Bideford,
Westward Ho!, Appledore and Barnstaple
Country
breaks with a seaside twist
What an ideal time to be driving to North
Devon to enjoy a bit of the country. Ever since international
travel was plagued with the chaos of the flight disruptions
resultant of the Volcanic Ash Cloud, many travellers have
appreciated the beauty of staycation destinations. Executive
Traveller presents North Devon and Exmoor; with specific
emphasis on Bideford, Westward Ho, Appledore and Barnstaple.
Needless to say that you cannot visit these scenic locations
without including Instow, Hartland and Clovelly.
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The
thing about North Devon is that it has it all; if it is
a peaceful beach, a big adventure, a beautiful landscape
or wildlife you crave for in the county, North Devon will
make your dreams come true. It all becomes priceless when
you visit the timeless private village of Clovelly and walk
along the cobbled path to the tiny 14th Century fishing
deep-blue harbour as a hot gleam of sunlight falls upon
the white cottages along your way.
Apart from the friendly residents, North Devon and Exmoor
has a strange charm to its existence. It can tap on its
own art, heritage and culture and forget that others exist.
With its varied landscapes rolling from farmlands, dramatic
coastline and wild heather-strewn moors anyone driving along
its landscape is bound to be impressed.
It is not just a matter of beaches and landscapes with North
Devon. Foodies also love North Devon and Exmoor. Almost
everyone service provider welcomes you to their establishment
with cream teas, traditional scones and tea, accompanied
by Devonshire cream and jam. When it comes to restaurants,
you actually have a choice. If you want to stick to traditional
English, you can never go wrong with Fish
and Chips at Squires in Braunton. Otherwise,
if you want to enjoy a Mediterranean experience,
you can go loco with tapas at Lilico’s
in Barnstaple.
Places
to stay
The Westward Living Cottages
in Duckhaven Stud
Established in
2009 with original 2 stable cottages Silca Blanka and Surcoat,
six unique cottages now stand in the scenic grounds of a
working Devonshire thoroughbred stud farm, Duckhaven Stud
which is in the Areas of Natural Beauty and Unesco Biosphere
Reserve; this means that guests arrive at a truly unique
setting with an opportunity to experience living in one
of the worlds most beautiful locations. The stud farm and
racing yard for thoroughbreds horses boast some of Duckhaven’s
winners including the resident stallion Silca Blanka, Star
Player (winner of the Chester cup 1992) Surcoat, Warm Winter
& Fanatical. Each cottage is named after a winning horse,
footage of winning races and photos are available for guests
to view, they may also have a personal introduction or grooming
session with the horses, this is a complimentary option
which the owners enjoy sharing with guests. Mares are covered
at the stud each spring and the foal are born in the Spring.
Guests are welcome to watch the foaling and each new foal’s
stable name is named after a lucky guest!
Westward Living welcomes visitors who enjoy self-catering
holidays in a traditional and rural setting. Guests enjoy
a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere, surrounded by wonderful
landscapes and a short distance from sandy beaches. Guests
also enjoy private access from their cottage directly onto
the coastal footpath. On a clear day guests can enjoy the
breathtaking panoramic views of Clovelly, Lundy Island,
Westward Ho!, Saunton Sands and the Torridge Estuary –
this truly is a sight not to be missed.
Westward Ho!
This beach resort with sands that go on for ever at low
tide was name after Charles Kingsley’s novel. The
beaches at Westward Ho! are stunning with surf for the surfers,
birdlife for the twitchers and acres of space for everyone.
The beaches enjoy a Blue Flag status and are safe. During
the summer season, RNLI lifeguards are on patrol. Most of
North Devon's beaches have secret coves, water falls, high
cliffs and rocky points share the limelight with long sand
stretches and an extraordinary estuary that has been designated
a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Unique
experiences in Westward Ho!
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Westward
Ho! has many qualities but the unique experience
of seeing a foal born to a mare at Duckhaven Stud
is not what one would expect on a holiday –
absolutely priceless. I guess that after such an
experience, a well-deserved Hockings ice cream is
a must for anyone visiting the beach!
Photo:
Daniel
Quincy Annoh with the less than a day old "Daniel"
at Duckhaven
Stud, a beautiful young bay colt, by
resident stallion, Silca Blanka.
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The
picturesque village of Clovelly
Drive
nine miles west of Bideford on the north coast of
Devon and you will arrive at Clovelly, one of the
very few privately owned villages in England, held
in Estate for the Rous family by the Clovelly Estate
Company. Clovelly is as unique to North Devon as
Jaffa is to Tel-Aviv in Israel. Clovelly is a timeless
small village where the steep, cobbled street tumbles
down 400 feet past gleaming white cottages to the
end of a tiny 14th Century fishing deep-blue harbour.
The story of Clovelly started with Christine Hamley
who inherited the village in 1884. Christine cared
and restored the village so intensely that she became
known as the “Queen of Clovelly”.
There
is so much to see and do in Clovelly but the most
intriguing thing about Clovelly is not just the
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breathtaking scenery, the fascinating history, wonderful
costal walks along the Hobby Drive, traditional crafts,
boating and fishing trips but the many treasures that
are hidden down the tiny side streets and alleys.
