Come With Me for a Painting Workshop Vacation in East and South Devon, England
September 15-29, 2012
England is the home of watercolour and we will cover the very best the regions of east and south Devon have to offer from a painter's perspective.
The trip starts early morning at Heathrow after your overnight flight from Toronto. You will be driven to the first week's accommodation in Branscombe, East Devon - about 3 hours. En route, if we chose, we can stop at Stonehenge to marvel at these ancient stones, and Stourhead, a National Trust Property reknowned for its classical garden.
Branscombe is one of the region's loveliest secluded villages, with thatched cottages strung along a meandering valley, with a monumental 12th century church. There are, of course, a couple of pubs! Our accommodation is at Higher House Farm, a superb 16th century detached property with 2 acres of gardens and woodland, just minutes from Branscombe Beach on the Jurassic Coast. Many original features have been retained while designing the rooms to a very high standard, so that they are spacious and luxuriously furnished. Woodburners in the lounge and dining room add to the ambience, and two winding staircases lead to the lovely bedrooms, three of which are ensuite. A small barn conversion in the garden gives indoor painting space.
England is the home of watercolour and we will cover the very best the regions of east and south Devon have to offer from a painter's perspective.
The trip starts early morning at Heathrow after your overnight flight from Toronto. You will be driven to the first week's accommodation in Branscombe, East Devon - about 3 hours. En route, if we chose, we can stop at Stonehenge to marvel at these ancient stones, and Stourhead, a National Trust Property reknowned for its classical garden.
Branscombe is one of the region's loveliest secluded villages, with thatched cottages strung along a meandering valley, with a monumental 12th century church. There are, of course, a couple of pubs! Our accommodation is at Higher House Farm, a superb 16th century detached property with 2 acres of gardens and woodland, just minutes from Branscombe Beach on the Jurassic Coast. Many original features have been retained while designing the rooms to a very high standard, so that they are spacious and luxuriously furnished. Woodburners in the lounge and dining room add to the ambience, and two winding staircases lead to the lovely bedrooms, three of which are ensuite. A small barn conversion in the garden gives indoor painting space.
Higher House Farm, Branscombe
Kitchen
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Dining Room
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Living Room
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Living Room
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Windowsill stilllife
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View of Garden
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Linehay patio
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Painting room
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Bedrom with en suite
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Bedroom with ensuite
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twin-bedded room
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bathroom
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Branscombe Beach
The Jurassic Coast, on which the village of Branscombe is situated, is known for its diversity of rock, all fossil-filled, from white chalk at Beer Head to majestic red sandstone cliffs. This area of Devon is free of congestion with many lovely villages and some small old fashioned seaside towns such as Sidmouth - a peculiarly English invention! It is very close to Lyme Regis in Dorset - the setting of the movie "The French Lieutenant's Woman", and on the edge of Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen country. Exeter is well worth a visit - a 20 minute train ride, with its gothic cathedral, it retains much of its medieval heritage. The agricultural hinterland has remained more or less unchanged for centuries, with many appealing painting locations.
A week later we drive 2 hours further south and west to the South Hams region of Devon - also known as the English Riviera. It is washed by the gulf stream and protected from westerly winds by the height of Dartmoor. This area betwwen the Dart and Plym estuaries holds some of Devon's comeliest villages and most striking coastline. Dartmouth and Totnes have many preserved relics of their medieval past and Salcombe is a pretty, steep, narrow- laned sailors resort. Outside the towns the countryside is a hilly patchwork of fields. The area enjoys a sheltered, mild climate, which encourages sub-tropical plants as well as vines. But the real beauty resides in the rocky and ever changing coastline.
We shall be staying in Barn Cottage, a large 300- year-old cottage, tucked in the middle of the little village of Slapton, which has two inns, (mentioned in the Good Pub Food guide) a shop, and a 14th century tower and church the other side of the garden wall. Slapton village is at the back of Slapton Ley a glacial remnant freshwater lake, the other side of the road from a shingly beach. The beach is a 15 minute walk through the nature reserve of Slapton Ley. Not only does the accommodation come with a conservatory, but it also has a small artists' studio in the garden which the artist owners say we may use should the weather be inclement.
A week later we drive 2 hours further south and west to the South Hams region of Devon - also known as the English Riviera. It is washed by the gulf stream and protected from westerly winds by the height of Dartmoor. This area betwwen the Dart and Plym estuaries holds some of Devon's comeliest villages and most striking coastline. Dartmouth and Totnes have many preserved relics of their medieval past and Salcombe is a pretty, steep, narrow- laned sailors resort. Outside the towns the countryside is a hilly patchwork of fields. The area enjoys a sheltered, mild climate, which encourages sub-tropical plants as well as vines. But the real beauty resides in the rocky and ever changing coastline.
We shall be staying in Barn Cottage, a large 300- year-old cottage, tucked in the middle of the little village of Slapton, which has two inns, (mentioned in the Good Pub Food guide) a shop, and a 14th century tower and church the other side of the garden wall. Slapton village is at the back of Slapton Ley a glacial remnant freshwater lake, the other side of the road from a shingly beach. The beach is a 15 minute walk through the nature reserve of Slapton Ley. Not only does the accommodation come with a conservatory, but it also has a small artists' studio in the garden which the artist owners say we may use should the weather be inclement.
living room
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dining room
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kitchen
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kitchen
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conservatory
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bedroom
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bedroom
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bedroom
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view into garden
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garden
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Slapton village
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Tower Inn
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Queen's Arms
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