The Bathing House

Our 3rd visit, something to be said about that.

We gaze and gaze at the rivers way of life, its daily comings and goings. 3 seals daily visit on the low tide, chasing their lunch in the shallows.

We also stayed here last year (same week).

Washing machine not working (and dishwasher not behaving either), but House manager at Sharpham very helpful. I believe this is listed as accommodating 3, but sofabed in Tower Room is really a small double, so 4 not impossible. Crockery and glasses rather clumsy and clunky, but situation makes for a delightful stay on the Dart.

This was our fourth stay at Bathing House, and without a doubt, we’ll be back again.

There’s something truly special about this place -the peaceful scenery, the stillness, and the feeling of being completely immersed in nature are unmatched. We always feel so warmly welcomed, with fresh flowers on the table, a bottle of local wine, and a handwritten envelope with our name and helpful instructions. It’s such a thoughtful and personal touch that makes each visit feel unique. The wildlife is incredible- we’ve seen egrets, herons, ducks, a seal, a kingfisher, and many more birds we couldn’t quite identify. The nearby walks are simply breathtaking, and it’s a real treat to be able to stroll all the way to Totnes. It’s perfect if you’re ready to properly switch off, as mobile signal and internet are very limited- but that’s part of the charm. If I could, I would rate it 4.5 rather than 5, as a few small tweaks could make winter stays even more comfortable. The house can be quite cold and takes time (and effort) to warm up using the large cooker—some additional portable heaters would make a big difference. The kitchen lighting is quite dim, which makes evening reading or creative activities a bit challenging. It would also be helpful to have some basic condiments like salt, pepper, or oil available, or perhaps a small shared box where guests can leave behind unused items for others. As there are no nearby shops within walking distance, this would be very practical. A few other small touches could enhance the experience even further: pre-chopped or smaller logs for the fire (especially helpful in bad weather), a slightly broader selection of CDs or audiobooks, and perhaps a traditional boot remover outside. Some doors and windows can also be a bit tricky to close, particularly in winter. These are only minor details, and they don’t take away from what is overall a truly magical place. Bathing House remains a wonderful retreat, and we always leave feeling rested, reconnected, and already looking forward to our next visit. G&D

We absolutely loved this place.

It is special and I would encourage anyone who loves peace and nature and water to stay here. It’s heaven.

Beautiful scenery and river, the peace and tranquility were wonderful and very much needed.

Thank you very much for the lovely wine, we very much enjoyed it, especially as it was a sample of Sharpham's own. We enjoyed keeping the fires going which was necessary as it was pretty chilly and windy for our stay and appreciated the large woodstore to refill baskets. Would recommend slippers for the kitchen as it is a little draughty. The bedroom and bathroom were always warm and cozy with an amazing view. We had taken our inflatable rib thinking it would be easy to get in but it was not possible, the steps being too steep and narrow and sometimes very slippery (which is understandable). We loved the walks which could be steep in places but a good round trip to the excellent pub in Ashprington. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would love to come in the summer.

It’s a beautiful place, wonderful views, stunning glimpses of seals and kingfisher.

Properly back to nature. However we were surprised, given the isolated location , that nothing , except an unnecessary bottle of wine, was left for guests. Suggest a 24-hour welcome pack: offer, tea, milk , read , butter and salt and pepper would be appropriate. Despite this lack, we will return for the peace and beauty

We have stayed in the bathing house several times and love it for the peace, quiet and beautiful surroundings.

Loved seeing lots of seals in the river this year too. Also happy to now have a fence between the bathing house and the boathouse next door. Hope this lovely retreat remains available and unchanged for many years ahead.

Magnificent location in an historic dwelling tastefully refurbished.

Fascinating watching the River Dart ebb and flow surrounded by wildlife and woodland walks. The peace and tranquility definitely restorative.

We loved every aspect of our stay, including the quiet, remote location, the unique historical building and the well appointed kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living space.

We would definitely love to return.

