West Country cottage specialist Helpful Holidays' new 2014 brochure features nearly 600 places to stay with a marked increase in properties across Exmoor, Devon's South Hams and Cornwall plus a selection of thatch cottages on Dartmoor. Ranging from romantic retreats for two up to big country houses sleeping a maximum of 47 guests, most have stunning views out to sea or across lush countryside; prices are from £175 up to £5,995 for a week's stay.

Exmoor

At Lynton within Exmoor National Park is The Stables, a superb large house for eight converted with flair and style from mews stables to the grand Victorian Lynton Hotel. Once horse-drawn carriages swept under the archway into the yard which now provides a private enclave for a few mews dwellings and this stunning house. The large living room has soft feather and leather sofas, an inglenook fireplace with woodburner and a wood floor; four bedrooms above include one with lift access. Given a 4½ star rating, a week's stay costs from £474, pets welcome (details can be found on page 29 of the 2014 brochure, ref F67.)

On Exmoor's coast at Combe Martin is Rock House, a handsome semi-detached Victorian property for eight on three
levels with big bay windows to admire the terrific sea views. The living room features an open pewter fireplace, while the big kitchen/dining room still has the original tiled floor. A great family house in a brilliant position for the beach, shops, pubs and coast path, it carries a 3½ star rating and is priced from £410 for a week's stay, pets welcome (details can be found on page 31 of the 2014 brochure, ref F70.)

Devon's South Hams

Helpful Holidays have several stylish new places to stay all within an easy walk of the vast sandy beach at Bigbury-on-Sea, which stretches to Burgh Island in Devon's South Hams.

Tamarisk, which sleeps six and is just 200 yards up from the beach, has superb panoramic views over Bigbury Bay from many of the rooms and its large paved-terrace. The smart, detached single-storey house has been revamped throughout with a fresh, seaside theme featuring fun fabrics and oak or tiled floors with rugs. Given a 4½ star rating, a week's stay is priced from £599 (details can be found on page 106 of the 2014 brochure, ref L187.)  Enjoying the same sensational views but sleeping eight is Curlew, a brand new contemporary coast home with a cleverly designed split-level layout and floor-to-ceiling windows. The enclosed garden has a suntrap paved terrace and a six-person hot tub, while inside it's spacious and full of light with splashes of vibrant seaside colours.  Priced from £725 for a week's stay, it has a top 5 star rating (details can be found on page 106 of the 2014 brochure, ref L188.)

Also in Bigbury-on-Sea perched high up opposite the beach is Southway, an imposing detached house for 12 completely overhauled for sumptuous living; everything about this house is generous and lofty with emphasis on natural light through big windows.  There's even space to store surf-boards/bicycles and dry wet-suits plus a warm-water hose, ideal for muddy dogs. Carrying a 5 star rating it's priced from £1,070 for a week's stay, pets welcome (details can be found on page 105 of the 2014 brochure, ref L190.)

Other stunning new places to stay for 2014 in the South Hams include Ivy Cottage, a thatched and detached Grade II listed house at Kingston for six, which combines 17th century knobbly walls, oak beams and winding stone stairs with smart modern furnishings. Rated 4½ stars it's priced from £395 per week (details can be found on page 113 of the 2014 brochure, ref L186). Sleeping 16, the former 18th century Providence Inn at East Prawle has been cleverly converted into an excellent place for larger families and special gatherings all year round. A few hints of its former life remain including a generous, beamed open plan room, which was once the bar and retains the pub's pool table, bar football and a fruit machine. Also given 4½ stars, prices start from £506 per week for six people (details can be found on page 92 of the 2014 brochure, ref L189).

Tucked away at the end of a private drive on the edge of the sailing centre of Newton Ferrers are two attractive Grade II listed cottages. Both sleeping four, they are neatly converted from former barns on a 16th century farmstead, once home to the Bishop of Exeter. Smart and welcoming with a clever combination of original features, high apex beams and modern comforts each has its own small garden but shares a grassy meadow and children's play area. Detached and single storey Bradbridge Barn is priced from £315 per week, while Parsonage Farm Cottage is on two levels and welcomes pets from £305 per week.  Both have been rated 3½ stars (details can be found on page 118 of the 2014 brochure, refs L192 and L193).

Dartmoor

There are several lovely new thatched holiday homes in Dartmoor National Park.  Simply gorgeous inside and out is the Tallet House for four on the edge of Lustleigh. Given a top 5 star rating, the detached, Grade II thatched cottage is a clever blend of contemporary living combined with the immense character of the original 17th century building
with its mullioned windows and open stone fireplace. The beautifully plantedcottage garden has views over the hamlet to wooded hills beyond. A truly magical place to stay it's priced from £402 for a week's stay (details can be found on page 131 of the 2014 brochure, ref A201).

A little larger with space for six is pretty thatched Michaelmas Cottage at Drewsteignton; one of three hidden from the lane in an L-shaped terrace, it has a high-walled, enclosed garden. Carrying a 3½ star rating, it's priced from £364 per week, pets welcome (details can be found on page 137 of the 2014 brochure, ref A192).  And larger still is Higher
Westcott Farm, a 300-year-old granite thatched Devon longhouse, which sleeps 12 in a timeless hamlet three miles from Moretonhampstead. To the front is a big south-facing lawned garden, enclosed by a sturdy stone wall, its safe
for children to play during the day and wonderful for stargazing at night. Catering is available for guests in this peaceful retreat which has 3½ stars. Prices from £659 for a week's stay, pets welcome (details can be found on page 133 of the 2014 brochure, ref A198).

Cornwall

Amongst the new places to stay in Cornwall is Castle View on the north coast at Port Isaac, which was made famous as the setting for the Doc Martin series. Sleeping eight with sensational views out to sea, the impressive detached house was recently overhauled and made gorgeous. Rated 4½ stars, its available from April priced from £930 for a week's stay (details can be found on page 195 of the 2014 brochure, ref P72).

Further west in the creek-side hamlet of Port Navas is Shearwater, a waterside stone-built Victorian cottage for four with use of a boat/dinghy mooring directly in front. Given 4 stars, it's priced from £385 per week (details can be found on page 181 of the 2014 brochure, ref S55). And near Helston in the tiny hamlet of Coverack Bridges is an 'upside down' cottage cleverly converted from an 1840s granite-built barn. Sleeping five and rated 4 stars, Withy Barn can be let from April onwards priced from £317 per week, pets welcome. (Details can be found on page 210 of the 2014 brochure, ref T13).

Near the end of England in a deeply wooded lane down towards Lamorna cove and nestling on the bank of the valley stream is a little granite-built detached cottage, which sleeps just three. Aptly named Birch Studio, this idyll was where artist SJ 'Lamorna' worked and drew his inspiration; the high beamed ceiling has a big skylight letting in lots of natural light. Given 3 stars, a week's stay costs from £262, pets welcome. (Details can be found on page 215 of the 2014 brochure, ref Z49).

To book a stay with Helpful Holidays or request a free copy of their 2014 brochure, telephone 01647 434063, email help@helpfulholidays.com or visit website www.helpfulholidays.com. The agency's charity for 2014 is the Marine Conservation Society; to date in 2013 they have raised over £13,000 for Devon Air Ambulance.

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15 October 2013