A Bit About Dawn

And so...

In April 2000 I moved lock, stock and barrel - husband, two young children, and Hannah the dog - from a little village in Worcestershire, to start a new life in North Devon.

For more than four years we squeezed all of us into a small one-bedroom flat which in itself was challenging at times. Living in this area took a little getting used to - the pace of life is certainly slower.

The good points outweigh the bad though - like travelling the coastal road on a bright and sunny autumn morning with the amazing golden colours of the trees all around, and the sheer blue calm sea reflecting the tones of the sky. Yeh - it's really pretty good down here in the depths of North Devon.

We purchased Newberry Valley in May 2006, and we all moved about 10 miles, over to the edge of Combe Martin Village to live in the 250 year old farmhouse on the site. The farmhouse is in need of some renovation, but I love living here as I can look out of my bedroom window and see the sea. For someone who was born and lived in the Midlands until her mid-thirties this is a real pleasure.

I am hugely passionate about both sites - I love the wildlife, the intrinsic beauty, and the entralling magic. Being surrounded by the wonders of nature does give you a different perspective on life, and one of the most rewarding aspects of running the business is being able to share this with all our visitors.

I have also come to appreciate the impacts of the twenty-first century lifestyle. Whilst "green" ethics have become very fashionable in the past few months, I have been keenly interested in  followingsustainable principles and practices for some years now, both in our home life and business. My family take the mickey out of me - they say it's the aging hippy in me. Well, I did love flowing Indian dresses and Afgan coats in my teenage years!!

Anyway why not meet the team and you can find out some more about me and my favourite things here.