The Old Malt House, Exton

From the cottage, an easy 400m stroll down the lane takes you to the Badgers Holt pub, open Fri-Tues evenings.  The pub can also be reached via a delightful walk through the farm and woods opposite the cottage or a slightly longer stroll down to and along the river Exe.  The food is home made and very tasty and the generous portions will ensure you have the energy for the steep walk back up the hill at the end of the night!  

If you're feeling energetic, the village of Winsford (3km), with its excellent pub and tea room, can be reached on foot via a number of routes and makes for a good circular walk with sustenance. 

There are a wealth of options for lunch, afternoon tea and evening meals a short drive away in Dulverton (6.5 miles).  

Takeaway options include Thai and fish & chips at Dulverton and pub grub from The Rest and Be Thankful at Wheddon Cross (4.5 miles).

Most major supermarkets (including Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose and Morrisons) will deliver to the cottage, or why not take the stress out of self catering with recipe boxes from Mindful Chef or frozen ready meals from Cook, both of which deliver.  

The Old Malt House is ideally placed to explore Exmoor National Park on foot or by bike, with beautiful walks and bike rides (road, mountain bike and gravel biking) from the door.  The owners would be happy to provide recommendations and GPX files.

Wimbleball Lake is a short drive or cycle away (4 miles) and is well worth exploring.  Open year round, it offers a wealth of activities for both adults and children, including kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing, archery, walking and cycling.  There is also a café on site.

Fly fishing is available year round at the nearby Exe Valley Fly Fishery (15 min drive) and for much of the year at Wimbleball Lake.  There are also abundant opportunities for river fishing in the Exe and Barle and for sea fishing, including boat excursions from Minehead, Watchet or Porlock Weir (all within a 30 min drive).

The beautiful village of Dunster, with its castle, gardens, watermill and dog friendly beach is a 20 minute drive away and can also be visited using the bus service, which runs from the bus stop 500m from the cottage.

For something a little different, why not try a distillery tour and gin tasting at the Exmoor Distillery, blueberry picking at Exmoor Blueberries or a wildlife safari with Red Stag Safari (all within 15 mins drive).

Short walks to give the dog a run around before breakfast
Circular pub walks (The Royal Oak, Winsford; The George, Brompton Regis)
Walking for hours without seeing a single soul 
Getting the bus to somewhere you fancy and walking back 
Making a day of it by walking to the Tarr Steps and back (with afternoon tea at the Tarr Farm Inn, of course!) 
And all of the above is without even getting in the car.