Wonderful hideaway in a gorgeous setting with excellent hosts who sensed that we were after a quiet holiday and so while offering options did not push them. Really nice people and let us stay a bit longer on check out day.

We cannot recommend the Shippen enough, what an amazing place! We felt so privileged to be surrounded by 34 acres of wildlife and Jon and Janice were such thoughtful hosts - from the fresh flowers and a cream tea on arrival to the hedgehog bowls and food that allowed us to have regular visits from our prickly friends. The cottage is lovely, very cosy, well equipped, tastefully decorated and very clean. Everything was very environmentally friendly too, which was a pleasing bonus. Very impressed with the shower, very powerful! The 'tour' from Jon was great, he is very knowledgeable and friendly and it helped us to get our bearings on the beautiful reserve. Our only complaint is that the week disappeared too quickly! Would love to visit and see the reserve at other times of year too. Idyllic!

The property is small but ideal for a couple. Clean and well presented. Apart from livestock in nearby fields the only sound was birdsong and the river running through the reserve. Jon and Janice, the owners, very pleasant and knowledgeable.

The Shippen is a perfectly-sized cottage for two in an idyllic, peaceful woodland setting. The cottage amenities were ideal for our needs and we only ventured out of the grounds on two occasions, the rest of the time choosing to stay on the reserve and enjoy all it had to offer. The owners, Jon and Janice, were perfect hosts – respectful of guest privacy but also on hand and keen to ensure you had everything you might need. We are so glad we arranged a tour with Jon on our first day – it was an interesting and informative introduction to the reserve which set us up nicely for the rest of our stay. There is so much to explore and take in; from sitting enjoying the lulling sounds of the river Carey, to walking the old railway line, investigating woodland or butterfly-spotting in the fragrant meadows. The abundance of wildlife we saw during our stay was incredible (and this review can't possibly do it justice). Highlights - from the back garden daily visits from a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Nuthatch, and Wrens. On the reserve itself we enjoyed multiple sightings of Roe deer, Kingfishers and Treecreepers, as well as a Tawny Owl, Brown Hare and hoglets! The evening spectacle of hundreds of bats leaving the owners’ house will stay with us for a long time. The reserve is a very special place, and we feel privileged to have had the opportunity to spend quality time there. You can truly unwind and lose yourself in the green oasis – where else could you experience a nature reserve to yourself? - it is the perfect antidote to the clamour and rush of modern life. We fully intend to return (and hopefully encounter the elusive otters next time) and would recommend without hesitation.

A cosy hideaway in the middle of a nature reserve, perfect for a quiet relaxing break. The cottage is well equipped, covering your every need. The guided tour was very informative and well worth participating in.

A cosy hideaway in the middle of a nature reserve, perfect for a quiet relaxing break. The cottage is well equipped, covering your every need. The guided tour was very informative and well worth participating in.

We booked the Shippen for our parents' 68th wedding anniversary. They thoroughly enjoyed their stay despite the weather, exploring the reserve in between the rain. They found the Shippen to be well-equipped, warm and comfortable. and they very much appreciated the thoughtful touches provided by Jon and Janice - from hedgerow flower arrangement to the cream tea on arrival. They want to return in the main field season to enjoy other aspects of the lovely woodland, fileds and riverside .

We loved every moment of our stay at the Shippen. The clean, comfortable and cozy cottage has everything you could possibly need and you are truly immersed in a spot of untouched, beautiful nature. We've been looking for great birding spots in the UK for over 15 years and are so glad we've finally found it. You can spend your days exploring the beauty of this idyllic spot (with the possibility of seeing a kingfisher, dipper or otter on any of the many beautiful walks on the nature reserve), and your nights admiring the dazzling night sky. We highly recommend the Shippen and the tour with Jon and are very much looking forward to our next visit.

We would like to thank Jon and Jan for a great stay. Thanks for the guided tour of the Nature Reserve, the scones, the flowers and for all your care for the creatures that live on the reserve especially the brilliant birds! A wonderful oasis!

A relaxing break. Jon gave us a fantastic walk around the reserve pointing out various birds and insects. Thank you to Janice & Jon

A relaxing break. Jon gave us a fantastic walk around the reserve pointing out various birds and insects.Thank you to Janice & Jon

The property is perfectly located to facilitate trips to the north or south coasts. The property is very clean and modern, and is located in a beautiful location with lots of birds flying around the house. A great to get away from it all and take in the very natural environment. We will be visiting again.

The property is perfectly located to facilitate trips to the north or south coasts. The property is very clean and modern, and is located in a beautiful location with lots of birds flying around the house.A great to get away from it all and take in the very natural environment.We will be visiting again.

We spent a fantastic 4 nights in thus stunning cottage, perfect for 2 people over the New Year. The kitchen is great and stocked with everything you would ever need. The lounge and sofa is extremely comfortable and looks out into the garden where you can sit and watch the wildlife all day. There is no wifi but the phone signal was still pretty good. Great TV with a supply of up to date dvds that were great for relaxing in the evening. The bathroom is extremely clean and tidy and the shower was bliss and very powerful, just what was needed after a long day walking. Whilst there is no pics of the bedroom on the site, you will not be disappointed as it is very spacious and lots of storage space in the form of a large wardrobe and chest of drawers and the bed was very comfortable for a good nights sleep. The property has underfloor heating right the way through which works extremely well and really adds to the cosiness. The little touches by jon and his wife made the stay very personal and we would not hesitate to return in the spring when I'm sure the nature reserve and surrounding area will be even more full of wildlife. We can't recommend this property enough if you want somewhere away from the daily rush as you will come away feeling very relaxed and ready to face the world. A wedding anniversary never to be forgotten and we cant thank Jon enough for allowing us to stay on a special occasion.