I was surprised not to find some basic things like salt & pepper or tea & coffee, shampoo.

. given the high price of the week and shops being a drive away. However basic the Bathing House is we enjoyed our stay very much. A parasol and deck chairs would’ve been great too as it was a hot week. It was a little odd to be so secluded yet hear every word our neighbours said as they were in the Boathouse very close proximity, to whisper to each other just didn’t feel right.

The Bathing House is a wonderful, private retreat, set in a tranquil, calming and idyllic location.

Helen and the staff at Sharpham House were extremely welcoming and made sure we had an enjoyable stay. The beautiful and historic house itself has everything we could wish for, the highlight being the terrace and bedroom balcony with beautiful views of the River Dart. The river ecology became very familiar to us, with daily sightings of Little Egrets, Cranes, Buzzards, Ducks and Geese, but the special treat were the pair of Seals and the Trout and Bass that leap out of the water when being chased at feeding time! As well as the lovely walks around the grounds and the tremendous views across the hills and along the River Dart, we thoroughly enjoyed the walking and cycling routes to Totnes and around Dartmouth and to the local pubs in Ashprington and Bow. It's a very special place and we would love to visit again. The only extremely minor issue is that the sealant and grouting around the bath and shower could do with some treatment to clean it up a bit, which is why we scored it down and the terrace dining table would benefit from having an umbrella to create shade when it gets really hot. But these really didn't detract at all from the delightful and memorable week we spent at The Bathing House and we would recommend highly to anyone seeking a calm and restorative break.

Wonderful!

We had a lovely, restful stay at the Boathouse, so peaceful and full of nature, would definitely recommend!

Agree with the earlier review noting the challenging steps down to the house.

..the shower is demonic ( searingly hot then icily cold)- maybe it could be fixed somehow- though the bath is lovely. It was a Bank Holiday weekend so that might explain someone mooring his boat less than 10 metres from the front of the house for 2 full days...don't know if you have any agency regarding where boats moor on the river, but if you do it might be an idea to engage regarding. But nothing could really detract from the absolute beauty and privilege of being able to stay at the Bathing House. Thank you so much for making it possible!

Delightful and very peaceful.

My only reservation was that this is not the best place for those elderly or not 100% agile. An awful lot of steps and those down to kitchen door required a great deal of care.

Such a peaceful and beautiful setting.

Perfect get away from it all holiday!

Beautiful place that is close to our hearts having got married at Sharpham House.

Denise was lovely and helpful as always. I'm not a fan of 'Helpful Holidays' pricing algorithms or the tone of the emails that they send you before arrival and departure, which make you feel like they are doing you a huge favour by letting you stay there !

Idyllic location and building.

Biggest problem was the mattress which was so uncomfortable we failed to get a good night's sleep at all and were so exhausted by Thursday morning we left a day early. None of the night storage heaters seemed to work except in the bedroom thus the kitchen was very cold and we did not have the time to fire up the log fuelled aga, equally the instructions for over riding immersion heater by "pushing the red button, the boiler is located in the single bedroom" most confusing as there is only one bedroom with no boiler cupboard. Everything else was lovely and if the above issues are remedied then we could love to come back.

Amazing location and difficult to fault.

Struggled with the wood burner and didn’t know if it was either damp wood, issue with the flue or user error. Chimney sweep did turn up on our last day so hopefully sorted. Would have been useful to have salt, pepper and some olive oil but we made do. Helpful holidays small deposit scheme is a bit of a con - read the small print.

Just wonderful.

Beautiful and very peaceful stay.

I loved waking up to the sound of the river and the birds. I found it relaxing staying somewhere so remote and it really gave me a chance to stop, slow down and recharge my batterys. I wish I could of stayed longer. The house has so much character and it really grows on you. I loved every minute.

This is one of the most beautiful places we have ever stayed at in England - a gorgeous historic cottage set right on the banks of the beautiful river Dart within a quiet estate.

