The Leaping Trout

• Sleeps: 28
• Bedrooms: 12
• Minimum stay: 2 nights

Once a bustling public house in the sleepy riverside village of Bickleigh, The Leaping Trout is now a boutique, thatched-roof holiday home that’s surrounded by magnificent Devon countryside.

Featured on the Channel Four TV show ‘Great British Home Restorations’, the dog-friendly retreat boasts 12 elegant bedrooms, as well as a 20-seater vintage-style cinema, stunning gardens with a dining terrace, and an al fresco hot tub…

…and of course, the original, re-furbished bar! But if you don’t feel like pulling your own pints or mixing your own cocktails (and why would you, this is a holiday after all?) the friendly owners are happy to appoint a dedicated bartender, sommelier, or mixologist for your stay.

They can offer you a full catering service if needed, too – though budding chefs are sure to adore the huge, gleaming DeVol-style farmhouse kitchen. There’s even a sociable kitchen island with stools… so non-cooks can pour a glass of wine and chat to the chef while dinner’s being prepared!

What else to do? Kick back in the cinema, with its authentic red-velvet seating and popcorn machine, or cradle a digestif in front of the welcoming lounge fire, getting lost in conversation with your favourite people.

Meanwhile, there are vintage pub games waiting to be played, and of course, a huge expanse of lush garden waiting to be enjoyed! Unwind in the hot tub, after an evening meal served at the magical, festoon-lit dining terrace… you’ll even find a dedicated bathing hut stocked with robes and flip-flops.

One of the two lawn areas is also home to decking that overlooks the shimmering river… pull up a chair and open a good book, or simply listen to the gentle soundtrack of nature for a while.

At a glance

• A beautifully refurbished riverside inn, now a boutique holiday home with a thatched roof and river access in the historic Devon village of Bickleigh.
• The inn’s transformation was featured on the Channel Four TV show ‘Great British Home Restorations’.
• There are 12 elegant bedrooms – 8 kingsize, 5 doubles, and 2 singles – most boasting their own indulgent en-suite facilities, and/or an in-room freestanding bathtub.
• The original bar has been refurbished and is intact, though if you don’t want to pull your own pints, the friendly owners can appoint a bartender or mixologist for your stay on request. Full catering services can also be provided.
• Additional stand-out features include a 20-seater vintage-style cinema, and a huge al fresco space with river access, a dining terrace, and a hot tub with massage jets.
• The retreat is dog-friendly, with four-legged friends enjoying their own utility area and full ground-floor access.
• There are plenty of places of interest nearby, including a vineyard, shopping/dining centre and a historic castle.

Features

• Dog Friendly
• Family Friendly
• Hot Tubs
• Large Groups

More information

When it’s finally time to turn in, just claim your favourite of those 12 bedrooms. There are eight kingsize rooms, five doubles, and two singles, sleeping up to 28 guests in total.

Paying gentle homage to the building’s history, each bedroom is elegantly furnished with natural, eco-friendly local materials, and most feature an indulgent en-suite. If you’re lucky, yours will also have its very own in-room freestanding bathtub.

What to do after that sound night’s sleep? Take your time over a hearty breakfast all together, then walk off the calories with a long country walk (this may well be the dogs’ preferred option!)

Meanwhile, there’s a local vineyard to explore, or you could take a romantic horse-drawn barge trip along Tiverton Canal. Bickleigh Mill, a shopping, eating and recreation centre housed in an 18th century working watermill, is a must-visit, too. Round off your day by touring Bickleigh Castle, which dates all the way back to 600 AD, before heading back to The Leaping Trout for last orders!

Things to note

Minimum 2-night stay. Check in from 4pm, check out by 10am.