A trip to Devon staying at Kentisbury Grange.
Happy September.
I’ve just returned from a wonderful break with the family in Devon.
We were kindly invited to stay at Kentisbury Grange, a luxury hotel at the edge of Exmoor National Park in North Devon.Kentisbury Grange is located in an idyllic English countryside location, within a short driving distance of some of Devon’s most beautiful beaches.
This is the hotel’s main house, with its beautiful stone walls.The main house was built in 1894 by Lancashire cotton merchant Oliver Openshaw. Its architecture combined a mix of understated Regency and Victorian Gothic. Behind the main building was the Coach house, a renowned restaurant by top Michelin starred chef Michael Caines.
We were very fortunate to have been able to sample the food there.
The dishes served up were both a visual feast and treat to the palette.
We ate from the set à la carte menu, and here are a few of what we loved:For starters we tried the Cured Mackerel with fennel, dill, avocado and lime.
It was delicious and almost too pretty to eat.For the main course, I had this pan fried bream with caramelised cauliflower, raisin and a split chicken jus.
I loved the contrast of textures between the fish and its crisp fried skin.This Beetroot risotto was as tasty as it was vibrant .Dessert was also a triumph, with this light and fluffy Banana souffléand Black Forest treat.Michael Caines also offers a 6 course tasting menu for dinner at his restaurant.
This Exmoor beef fillet, watercress , ox cheek with beef red wine sauce was one of my favourites from the tasting menu.
The beef was melt in your mouth tender and delicious. We got to stay at one of the newly built Cottage suites at Kentisbury Grange. The bedroom had been beautifully decorated by local interior designer, Karen Grey.The style of the bedroom was contemporary,and the bathroom was luxurious, with its own walk in shower and roll top bath. There was so much to explore locally.
On the first day, we visited Woolacombe beach.It was a beautiful sandy beach, with rolling waves that were perfect for surfing.On our second day, we stopped over at the coastal town of Lynton, where we also had some amazing fish and chips.
We later burned off those calories with a scenic creekside walk at Watersmeet.
All in all, it was a wonderful end of Summer holiday break for the whole family.
We had a brilliant time exploring Devon, and enjoyed our stay at Kentisbury Grange.
( all my own photography. Our stay at Kentisbury grange was complimentary but all opinions here are my own).