Our stay in Zara's lovely Devon Shepherd's Hut couldn't have been more perfect! Zara ensured that we were treated as treasured guests and every aspect of the experience - from introductory emails, to our meeting on the farm, to our initial tour of the facilities - suggested that we were in for a real treat... The hut, kitchen gazebo and shower/toilet area are all located at the top of a very pretty field, some distance away from Zara's - or any other - home. The calming sense of stillness and privacy is overwhelming; guests literally have a whole field to play in! The facilities themselves are thoroughly considered, clean and well looked-after. Zara has supplied her guests with all they could need to enjoy a relaxing few nights on the farm. We were immediately impressed by all the small details, including earplugs, current magazines, citronella candles, LED lanterns and everything we could possibly need to build the perfect log fire. The hut itself is catalogue-chic - freshly painted, clean as a whistle and perfectly configured, it is like stepping into a newly-decorated country farmhouse kitchen! All the little touches - including the lovely artwork on the walls and the embroidered cushions - combine to make this space a perfect little haven of relaxation. The wood-burning stove in the corner of the hut was easy to light and provided us with warmth and an atmospheric crackle when the weather turned wet and we were consigned to the hut with our Kindles and Radio 4 for a whole morning; it was among the best times of our trip! The kitchen has everything we could possibly have asked for to cook meals, make quick cups of tea and store essentials (like wine and chocolate!) The Devon Cream Tea that Zara provided us with on arrival was a perfect way to start the holiday and the breakfast packs she offered us - delivered through pre-arranged stealth supply drops - made cooking hearty first meals an easy prospect. Zara's little notes inside our breakfast hamper - telling us about that day's weather, or wishing us a pleasant night's sleep - were among the many highlights. Another highlight was getting warm and comfy around the fire-pit, heating marshmallows over a crackling log fire, listening to the radio and watching the sun set brilliantly over distant fields with a glass of wine. Pure relaxation... The shower area is clean, well laid-out and includes many of the decorating touches that can be seen elsewhere (Zara loves a heart motif!) Even camping novices will easily get to grips with the modern chemical toilet, and showering outside in the rain with a view of freshly-harvested Devon fields is an experience not to be missed! In all, we didn't just love our stay in Zara's Shepherd's Hut... we treasured it, and will be back next year for more of the same! Mike and Ems (August 2015) September 2015

Mike