as you can feel the slats at the bottom and you roll into the middle of the bed.

The accommodation is very well equipped and the cleanest place I have ever stayed in, it is in a beautiful setting with fields surrounding you and the owners are lovely and cannot accommodate you enough. I would definitely recommend this accommodation.

This is a wonderful property if you want to get away from everything!

The games room was great and we had lots of laughs and competitions in there, playing pool, darts, table tennis, etc. The owners Sue and Simon were absolutely lovely, they achieved the perfect balance of being available if you wanted them, but also letting us get on with our holiday, they made us feel so welcome! A lovely welcome pack of fresh apple juice, fresh milk and freshly baked mince pies was a very nice touch too! Simon let our daughter help feed the chickens and collect the eggs, which she loved and then we went to see the cows too! She was a little disappointed there weren’t any pigs there during our stay, but this definitely made up for it. The house itself is really nice, lovely comfortable sofas and beds. I’d say the water system is rather loud, but it’s amazing how quickly you get used to it. We stayed in December and we thought how lovely it would be in the spring/summer months as we’d probably use the outside space a lot more. The phone signal is hit and miss (which wasn’t a problem for us), the Wi-Fi is good though. It was a good base for travelling to lots of places, we had a lovely day at Lyme Regis, which I’d recommend. All in all, a lovely place with lovely people in beautiful Devon!

Lovely cottage, great owners and very convenient location for beaches.

Very friendly hosts, providing a lovely welcome with free range eggs from their own hens, their homemade apple juice, home baked slices of cake and beautiful display of wildflowers in the window.

Spacious interior and impressed with the heating system which was easy to operate as we stayed in October with weather and temperature being a bit temperamental. We appreciated the downstairs toilet and the lovely patio area looking out into the countryside. Loved the guinea fowls coming to the patio doors greeting us in the morning and the narrow country lanes leading to the property.

Excellent accommodation and very helpful owners - a beautiful peaceful spot within easy reach of the coast.

Excellent accommodation.

If I had a quibble it would be that a walk in shower would have been good but there was bags of hot water and it really did not matter

We had a great holiday at Nortleigh Farm.

The cottages, facilities and their settings were lovely. Sue and Simon were lovely and friendly hosts. Would definitely recommend if you want to be away from the busy resorts.

The owners were really nice, helpful and friendly.

I personally found the narrow roads stressful but apparently that’s ‘welcome to Devon’

We had an amazing time at Battens and the accommodation was more than we could have hoped for.

To be honest, when we originally booked it, there were lots of lovely pictures of the beautiful garden, farm animals, scenery and the games barn. However when checking the Sykes website just before the holiday started, we saw that they had been replaced mainly with shots of the interior. While the interior was very nice, modern and clean, we felt it shouldn't be the main selling point, as there is so much more to Battens than just the comfortable living accommodation. If you are reading this review and can still see pictures of the interior, I would definitely recommend booking as you will be in for an awesome surprise when you arrive and see the exterior too! The enclosed garden was great for letting the dogs run around and for having BBQ's and sitting under the stars in the pitch black night sky. The owners were extremely friendly and helpful and took the time to make sure we were settled and had everything we could possibly need. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice comfortable break in the countryside.

Had a lovely relaxing holiday with the family and our dog who also loved the beautiful scenery, and animals, love the uniqueness and welcoming people.

would come back again. Would be lovely to have some info on best places to visit and local restaurants.

The cottage was very comfortable and well equipped and so peaceful.

There was plenty of room and it was delightful to sit out on the patio with a wonderful view of the valley and hills beyond. The hens,pigs and cows all added to the experience. Sue was a friendly host and we appreciated the milk,eggs and home made apple juice provided for our arrival on a very bleak and wet day. Lyme Regis,Beer, Branscombe,Seaton and Sidmouth are all within easy reach and all the banks along the Devon lanes were lined with bluebells.

We couldn't of asked for more from our stay here, Sue and Simon were so friendly and welcoming from the minute we arrived to the second we left.

The cottage had everything we needed and more. Our children loved living on a farm for a week and waking up to the see the animals everyday. If you're looking for somewhere to stay in this area I couldn't recommend Northleigh farm enough.

Great cottage in a tranquil location.