There is nothing else around for miles other than gorgeous woodland, rewilded fields and a retreat centre in a historic mansion. We felt utterly at peace and hardly left the terrace in front of the cottage where we sat, read and looked at the river as canoes, birds and even seals came by. Highly recommended.

The Bathing House obviously thrives on its location.

We love it and come if we can twice a year. However, that doesn't mean that it should be neglected, although a lot of things have improved over the years. Hedgerows - they need snipping, the fronds are reaching into the middle of the track scratching the car. The pot holes are also getting a little hard to navigate. Some oven to tableware that isn't horribly crazed would be nice, as would some better instructions on what to do with the rubbish. I'd prefer to pay a little extra not to have to bring my own kitchen roll, cling film, kitchen foil and wipes.

Thank you I had a very enjoyable stay and no flooding !

Lovely.

A little bit cold - maybe hot water bottles a good idea? - but utterly lovely and beautiful.

You must to give the family of Seals a bonus for performance.

We enjoyed staying at the Bathing House enormously but there was a major problem for my husband who is 6’3”” tall.

I tried to contact Sykes Cottages but without success; there was no email of phone number I could find, to ask if there were any low ceilings. In desperation I phoned Sharpham estate to ask how high the ceiling in the kitchen was but it wasn’t until we arrived that we discovered the low ceiling in the corridor and the stairs (5’9”?) There were no instructions about the storage heaters. Not being used to them I didn’t realise how they worked. I had to phone Denise to ask. On arrival it took us some time to locate the key safe. You may have told me but as there was no phone signal I couldn’t have checked it if you had.

The bathing house is a unique place to stay and has everything you need.

There are no screens or Wi-Fi as it is designed to be a place of peaceful retreat. If that is what you are going for be aware that the river is in fact extremely busy in good weather with lots of traffic. We also had canoe camping groups staying opposite us who were very noisy and swimming over to the bathing house in groups and shouting across the river. Personally , I found myself needing Wi-Fi as something happened I needed to deal with so I would nt go back but I can’t fault the care that goes into making the bathing house a very special experience.

Beautiful location, so peaceful with plenty of wildlife to see.

Hope to return

Another lovely holiday, we have been holidaying here for over 10 years now.

However, when will Sharpham get the hint about the shower? Both the handheld and the Mira are useless. The Bathing House is forgiven many things for being just where it is, but I do like to bathe in a decent stream of hot water.

This property is in a superb setting on the river, secluded and very peaceful, and plenty big enough for two people.

The track down to the property was described as rough, and although it is steep and bendy in places (that's to be expected in that part of the country) I didn't have any difficulties navigating it in my small car . The property is very quirky, which we loved, and has been refurbished very thoughtfully. The sofas were a less comfy than they looked, but the bed was mega comfy and had a superb view looking onto the river. There were some minor inconsistencies in the information provided by Helpful Holidays and that provided in the property but the owners they were very helpful and quick to respond to queries. Our mobile networks' reception was poor inside, but worked adequately outside on the patio. The wildlife and river users were varied and assorted and provided hours of entertainment. Over all, this is a gem of a property.

Our second stay at this beautiful hideaway!

The most idyllic sanctuary with nature abundance. A daily visit from wodger the seal, 2 deers, mother and ducklings, herons, crows, rooks, squeaks of the otters at dusk to name but a few. A great please for resting the mind & body and just being in the moment.

Fantastic property - peace and tranquillity could not fault .

Those who leave negative comments about the access or the water pressure should perhaps stick to city breaks . It’s a rural idyll . No light pollution , Wonderful bird song ,beautiful river in a stunning location .

A unique property in a fabulous location.

The only downside was the useless electric shower didn’t work it was either boiling hot or freezing cold so we couldn’t use it. I understand it being an old property it’s difficult to get these things right but for the price we paid I think we should have been able to have a shower.

Great location.

Can't wait to go back. One small issue would be the shower. Very little water pressure and difficult to use. Fabulous break. Thank you.

Wonderful cottage, wonderful location - always enjoyable.