The streets are too steep for motor vehicles, so for
centuries donkeys were the main form of transport.
Today, visitors and residents generally walk and all
goods in the village are transported by sledge –
from groceries to furniture and building materials!
The village still has resident donkeys though and
children can enjoy rides in the summer. |
A visit
to North Devon should not exclude this quintessential village
that has no cars and no individually-owned houses and visitor
centre modelled on a traditional Devon long barn!
Clovelly
Visitor Centre
Nr Bideford
North Devon
EX39 5TA
Tel: 01237 431781
Email: visitorcentre@clovelly.co.uk
www.clovelly.co.uk
Map:
Locate Clovelly here
There
is an admission fee which covers parking, the A/V show,
and entry to both museums and a contribution to the preservation
of the estate.
Things
to do
North Devon is always great if you like to be active. We
visited North Devon during a stormy Easter and thought that
there would not be much to do; but there was something for
anyone, come rain or shine. You can start your day with
a walk along the beach in Westward Ho before breakfast or
after breakfast if you want to learn some water sport such
as surfing. There is sailing, water-skiing, surfing or kite-surfing
and many water sports schools if you care to learn a new
sport.
The
Big Sheep Place
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The
big sheep place has been designed for children but
when you see the parents cheering heartedly at the
Big sheep race then you will really know why they
continue to bring their children to this place.
Not to be missed –
The Big Sheep Race
The highlight of a great day spent at the Big Sheep
Place is the Big Sheep Race with Racing stars:
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No 1 - Red Ram
No 2 - Sheargar
No 3 - Little Pullover
No 4 - Golden Fleece
No 5 - Alderknitty
No 6 - Woolly Jumper
The six sheep have to negotiate "Shepherd's Brook",
Bo Peep's Bend and the "EWE Turn" in their
quest for glory.
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A
talented and ‘honest’ Joe the bookmaker
takes your bets to win the prize and announces and
comments on the race just as it would be done in the
Grand Derby. You can bet using the BIG Sheep currency,
the EWE-RO, (purchase from reception on arrival) or
of course the £. |
The
Big Sheep Place
Abbotsham Rd
Bideford,
Devon
EX39 5AP
01237 472 366
www.thebigsheep.co.uk
Map:
Locate the Big Sheep Place here
The
Ultimate High Ropes Centre
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If
you are a thrill-seeker, do not fail to visit Russell
Johns’ Southwest Extreme sports and the Ultimate
High ropes centre. The three year old centre has the
largest ropes course of its kind the UK. Thrill-seeker
and teacher Russell who has been taking groups on
other activities such as coasteering, kayaking and
surfing for about five to seven years designed the
Ultimate High Ropes courses with 28 adrenaline packed
elements such as the Jacobs ladder, climbing wall,
Zip Wire and Leap of |
Faith.
The activities are suitable for any from age nine and above.
The Ultimate High Ropes centre is also ideal for corporate
team building activities, stag and hen activities. Usually
no booking is required and there are discounts for groups
and visitors to the BIG Sheep centre.
Opening hours:
10am – 7pm during the summer months
10am to 6pm weekends all year round and during weekdays
for group bookings
The
Ultimate High
Abbotsham
Bideford
North Devon
EX39 5AP
Tel: 07779 639 793
Email: info@outdooredtraining.co.uk
www.theultimatehigh.com
Map:
The Ultimate High here
Extreme
Sports
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For
adventure seekers, there are activities galore in
the county. Defy logic and reason by stepping backwards
over the top of a cliff, or start at the bottom
and climb up! There are abseiling and rock-climbing
hot spots throughout Devon. For beginners there
are training centres where skilled instructors can
guide you and practice walls for all levels to hone
their skills. The classic pursuits of walking and
cycling are well catered for with no end of trails
to choose from taking in moorland, farmland and
the South West coast path.
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The
Tarka Trail offers traffic-free routes through valleys and
old train track, while for mountain bikers the Two Moors
Way is ideal. For a more leisurely way of enjoying the area,
try a spot of wildlife and bird watching or explore the
unspoilt cobbled streets of Clovelly with its views of Lundy
Island or the Hartland peninsular where stories of pirates
and ship wrecks contrast with the quiet beauty of the Area
of Outstanding Natural Beauty’s sheltered coves and
stunning geology. At the other end of the North Devon coastline
you’ll find the twin towns of Lynton & Lynmouth,
the gateway to Exmoor and connected by a water-driven cliff
railway.
Shopping:
It is destination Barnstaple for all the biggest names on
the high street together with a traditional covered market
experience at the pannier market in Green Lanes. If you
still what to shop for food in Barnstaple, then head towards
Butcher’s Row.
Bideford has fascinating curios, antiques, art shop and
gift shops together with fresh produce,
Tourist information centres
These are all over the squares please use of them.
For further information please visit www.northdevon.com
Travel
Essentials for North Devon
Costs: Budget adequately for car hire or
fuel costs
How to get there:
Nearest airport is Exeter which is about an hour away; there
is also the rail option where once again you travel up to
Exeter and then change to Barnstaple. Nevertheless,weI would
say that the best means is by car as you will need this
throughout your stay. From London, you use then M4 and then
M5 and then the A39.
How to eat
well in North Devon
Unique
places to stay in North Devon
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