The cottage is cosy yet spacious, very well equipped, comfy beds, powerful shower etc. The owners are very friend and helpful. The accommodation is on a working farm so lots of animals to go and see. Great location in East Devon, an ideal base for all the local beaches. Would highly recommend this property.

We love staying with Sue and Simon, they make sure you have everything you need.

The cottage was really comfortable and the surroundings peaceful.

The cottage is absolutely fabulous, we have been staying at Northleigh Farm for nearly ten years and all the cottages are wonderful.

Sykes Holidays are a complete nightmare to deal with. I had to wait 3 months for a refund and even with many phone calls and a case reference it took an email with the threat of trading standards to get my money eventually.

Sue and Simon brilliant hosts.

Lovely remote converted barns. Clean and warm cottage. Great games room to keep children occupied, they even got involved with egg collecting from the chickens.

lovely cottage in a beautiful place so quiet and peaceful Loved having visits from the dog, cat and guinea fowl.

The welcome pack was very much appreciated and although we did not see much of the owners we felt welcome Wonderful break thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this lovely cottage

Lovely cottage and fantastic hosts.

We had a lovely week!

Holiday cottage situated in a very quiet valley to the north of Colyton village,stayed here with my older brother and his wife,who are visiting from Melbourne,Australia.

.We all found it a very relaxing area with plenty of things to do/see within a short driving distance.We visited a different Pub/Restaurant around the area each night and were able to eat well at reasonable prices.my Daughter/Fiancee and 3 month old baby boy joined us from Monday afternoon till Thursday morning and also found the cottage,location and area to be perfect for a short break with thier very young baby.All in all we all enjoyed our stay at Battens in Northleigh,Devon and would not hesitate to recommend or book again. The Tookey's and Bullock's

Extremely welcoming hosts.

Superb accommodation.

Such a lovely,relaxing break with family.

We were made to feel very welcome by Sue and Simon. The boys enjoyedplaying in the games room as well as seeing all the animals around the farm. They even helped to collect the eggs from the chickens. It was a great location for us to explore, a short drive to Exmouth beach or Creally adventure park, both were enjoyed by all.

Sue and Simon were wonderfully accommodating and welcoming hosts.

Their cottage was both beautiful and very well set-up. The complete tranquility of the location together with the small farm livestock ticked my boxes, while my children and husband really made the most of the games room. It was a wrench to leave- it has become one of my goto-to-get-away places - I would encourage all families to book with complete confidence. NB- don’t take supermarket eggs and sausages- Sue’s are fabulous. Thankyou, Jo

Lovely holiday, made very welcome by the owners.

Great to see the animals every day, 2 calves were born on our first day too! Cosy cottage, with everything you need, washing machine and tumble dryer are shared and donation to be to use them, but no hassle with this. Games room was very spacious and had lots to do if needed.

Owners are fantastic and couldn’t be more welcoming or helpful

We booked our Sykes holiday for two weeks, the first week to be spent with our family including two grandchildren, and the second week with old friends.

The cottage 'Battens' at Northleigh Farm, Colyton, Devon was very well equipped, we could have had a party for a dozen people or more! Our hosts Sue and Simon Potter could not have been more friendly or helpful. We were blessed with lovely weather and the children enjoyed free range of the garden and loved helping to feed the chickens. The play barn was well used, but would really have come into its own if the weather had been bad. We enjoyed trips to the beach, river boat ride, kite flying, picnics and building happy memories. The second week was more sedate with adult pursuits, A la Ronde, a National Trust property was a delight; encounters with cows in the narrow lanes and meeting a bus coming the other way caused much laughter. We were lucky to be in time for the Honiton Show, and found places to eat, although these had to be researched as nowhere immediately close by. Only thing missing was a pub in the village. We would be happy to recommend this cottage to our friends, and may even return another time.

This is really a lovely place, a nice spacious cottage with gorgeous views over the pretty countryside.

Very helpful owners. I would thoroughly recommend it.

Northleigh Farm is a little gem.

Battens is a cosy, warm, secluded retreat with a lovely patio view over the fields. Sue and Simon, the owners are delightful and my son loved feeding the animals and collecting the eggs. The games room on site is a real bonus for children and adults alike. A great little base for exploring Devon, good walks, interesting museums and beautiful coastal towns.