The Bathing House is a haven of tranquility and calm, it’s a wonderful place to relax and take things more slowly.

There are several lovely walks directly from the property and you can visit the Sharpham cheese and wine shop for tastings. The directions to the property on this website could be updated with those from the folder at the house, they are more accurate. And mention that on the final leg of the journey there is a rope across the road and Private sign to negotiate!

The Bathing House is in a fantastic location on the river.

It is wonderfully quiet. We spent many hours looking out for the seal that made occasional appearances. The house is well equipped except that the shower is abysmal - it has no pressure and often runs cold. The Helpful Holidays instruction for collecting the keys to the property was incorrect. Their was actually a key safe. The directions through the narrow twisty tracks that lead to the house lead us astray - as there was no mention of the track marked 'Private' that was actually the route to the Bathing House.

Most beautiful place to spend time & would highly recommend.

Loved the Bathing House & all it offers. Would just suggest that the electric shower needs looking at & the bed settee really needs replacing & updating, given its listed as sleeps 3.

The surrounding location was fantastic, being so close to the river and nature in all its glory.

wonderful location and a wonderful house

We have stayed in the bathing house several times now and love our time there with the beautiful scenery and peaceful and quiet location and we look forward to our stay so very much (especially this year) so we were disappointed when we had to leave early (due to lockdown) especially as it was un-necessary but grateful for the partial refund from Helpful holidays/sykes.

Beautiful place to disconnect from the world.

Relax, rest and nourishment in nature. Waking up to the river is so special. Kitchen is well equip for cooking and the fire in the octagonal room is pure magic in the evening. We had a lovely week!

A perfect location if you want utter peace and calm.

The house is charming and very comfortable, infused with the light from the river. Hours spent watching the ebb and flow and wildlife. Beautiful views and great walks. There is no WiFi and minimal mobile signal which possibly should be mentioned in the description as some would find that off-putting. We loved being able to disconnect! There are 3 different heating systems in the house which could be a challenge or seen as part of the fun. It was our second trip to the Bathing House, and hopefully there will be more planned - it's a very special place

I was ill while we were away!

! So I lay in bed and listened to geese, got up occasionally to watch seals, egrets and herons. The GP you recommended in your handbook was outstanding and kind. We ate at the cafe once, it was delicious. All I needed was rest, and that's all we both did, far away from all the other worries of the world

It has been our third visit and just love the place The peace and tranquillity The setting is perfect

Our 4th stay at the boathouse didn't fail to exceed expectations.

If you want peace and quiet and to experience nature at its best, this is the perfect place for you.

We loved the cottage and it's location and we were generally happy with the facilities, however, we do think that it could do with a new fridge!

The Bathing House is a unique experience for couples who want to get away from it all.

The kitchen is well equipped for self catering and the lounge, with a roaring wood burner, was a cosy retreat in the evenings. The staff at Shipham couldn’t have been more welcoming and ensured we felt welcome and could make the most of the solitude and the full on nature experience that The Bathing House provides.

The Bathing House at Sharpham Estate in Devon is simply a unique experience.

Even though the weather wasn't great, we found the whole experience charming, restful and beautiful. We will return to the Bathing House. Asap, hopefully! Kay & Adrian Green, Northamptonshire

Everything was sorted and easy even to the extent that the care taker contacted me for where to find keys as we were arriving late I didnt have to chase them.

There was a delicious bottle of Sharpham Estate wine waiting for us and loaded log baskets and ample supply of wood and kindling for the stove.

From start to finish, this was so easy.

Sykes staff responding to booking request outside traditional 9-5 office hours, directions etc. Lovely touches at the bathing house, Sharpham wine, fresh flowers, plenty of ‘essentials’ like toilet roll, washing liquid and hand wash. Plenty of logs and kindling and eco friendly fire lighters. House really well equipped for a self catering break away from it all. Stunning week in stunning location. Will defo use Sykes again

The location is absolutely brilliant -we had one of our best ever holidays here-loved every minute

the peace and endless amounts of wood