Primrose Hill Holidays

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

Primrose Hill Holidays
Review by: - Jo Southway

Primrose Hill is located in Blue Anchor Bay on the north coast of South West England. With the Quantock Hills one side and Exmoor to the other you can be sure of a superb countryside retreat. There are four self-catering bungalows on site along with a games room, barbecue area, laundry room and boules pitch.

Inside the bungalow we had everything we needed with all the kitchen appliances covered. The rooms were all spacious with very comfy beds, but the icing on the cake was the beautiful view.

There are lots of fantastic facilities at Primrose Hill in addition to the bungalows themselves. They have an onsite game room where you can play games such as pool, table tennis and darts. They also have a laundry room meaning you can get away with packing less which is always a bonus. Another great positive is that you can get frozen meals to cook in your bungalow so if you don’t want to go out or get any shopping then grab your selection, pop it in the oven and you have a simple meal. 

For those of us travelling with our dogs they have a lovely little woodland walk next to the cottages. Juno loved exploring in here.

Primrose Hill is the perfect choice if you are looking for somewhere that is dog friendly, and you have extra mobility needs. With wide doorways, level access and disabled friendly bathrooms they tick all the boxes. Often you find that places where they cater for disabilities may not be dog friendly or those with dogs in mind do not also think about extra access needs, so it is lovely to find somewhere that caters to both.

Less than 3 miles from Primrose Hill is the picturesque medieval village of Dunster. Famous for its castle and watermill, dogs are welcomed here in all the grounds except for inside the castle. There are beautiful subtropical gardens to explore, walks along the river where you can watch the working watermill, or explore further into the parkland and beyond to the village. Walks are endless with so much to see along the way. 

When you are feeling peckish or need a drink, stop at the Watermill Tea Room in the castle grounds. Or if you fancy heading into the village, like we did, then why not check out Locks Victorian Tea Rooms. Here we couldn’t resist trying out the afternoon tea which came with a variety of options including the types of sandwich, scone and cake you would like, all presented on a stunning three-tier stand. Dogs are welcome to sit in the garden and enjoy it with you. The village itself has lots of lovely shops to browse not to mention all of the other cafes and pubs for food and drink. You could easily spend days checking out everything Dunster has to offer.

Heading out from Primrose Hill to the sea, the nearest beach is Blue Anchor. Here you will find sand and shingle with views out across to Wales on a clear day. You can park right on the beach road in marked bays, which make it a fantastic choice for a walk – the best bit is that dogs are allowed on the beach all year round. We combined an early morning walk with a visit to the Driftwood Cafe located right on the seafront. With seating outside or undercover we enjoyed our cooked breakfast while taking in the sea views.

While by the sea you can also go and check out the trains at Blue Anchor Railway Station, a stop off point along the West Somerset Railway and have a nostalgic ride on a steam train.

On further exploring the coast we checked out the Blue Anchor pub for a bite to eat and happened to arrive on pizza night which was delicious. Dogs are allowed inside, or you can sit in the garden and enjoy the sea.

Visiting Exmoor we felt it was a must to head for the famous Tarr Steps for a walk. There is a large car park where you can walk down the hill to the ancient bridge itself for photo opportunities and there is a short circular walk marked out with signs. Or there are many longer more challenging walks if you prefer. Right by Tarr Steps you will find the Tarr Farm Inn with seating both inside and out you can make the most of good weather, sat in the garden, listening to the river bubbling by. We stopped here for drinks and snacks. As well as catering for us humans they also brought us some complimentary doggy snacks too. Juno was delighted by this so they didn’t last long.

If you are wanting great views, then look no further than Dunkery Beacon. It is the highest point not only on Exmoor but in the whole of Somerset. The walk is fairly easy going and on average takes no longer than an hour. Not only are the views exceptional but you may also get to see some of the local wildlife or Exmoor ponies that roam the land.

If you are looking for something a little busier then Minehead is close by. It caters for all the family with arcades, shops and even Butlins.  

We took a stroll along the seafront in Minehead and checked out the Best Friends Pet Supplies, a pet shop we were recommended where Juno got to choose her own tasty treats. We couldn’t pass through without a quick stop in the arcades…

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Primrose Hill getting to combine Exmoor adventures with trips to the sea. Definitely the most picturesque of North Somerset with lots to explore.

Primrose Hill Holidays review by Jo Southway and appears in DogFriendly magazine issue 73.  For more information on the DogFriendly magazine visit  https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine