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The South West, with its temperate climate and stunning scenery, has become increasingly popular leading to an increase of the availability of holiday cottages in Exmoor and holiday cottages in Dartmoor.
These areas are relatively new to the holiday cottage industry, but are becoming more sought-after as people discover just what these areas have to offer.
Although Exmoor is not a large area, it has more than enough to do and see to satisfy even the most demanding visitor.
Minehead has a variety of holiday cottages to offer and is located within easy reach of the sea and the stunning Exmoor National Park.
Nearby you will find attractions such as Wimbleball Lake, which offers a watersports centre for sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and trout fishing from boat or bank.
There is also a nature reserve with a self-guided nature trail and miles of footpaths through breathtaking scenery.
Also in the area you will find a great, hands-on family attraction, Tropiquaria.
Here, kids can handle a boa constrictor, get up close with a tarantula, play on full-size pirate galleons or watch a show at the puppet theatre.
For something more sedate, you could pay a visit to Cleeve Abbey, founded in 1198 and an example of some of the finest cloister buildings in England.
It boasts 15th century timber roofing on the refectory, as well as unique medieval wall paintings and heraldic tile pavements.
Dartmoor, by comparison, is a larger expanse and is also home to the famous Dartmoor Ponies.
These ponies are said to be among the last pure-breeds in the UK and are very friendly, stopping to nuzzle up to curious visitors.
Buckfastleigh, on the edge of Dartmoor, is well supplied by holiday accommodation and offers holiday makers the chance to step back in time when exploring this quaint and unspoilt town.
Nearby is the famous Buckfast Abbey, a working Benedictine monastery, where the monks still make a potent, honey-based liqueur called Mead.
The Abbey itself is an impressive building and it is very easy to spend an entire day there.
Close to the Abbey is a butterfly farm and otter sanctuary.
Children and adults alike can walk through heated greenhouses to observe butterflies in a re-creation of their natural environment, or go outside to watch otters at play in their sanctuary homes.
The Pengelly Limestone Caves are also within easy access, allowing visitors to marvel at natural caves, stalactites and stalagmites that are thousands of years old.
Many of the caves have individual names such as Spider's Hole, and there are extensive bone deposits in some, dating back over 100, 000 years.
In Buckfastleigh itself, you might want to stop by the Valiant Soldier pub.
You won't be able to buy a pint unfortunately, as it closed in 1965, but absolutely nothing has changed in there since the day it shut - a perfect time-capsule experience.
Exmoor and Dartmoor are relatively new to the holiday cottage industry and offer visitors the chance to soak in these regions at their leisure, without having to force their way through hordes of tourists.
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