This was the nicest getaway holiday cottage we have ever stayed in. As soon as we walked in, we loved it. With the opportunity to watch the wildlife, which was why we chose The Shippen, and the friendliness of Jon & Janice, this was the best short break we’ve had in the UK.

This was our third stay at Coombe Mill and as previously we have returned home today much rested and refreshed. Already booking another for 2020. Highly recommended especially for the quietness and the opportunity to see over 17 species of birds outside our accommodation door, also butterflies and a young fox basking in the sunshine.Our hosts are very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

This was our third stay at Coombe Mill and as previously we have returned home today much rested and refreshed. Already booking another for 2020. Highly recommended especially for the quietness and the opportunity to see over 17 species of birds outside our accommodation door, also butterflies and a young fox basking in the sunshine. Our hosts are very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

The Shippen is the perfect place to relax and watch all kinds of wildlife. The number and variety of birds visiting the feeders in the garden was amazing. Jon’s tour was very enjoyable and is highly recommended. We had a lovely break and hope to return soon.

Lovely people, beautiful setting, excellent accommodation . a really fabulous , away from it all stay in a lovely nature reserve. Jon and Janice are superb hosts. Take a tour of the reserve with Jon to get the most from the feast of nature on the doorstep. Thoroughly recommended !

Very clean and well equipped The highlight the birds and wildlife we saw

Fabulous stay at The Shippen, our host Jon was lovely, the guided tour to seek out the wildlife gems is a must. Relaxing stay in peaceful surroundings with only the bird song to be heard! Highly recommend

The Shippen is a lovely little property, close to the owners cottage, in a beautiful woodland setting with the sound of nearby babbling water, birds and the wind in the trees. Jon and Janice have created a comfortable retreat with all the home comforts and lots of little extra touches like flowers and a welcome cream tea which is really thoughtful and appreciated . The small garden bird feeders are constantly visited by hundreds of birds which is mesmerising. We could have spent hours watching them but also had the chance to walk for hours on the surrounding nature reserve. For nature lovers this is fantastic......trees, insects, pond and stream life - so many unusual sightings and great photo opportunities . This really is a very special place made even better by Jon and Janice - their own love of nature, willingness to share their knowledge and their efforts to make sure their guests get the best out of their stay. The property is in a rural location but less than an hour from Cornwalls coastal towns so day trips out were straightforward. We visited the Eden Project, Tintagel and hired bikes for a ride along the Camel trail between Bodmin and Padstowe. We had a great stay and would recommend the Shippen as a fantastic away-from-it-all break or an ideal location as a base for some interesting days out.

The Shippen is exactly the place we have been looking for! Secluded but safe. Wonderful to be amongst so much beautiful scenery. Beside a flowing river, woods and lake and many birds to watch in the garden alongside our daily visitors - pheasants, squirrels and a vole. Despite a problem with the underfloor heating, the cottage was cosy because of the electric fires supplied. The outside seating could have been cleaned up including those by the river however we would still love to return one day soon. Thanks to our kind hosts.

Lovely time spent watching the wildlife on the reserve on our honeymoon. We have forgotten how many times we have stayed here! 5 stars

lovely cottage tucked away down quiet private road, abundant wildlife. comfortable, clean, accommodation, ver friyendy owners, a further visit is highly likely, very satisfied holidaymakers

This was our second visit to The Shippen and once again it exceeded our expectations. Last year we visited in July and saw loads of wildlife. This year we visited in May and saw even more! Loads of nesting birds with excellent views of Kingfishers, Spotted Flycatchers and Marsh Tits with all the other 'usual suspects'. The cottage is excellent and together with the reserve is one of the most tranquil places we've ever been. Out of our seven days there, we spent 5 full days on the reserve. It was truly amazing. Jon and Janice are excellent hosts and nothing is ever too much trouble.......ever! Jon's knowledge and passion for wildlife is extremely infectious and we came away having learned a great deal more than when we arrived. Highly recommended. Wildlife, trees and a babbling river......what a combination for total relaxation!

Everything we ever wanted in one place. Jon the owner is the nicest most helpful person you could ever wish to meet. We will be going back soon.

Excellent hosts, wonderful surroundings, lots of birds. Good walks. Well equipped cottage

The Shippen is perfectly placed for access to Dartmoor National Park, as well as the north coast of Cornwall (Bude) and also not far away from Tamar Valley. Everything was clean, comfortable and cosy. Fully functioning heating system and shower. Parking at front door. very well equipped kitchen. Marvellous nature all around and last but not least: VERY helpful and friendly owners. Highly recommendable place!

The week we spent was fantastic, as a bird lover, I knew it was going to be good having read other reviews and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Even when we were in the Shippen you have multiple different breeds of birds on the feeders in the garden so if there was a day which the weather wasn’t kind, it doesn’t matter! The reserve itself has a very diverse range of insects and animals, loved watching the Dipper and Kingfisher as they flew up and down the river. Jon’s passion for nature is clearly evident and his tour is a must. Will definitively return one day.