Our Gidleigh Park 2014 film leaves London behind for a country-house weekend in Devon. Published on 2 September 2014, it moves from the hotel and its rooms to the restaurant, riverside gardens and open views across Dartmoor. It is a short visual record of the stay, with the landscape as much a part of the story as the house.

Arriving at Gidleigh Park

The opening sequence follows water through the trees before revealing the house across a broad lawn. White walls, dark timber detailing and a wooded backdrop establish the setting. A closer view of the entrance takes us from the gardens into the hotel.

Inside, the camera picks out the furnishings and small details. The bedroom has a large upholstered headboard, pale bedding and deep red cushions. The film then turns towards the bathroom and its view into the grounds.

A room with a view

A freestanding bath sits beneath a window in the sloping ceiling. Chairs and furniture give the bathroom the feel of another room in the house. The next shots look through the window, bringing the green surroundings back into the tour.

Downstairs, sitting rooms, a fireplace and the bar continue the country-house atmosphere. Armchairs, lamps and flowers fill the interiors. These brief scenes give the film a sense of the spaces between the bedroom and restaurant.

Dining during the 2014 visit

The wine-cellar sequence shows rows of bottles stored horizontally. It leads into a succession of carefully arranged dishes, followed by a cheese trolley, sweets and dessert. The camera stays close to the plates, making the meal one of the film’s main sequences.

Our original 2014 description praised the food and wine and identified Michael Caines as the chef, referring to his two Michelin stars. Those remarks belong to the 2014 visit, preserved here as part of our travel archive.

Gardens, river and Dartmoor

After the interiors and dining, a sign points towards a walk to the moor. The film returns to the lawns and looks back at the house. Paths and clipped planting lead into greener, more wooded parts of the grounds.

Wooden bridges cross the rocky river. Water, stone and overhanging branches provide a change of pace from the hotel rooms. The route through the gardens becomes an important part of this weekend portrait.

The final sequence opens out onto Dartmoor. Sheep and cattle appear in the landscape, followed by wide views across the hills beneath moving clouds. It is a fitting close to a film that balances a country-house stay with time outside.

Watch the original film

The original video is preserved below. Its publication date is 2 September 2014; the precise filming dates are not established here.