Imagine living in a pretty country cottage overlooking a delightful valley with your own 35 acres of woodland. Now imagine the same thing with every 21st century luxury at your disposal. That's what David and Maria have created over the last seven years at the tiny hamlet of Stapley in the Blackdown Hills.

A sweeping drive from the lane leads up to Willow and Bracken Lodges. The two lodges that David and Maria have built have wood clinker facades and slate roofs which blend in wonderfully with the landscape.

Each lodge has five bedrooms and can sleep up to 12. Imagine that! You can accommodate up to 24 family or friends in one place!

Go inside your house and there's old world charm but there's also hi-tech living. The superb oak-floored open-plan living area in each house is 25ft long by 19ft wide. There are wood burning stoves and feature fireplaces at one end of these rooms, with under floor heating throughout the ground floor.

A wooden staircase leads to a mezzanine play area that overlooks the living room. Upstairs is entirely carpeted. Bedrooms all have televisions and views over the surrounding countryside. The main bedroom has a grand bathroom en-suite. There is a guest bathroom and guest shower room, too.

The kitchen facilities will make large scale entertaining easy. Each house has a range cooker and integrated dishwasher and an integrated clothes washer/dryer. If you like, we can organise local caterers and Tescos' or Sainsburys can deliver your food for your arrival.

There are excellent places to eat nearby, including gastro-pubs such as the Merry Harriers and the Culm Valley Inn. Walks from Stapley lead to other superb country pubs, such as the Blagdon Inn at Blagdon, the York at Churchinford and the Holman Clavel at Culm Head. For shopping, go to the sweet market town of Taunton where the County Stores offers a range of local produce - and it even has a 24 hour Tesco. For restaurants, there is Taunton's Michelin-starred Castle Hotel restaurant as well as a wide range of others. Or stay at home and entertain on your own patio. These large decking areas are tucked into the L-shape of the lodges so they enjoy the most possible sunshine. Both have hot tubs, picnic benches and gas barbecues. The houses themselves have plenty of south facing picture windows so you can watch your children playing on the patios or play equipment while admiring your private woodlands beyond from the comfort of your house.

The private wood is a terrific area for the young to explore. David and Maria have cut paths through it to secret glades. A mix of silver birch, oak and conifers, it's a haunt of shy roe and red deer, badgers and even otters, who chose the little trout in Stapley Stream across the land.

David and Maria have a little boy and know how important it is for a holiday house to be safe for children. The pond with its charming rustic bridge is fenced off and, for those with toddlers, the whole patio area is gated.

Above all Willow and Bracken Lodges are a place of peace and relaxation, where you can enjoy your holiday undisturbed.

Please visit http://www.sleeps12.com/willowlodge/ to find out more about the holiday cottage, amenities, surrounding area and places to visit in Somerset.

• Coates Willow & Wetlands Visitors Centre - 7.1 miles E - Meare Green Court Meare Green, Stoke St. Gregory, Taunton, Tel: 01823 490249
• Combe Sydenham Country Park - 12 miles NW - Monksilver, Taunton, Tel: 01984 656284
• Hinkley Point Visitors Centre - 13 miles N - Bridgwater, Tel: 01278 654700
• Westonzoyland Pumping Museum, Westonzoyland, Bridgwater, Tel: 01823 275795
• West Sedgemoor Nature Reserve for birdwatching, Tel: 01458 252805

Travel: Taunton Railway Station. Exeter and Bristol Airport

Good places to visit: Whilst in Taunton Visit our Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - The Blackdown and Quantock Hills, the Somerset Levels and Moors, Brendon Hills, the market town of Wellington and Wiveliscombe - the gateway to Exmoor.

Annual Events: Exmoor Food Festival - 7th-15th October 2006. Discover whortleberries, sheep's milk ice-cream, organic lamb, hand-made chocolates, wild mushrooms.

Good places to eat: List of recommended places to eat inside the holiday cottages.

Local Sports: Horse Riding. Golf. Walking. Fishing.

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