The Lakehouse

"The Lakehouse". Just saying it sounds fancy. And this Hipcamp doesn't disappoint. The comfortable cabin in South Devon stretches the very idea of glamping. And that’s not because it has Egyptian cotton sheets and fluffy towels—although it does. It’s because you can wake up with a swim in a private lake, followed by a dip in a wood-fired hot tub. It’s because you can end the day with dinner cooked in your own pizza oven and sip a gin that's made on the farm. And it's because you enjoy the place all to yourselves.

It's the outdoorsy things we love the most: The lakeside setting, the huge deck, the private jetty, rowing boat, pizza oven, fire pit, barbecue, sun loungers, hot tub and more. But you won’t be disappointed with the level of luxury indoors either. Host, Richard, asks his guests not to expect five-star luxury. But, uhhh, it's not exactly back-to-basics. There’s a velveteen sofa, for goodness sake, and twin sinks in the bathroom. There’s a log-burning stove, a Smart TV, and WiFi throughout the place. Okay—so, as Richard points out, there’s no dishwasher but, washing up, whether at the indoor kitchen or your outdoor kitchen, isn't exactly the ultimate deal breaker. And, yes, yes, this is a self-catering stay so you won’t be waited on hand and foot. But Richard is only ever a WhatsApp away if, for example, you run out of wine.

Surrounded by willow trees on the water’s edge, the cabin is extremely secluded. You won’t be disturbed—except, perhaps, by a visiting sheep from the farm or a kingfisher flashing by. And did we mention where this place is located? It hardly seems important as, judging by past guests, you won’t want to set foot off site. But, just in case you do want to know: it’s about a mile from Dartmoor National Park and about the same from the closest pub on the edge of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It’s just eight miles from Totnes and less than 10 miles from the closest beach. Yup, it's kinda got it all.