The Place

Embercombe is a stunning fifty acre site with views over Dartmoor National Park and located next to Haldon Forest near Exeter in Devon. You can find directions and travel information here.

At the bottom of our small valley (or Combe) is a beautiful wildlife lake, marking the eastern edge of Embercombe's mature broadleaf woodland which takes up thirty acres of our site. Through careful management  to exclude the large number of local non-native deer, our woods are a thriving ecosystem with areas set aside for human activities and for wilderness, supporting two endangered species: the dormouse and the pearl-edged fritillary butterfly.

North of the lake is our circular organic market garden and polytunnels which are tended by the many volunteers, visitors and course participants who visit Embercombe, providing ample fresh food throughout the year. At the heart of this is the medicine garden: a spot for quiet reflection, storytelling and the cultivation of healing herbs.

We have a newly-planted forest garden and apple orchard comprising hundreds of  trees which will create an impressive, abundant canopy in years to come.

Two yurt villages are located on the land. The West yurt village can accommodate 28 people; the East village can give 21 warm, comfortable homes close to nature. Each yurt has a wood burning stove and both villages have compost toilets. The East village has a specially designed yurt with wheelchair access.

When the land was purchased it was dominated by two large hangars and a runway for private aircraft. While the runway is long gone we have found a great deal of use for the two large hangers. One has been converted along ecologically-friendly lines into our main building, now called Centrefire. It contains:

• A large workshop / conference hall - approx 12m x 15m (oak floor)
• Our central administration offices
• Two smaller spaces for multi-purpose use, one of which can accommodate 15-20 people
• 3 toilets (1 with wheelchair access) and 3 showers

The second hangar contains:

• A 30’ dining yurt with a wood burner which is often used for gatherings, meetings, music etc.
• A large kitchen with commercial cooking facilities.
• Our workshop for woodwork and maintenance, now with a new upper mezzanine floor.