National Trust - Coleton Fishacre — Attraction in South Hams

The late 1920's style house is very impressive and feels authentic. They've done their best to keep original furniture, and have had custom pieces made using photos from the time so that they can act as replacements for the originals. The walking route is a bit odd but they're a helpful map with numbered rooms for you to follow. The information room (room 1) provides all of the back story and family history regarding the house and grounds. There is a handling room where you're welcome to try on original clothing, makeup utensils, hair dryers, phones, etc. just don't be surprised if people think you're tampering with a historic room! The rooms that I would highly suggest not glancing over are on the ground floor and are the library room and main living area. The library really does make you take a step back as it's so aesthetically pleasing. It has an Indiana Jones type of feeling to it but also a touch of sophistication. The living room has a mesmerisingly clean look to it with teal furniture contrasting the white walls. A gorgeous piano is also featured here and you can often hear gifted members of the public giving it a play!

The grounds surrounding the house are equally as beautiful. During the summer the gardens are absolutely bursting with colour and wildlife. There are some truly exotic ginormous plants too, and quite often you feel as if you're could be anywhere in the world as you're walking down the paths with streams and stone bridge's. The grounds provide some easy walking routes which lead to a truly spectacular view (the map says something along the lines of it being a special viewpoint and it really is a something worth seeing). The grounds also offer some more advanced and harder going walking. Be warned that there are a lot of steps if you chose to go the hard way, but the steps are all marked on the map. Speaking of the map, we found it quite hard to orientate ourselves as there are two sites you'll be heading for; the spectacular view, and the costal view. To make it clear for people reading, the spectacular view is the path at the very top of the house, where as the coastal view is accessed by the paths that follow off from the garden area. Both destinations are in the same direction walking past the house and towards the sea, but they're just on different heights. It's quite confusing but should make sense if you start at the house and study the map from there!

I changed the opening times on the Google listing for this place as they were the off peak opening times so I would recommend visiting the website for accurate visiting times!

If you love art deco and beautiful grounds/coastal views then there really is nowhere else to be but...

I'm making use of a National Trust membership that was gifted to me and so it's my mission to visit any in the areas I find myself in.

So far Coleton Fishacre has been the most wonderful one yet. I really enjoy the homely feel of the house, it feels grand but not too grand if you know what I mean. It feels like it would be a very comfortable home and not too stately.

The 1920s styling is superb.

The staff and volunteers were friendly and helpful, on hand to answer questions and give a demonstration of the servants bell system.

There are free lockers provided outside the building but under a covered driveway for leaving bags and backpacks.

The gardens, my words won't do it justice. They are simply stunning in mid June, the colours, the water leading you downhill to the sea. Magical.

The paths are all downhill towards the viewpoint on the cliffs and are steep in places. They'll put your legs, back and fitness to the test that's for sure.

I had a coffee and the most delicious flapjack at the NT cafe, do stop by to build your energy either before or after the climb up and down the paths.

A magical place that will stay in my memory as a highlight of my Devon holiday for a long time.

The road there was very narrow with lots of passing points but can be a little unnerving for even experienced drivers, expect to have to reverse back to a...

What an amazing time we had visiting here,it's abit Awkward and narrow driving the last stretch to get to the property but there are passing areas so just take it steady.. Theirs a fair bit of parking here with pay and display meters,which are free to national trust members. The volunteers here are so friendly and knowledgeable and will answer most questions..on entering you are given a warm friendly welcome and given a tour manual that helps you in the right direction giving you loads of information on each room..their are volunteers around the house ready to tell you more information.. The views from inside the house out over the garden and coast are spectacular..after leaving the house we strolled round the garden and went down to the bottom which joins the sw coastal path( through the gate leaving the garden). The main paths in the garden are easy to walk on but it is quite steep going down and back up.. Had a cuppa in cafe which was clean and tidy and the shop was very well presented with some interesting items.. Would deffinatly recommend a visit.. Would also like to give the lady in the car park a mention as she was so helpful on...