Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of North Devon's protected areas. From the sprawling dunes of Braunton Burrows, teeming with rare wildlife, to the rugged cliffs of Lundy Island, a seabird sanctuary, this region offers a unique wildlife and landscape experience. Explore the diverse habitats of Exmoor National Park, including ancient Atlantic rainforest and wild moorlands and witness the dedication to nature conservation that has earned this area UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.
Ed Drewitt is a freelance naturalist and specialises in taking guests out to see and hear wildlife. Ed has been taking people out in the field – both in the UK and abroad – for over 20 years. He is currently based in the Forest of Dean where he helps others to see wild boar, deer and hear the rich birdsong.
Ed also takes school fossil hunting, delivers bird identification and survey courses, and provides ecological advice and surveys.
Ed has been studying urban peregrines since 1998 and is the author of three books, Urban Peregrines, Raptor Prey Remains and Bird Pellets.
During this week, Ed will be helping you to explore this part of North Devon, looking and listening for wildlife in the range of special habitats that exist here.
Please visit Ed's website for further information.
"Ed Drewitt is a phenomenon. His knowledge is encyclopaedic, his enthusiasm is infectious and his ability to spot and identify wildlife is impressive. I am in awe of his ability to pick out one bird from a dawn chorus cacophony or the tiny squeak of a shrew while multiple skylarks are singing above him. He is exactly the kind of guide you want. I have now done several guided walks with him and have enjoyed every one and learned so much on each occasion."
"Ed did not disappoint. His evident passion and knowledge of all things wild was amazing. His enthusiasm was infectious and we came away absolutely gobsmacked by the richness of wildlife and by Ed's outstanding breadth of knowledge which he communicated so clearly. We are still talking about it…Yes, we could have just gone for a walk but we would have missed about 90% of things to see."
"We had the most wonderful time with Ed. We were totally in awe of his knowledge of birds, their calls and all the different habitats we were visiting. We saw and heard so many new birds whilst visiting a number of different sites and cannot thank Ed enough for his patient teaching and for the most amazing experience, we’ll definitely be booking another trip soon!"
Upon your arrival on the Sunday afternoon, at around 3pm, you will be greeted by the team at Westcott Barton.
The retreat will begin with a relaxed afternoon settling into the accommodation and viewing the immediate grounds whilst getting to know each other. An introduction and walk will be given by Ed, followed by a group dinner.
Breakfast will be served at 7.30am and we will head off around 8:30am most days (possibly earlier on the Lundy Island day)
The order of day trips may be subject to change depending on the weather.
Day 1
Arrival. Experience the serenity of Westcott Barton. Explore its fields and follow the gentle flow of the stream, immersing yourself in the sights and sounds of nature. Spot vibrant wildflowers, watch butterflies flitting about and listen to the spring songs of woodland birds.
Day 2
Join us on a minibus excursion to Exmoor National Park. Explore a breathtaking range of habitats and witness the beauty of nature as you spot birds, butterflies and mammals such as deer and ponies.
Day 3
Discover the beauty of Lundy Island*. We will travel to Ilfracombe, then board a boat for a scenic journey to the island. Spend a day exploring its diverse habitats, searching for seabirds, grassland birds, butterflies and enjoying the unique charm of island life.
Day 4
Embark on an adventure to Braunton Burrows, one of the UK's largest dune systems. We will explore this unique landscape and discover a treasure trove of rare plants, birds such as stonechats and meadow pipits, reptiles and vibrant butterflies.
Day 5
Head home from Westcott Barton, refreshed and renewed after your retreat. Take home the memories of peace, relaxation and connection with nature.
*The trip to Lundy Island could be subject to change depending on the weather. In the unlikely event the skipper cancels the boat due to weather then an alternative day trip to another wildlife habitat on the mainland will be offered. Tickets to Lundy Island will need to be purchased in advance; we will advise on this closer to the time when the 2026 timetable is released.
Tea coffee and biscuits are freely available to help yourself when at Westcott Barton.
Packed lunches will be provided at breakfast. Please order choices at dinner the night before. Group dinner will be at 6.30pm.
Our courses are limited to around 10 participants per retreat to ensure a more personalised retreat and opportunities for seeing wildlife.
Whether you have just got into wildlife watching or have been doing it for years, you are very welcome to join us.
Single occupancy in secure room, with own bathroom facilities: £825 per person.
Double or twin occupancy in secure room, with own bathroom facilities: £780 per person (minimum booking for two and both must be participating in retreat).
Single occupancy room or shared room (twin or double), but sharing bathroom facilities: £780 per person (minimum booking for two and both must be participating in retreat).
Non-participating partners sharing a course participant's room are welcome: £425 per person (includes meals) . This option is subject to availability.
We welcome non-residential participants on our retreats/courses - please enquire for further details.
The form can either be printed and completed by hand or filled out on your computer (Adobe PDF reader required). If the latter, please make sure you save the PDF once you have added your details and then email this back to us.
RETREAT BOOKING FORM (PDF) - please right click and save to your computer.
If you are travelling to Westcott Barton by car, please refer to our Location page for directions.
We suggest you download what3words and then use Google Maps within the app to provide you with directions to us. Please enter our full address and not just the postcode.
It is possible to pre-book a taxi from Barnstaple station. Please contact either VIP Taxi on 07868 311 773 and speak to Martin, or B-Line Taxis on 01271 322117.
If you are planning to travel by another means of transport please contact us for assistance.