Billingsmoor Farm Feather Down Glamping: Review

Ad – Our stay at Billingsmoor Farm was a press trip

Have you ever wanted to leave the drudgery of everyday life behind and get away from it all? You can’t get more away from it all than a Feather Down glamping site. No WiFi, no electricity in the tents and located on a working farm. We headed to beautiful Billingsmoor Farm in Devon for the half term to relax, unwind and swap phone and laptop screens for rolling hillsides, birdsong and starlight.

About Feather Down

Feather Down offer glamping holidays on working farms. They want people to experience the countryside life without having to go through the difficult bits of camping. No shared toilets or roll out mattresses on the floor. In fact, you have the luxury of a self-catering cottage with all the good parts of camping thrown in.

The idea started in the Netherlands more than 16 years ago. Unsurprisingly, visitors loved it and it spread to the UK as well as Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland, France and Germany. Feather Down glamping holidays are ideal for children and families due to their proximity to the farm. Visitors can have a tour with the farmer and get involved in various activities.

This is our second Feather Down break, having escaped to Fountain Violet Farm when the girls were much younger. We loved it so much we couldn’t wait to try out a different Feather Down location.

Staying at Billingsmoor Farm

Billingsmoor Farm is a working dairy farm on the Duchy of Cornwall estate in Devon. Despite being conveniently located just a few miles from the M5 motorway, it couldn’t feel more remote. Driving down tiny country roads for the last couple of miles to the farm feels like entering a different world. The pace of life seems to slow down as you stroll around rolling green fields with docile cows grazing and bats flying around in the evenings.

Billingsmoor Farm boasts a selection of canvas hideaways, sleeping six or ten people. Each one has a private outdoor hot shower, and you can even upgrade to have a hot tub as well. On arrival, you’ll be welcomed by Jayne and Robert, the friendly couple who own the farm. Jayne and Robert strike the perfect balance between making sure guests have everything they need, and leaving them to get on with their holiday.

Fancy treating yourself to baguettes or croissants for breakfast? They’ll bake them for you. Need something from the honesty shop? Just pop down and get it. Prefer to speak to nobody outside of your immediate family for the duration of your stay? That’s fine too. There’s even a farm walk on a Wednesday afternoon, where children can have a look around – escorted by the farmers – and meet the animals.

Accommodation

As with all Feather Down locations, the canvas hideaways at Billingsmoor Farm are full of character, practical and comfortable. There’s no electricity, instead you light the wood-burning stove. This can be used for cooking, boiling the kettle and heating the room. Everything you’d expect in a well-stocked kitchen is on hand. Including knives, chopping boards, cutlery and crockery. In terms of lighting, there’s an array of candles, along with two oil-burning stoves.

As glamping goes, Feather Down accommodation is pretty luxurious. The huge beds are extremely comfortable, with lovely warm duvets and soft pillows. The girls absolutely loved their beds. Libby’s room had bunk beds, while Lia was delighted to sleep in the cupboard!

A large, candle-lit dining table is an ideal place to enjoy family meals without the distraction of screens. Alternatively, make the most of the fresh air and use the picnic bench outside. When it comes to relaxing, choose between the living room sofa, or adjustable deck chairs on the front porch.

Things to do near Billingsmoor Farm

Billingsmoor Farm is an amazing place to base yourself to explore Devon. We visited Sidmouth, Exmouth and Saunton Sands beaches. Each one offers something different. From vibrant Sidmouth with its vast array of ice cream shops to the brilliant surf and dog-friendly beach at Saunton Sands.

The other place I have to mention is the amazing Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth. As well as being great fun for children, it’s dog friendly. The café serves delicious afternoon teas and brilliant breakfasts, as well as having a great lunch menu – with child-friendly options. Better still, it’s free to visit – they just ask for a donation towards the upkeep of their adorable donkeys.

We were surprised at just how friendly the donkeys were. Particularly the miniature donkeys and one absolute gem of a larger donkey named Wonky. They were all happy to stand around having their ears rubbed or backs scratched, and even seemed to enjoy meeting the dogs.

Billingsmoor Farm: The verdict

I can’t praise Billingsmoor Farm highly enough as a relaxing hideaway. These days, I think most families experience the same issues that we have with children not wanting to venture far from a screen. I’ll admit, I was a bit worried about the idea of surgically removing my tweens from their devices. But once that painful operation is over and done with, it’s easy to reconnect and enjoy time as a family.

Whilst we spent a lot of time exploring the local area, this was combined with slow, lazy mornings relaxing in our canvas home from home. Evenings cooking together over the fire and relaxing on the deckchairs under the stars. Walks through the farm’s fields with the dogs and watching the sunset at the top of the hill.

Billingsmoor Farm is an idyllic place to stay, and I completely understand why so many people return year after year.