When I left Leeds Festival in 2013, caked in mud, achy, and sleep-deprived, I vowed never to sleep outside again. I threw myself into university and my career, ensuring that no matter how drunk I got, there was always a comfy bed waiting for me at the end of the night.
In the eleven years that have passed, my priorities have somewhat changed. I don't just want a bed; I want some bloody peace and quiet, a sense of calm only found in nature. So, when my boyfriend and I started planning our first romantic getaway together, I knew I needed to reconcile my relationship with the great outdoors.
And where better to get to grips with nature than a luxury treehouse in the depths of Devon? After a five-hour drive from London (and some pretty hairy country roads towards the end), that's precisely what we found – and it didn't disappoint.
The Loft is one of three bespoke hand-crafted treehouses located in the six acres of garden and grounds of Pickwell Manor, a 10th-century estate since converted into holiday apartments. The manor and grounds are managed by Simon and Julia Hawthorne, who have been running the show since 2019.
Ahead of our arrival, Simon and Julia shared detailed instructions about how to find the manor, access the keys, and make ourselves at home. While we certainly needed all the help we could get finding the manor (I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon than getting lost in such a picturesque area of Devon), once we arrived, everything pretty much fell into place.
The Loft at a glance:
- It's located within the West Wood of the Pickwell Manor
- You can see the sea (through the trees) from the balcony
- There's a hot tub, which is already filled and heated when you arrive
- There's a luxurious king-size bed
- Has a wood burner
- En-suite shower room
- Self-catering
- Access to a games room, laundry room, and bikes
- Dog-friendly
When my partner and I pulled into the drive outside the Loft, we could barely distinguish the treehouse from the rest of the forest; it was beautifully immersed in the natural scenery. As we made our way up the wooden steps, complete with LED lights, it became clear this was no ordinary treehouse. For starters, there's a hot tub on the terrace.
We resisted the urge to jump straight in – Julia and Simon had kindly filled and heated the water prior to our arrival – and unlocked the door to our new home for the next three days. The treehouse is furnished with handcrafted oak and walnut interiors, as well as a stylish copper-topped breakfast table, a wood burner, and a comfy light brown sofa.
While the treehouse has a traditional aesthetic and feel (complete with information leaflets about the estate's medieval history), our experience was elevated by the carefully chosen modern touches, including the superfast fibre internet connection, Bluetooth radio speaker, and, crucially, a coffee machine.
A King-size bed awaited us at nighttime – complete with ensuite toilet and shower room – but our favourite place was undoubtedly the balcony. Here, we enjoyed a beautiful BBQ – halloumi skewers, anyone? – with a view of the Atlantic Ocean through the pine trees. After a few glasses of wine, we headed to bed – via a quick dip in the hot tub.
At first, I found it difficult to fall asleep. Usually, I drift off to the sound of my neighbours' music, complete with the occasional siren or a fox's mating call. But in the Loft, there's absolute silence – save my partner's not-so-occasional snores. It's an incredible feeling to wake up to the sounds of nature: the sea crashing against the rocks in the distance, the wind blowing a gentle breeze, and, erm, the pigs – who live opposite the treehouse – oinking at each other.
After we made breakfast in the kitchen – which is fitted out with a fridge, toaster, microwave, double oven and two-ring hob – we ventured out to explore the grounds, using a hand-drawn map our hosts had left out for us. Determined to meet the pigs who had stepped in for our alarm clocks, we set off on the “pixie trail”, a delightful path through Pickwell Manor's grounds, starting at the hammock and hanging chairs (where I practiced spinning around as fast as I could), past the pine trees (some of which feature little doors on the trunks, presumably for the pixies to get in and out), all the way to the farm, where we met our beloved piggies.
The pigs – who live in their own mini-mansion, aptly named ‘Porkwell Manor’ – were like two puppies; they ran over to greet us and spend a good 20 mins squealing for our attention, which we were more than happy to indulge. After we'd left the pigs (and promised to return), we said hello to the chickens, baby rabbits, grown-up rabbits, guinea pigs, and goats. All the animals seemed to be obsessed with my boyfriend, which was absolutely fine – I wasn't bitter about it in the slightest.
The treehouse is a five-minute drive from Georgeham, a picturesque village with a few pubs, a village shop and a Post Office. Putsborough beach is a 20-minute walk away, but we chose to load up the car with goodies from the on-site game room (including boogie boards, bucket and spade sets, and frisbees) and drive there instead – about a seven-minute drive through extremely narrow country roads.
Blessed with gorgeous sunny weather, we set up our stall at the beach, playing a few games of ping pong before braving the ocean for some surfing, AKA splashing around and accidentally swallowing a bucket load of sea water. My boyfriend eventually had to explain to me that if you insist on facing the waves, they're gonna splash you in the face – lesson learned.
Once we'd dried off, we enjoyed a gorgeous walk along the beach, admiring the pale sands, clear blue sea, and saying hello to as many doggies as possible. We then headed to Croyde, another unspoilt Devon village, where we picked up some clotted cream ice cream at Croyde's Ice Cream Parlour, a family-run parlour that's been in business for some 40 years, which sells over 20 flavours of ice cream AND doughnuts. I went for a tub of pistachio ice cream (the flavour of the week), while the boyfriend had a salted caramel cone. YUM.
On the drive back, we stopped off at Saunton Golf Club – I know, best girlfriend alert! – to let off some steam on the driving range; I managed to hit one ball, while my partner whacked about 50 into the distance. We then called off at the shops to secure the goods (as many bags of crisps and tubs of hummus that we could feasibly carry) and drove back home to our sweet treehouse singing, “I think I like this little life…”
When it was time to say goodbye to the Loft (and the pigs!), I felt grateful that I'd been able to experience nature from such a place of comfort. If only we could have stayed there forever.
Book your stay at The Loft at https://weekendcandy.com/directory/the-loft-treehouse-at-pickwell-manor-devon/ for £280 per night.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
Comfort zone? I hardly know her.
