1 The Webbery Guide to North Devon Welcome to Webbery! Just by coming here you are already in on one of the best kept secrets in British tourism - our North Devon homeland. The enduring charm of this beautiful area is in large part a product of the relative isolation it enjoyed until the Link Road was opened in the late 1980s. Rumour has it that the first avocado pears were seen in Barnstaple shops within a couple of days of its opening! Here you will find an old-world charm that has sadly largely disappeared from the rest of the country. There are many lonely places where you can totally escape the tumult of modern life to find true rural peace and tranquillity. There are no Cities or large Towns in North Devon. To put things into perspective, Barnstaple is our regional capital but still has a population of only some 23,000 people. Yet the best of civilisation is not far away, with a range of good places to eat, shop and patronise the arts. We have prepared this little guide as an introduction to what the region has to offer. It can, at best, only be limited in scope as there is so much more to North Devon than we can possibly describe in these few pages.
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The Webbery Guide to North Devon
Welcome to Webbery! Just by coming here you are already in on one of the best kept
secrets in British tourism - our North Devon homeland. The enduring charm of this
beautiful area is in large part a product of the relative isolation it enjoyed until the
Link Road was opened in the late 1980s. Rumour has it that the first avocado pears
were seen in Barnstaple shops within a couple of days of its opening!
Here you will find an old-world charm that has sadly largely disappeared from the rest
of the country. There are many lonely places where you can totally escape the tumult
of modern life to find true rural peace and tranquillity. There are no Cities or large
Towns in North Devon. To put things into perspective, Barnstaple is our regional
capital but still has a population of only some 23,000 people. Yet the best of
civilisation is not far away, with a range of good places to eat, shop and patronise the
arts.
We have prepared this little guide as an introduction to what the region has to offer. It
can, at best, only be limited in scope as there is so much more to North Devon than
we can possibly describe in these few pages.
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Dining Out in the North Devon Area
Restaurants
Andrews on the Weir
Porlock weir
Somerset
TA248PB
Tel: +44 (0)1643 863 300
Actually in Somerset on the other side of Exmoor about 20 minutes drive from
Lynmouth. This is a serious foodie’s restaurant overlooking the small harbour at
Porlock Weir where chef Andrew Dixon provides beautifully prepared and presented
food using local produce. The restaurant is in the former home of the mother of a
friend of mine and has a cosy atmosphere. There is a very nice woodland walk from
the Weir up to the ancient and tiny church at Culbone. Just the thing to burn off a few
calories after a good lunch! Booking recommended.
Broomhill Art Hotel
Muddiford, Barnstaple, North Devon, EX31 4EX
01271 850 362
Award winning restaurant with menu based around Mediterranean cuisine, using
organic, Fairtrade & fresh produce from six neighbouring farms
The Old Custom House
9 The Strand, Barnstaple North Devon EX31 1EU
01271 370123
Riverside restaurant recently re-opened under the ownership of chef James Duckett.
Provides food of the quality to be found in a top London restaurant at a fraction of the
price. Menu changes daily to reflect availability of local produce. Al fresco dining on
the Quay in Summer. Booking advised.
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Decks Restauant,
Marine Parade
Instow, Devon, EX39 4JJ
01271 860671
Hatton Croft, Marine Parade, Instow, North Devon EX39 4JJ
01271 860671
Seafood speciality restaurant right on the Front at Instow. Fantastic views of the sun
setting over the sea on Spring and Summer evenings. Upstairs dining room decked out
like a ship. Al fresco dining on outdoor terrace at the front. Booking recommended.
East of the Water
2, Barnstaple Street East-the-Water, Bideford
Tel: 01237 425329
Chinese cooking as you have never tasted it before. Former riverside pub converted
into a restaurant serving Chinese “home cooked” food with an emphasis on seafood
dishes. Very good wine list at sensible prices. Highly recommended. This place is
very popular with the locals so be sure to book!
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Han Court Chinese Restaurant
Main Road, Fremington, Barnstaple, North Devon, EX31 2NX
01271 373 865
Excellent Cantonese & Peking cuisine. A wide choice of speciality, fresh seafood
dishes & set menus. All dishes are freshly cooked to order. 99% MSG Free. Friendly
personal service from the owner.
High Bullen Hotel, Golf & Country Club
High Bullen Chittlehamholt, Umberleigh, North Devon, EX37 9HD
01769 540561
Dine surrounded by breathtaking county views in the Pavilion Brasserie or hotel
restaurant and during the summer months on the terrace or in the secluded hotel
courtyard. A unique family-run country house hotel with first rate leisure facilities.
Honey Moon Chinese & Thai Restaurant
3 The Strand, Barnstaple, North Devon, EX31 1EU
01271 329800
Authentic Chinese and Thai cuisine.
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Lemongrass Thai Restaurant
30 Caen Street, Braunton, North Devon, EX33 1AA
01271 813633
Freshly cooked authentic Thai food using only the best local produce. Fully licensed
with a range of good wines from around the world
The Mason’s Arms
Mark & Sarah Dodson, The Masons Arms, Knowstone, Devon, EX36 4RY
01398 341231
Renowned Michelin starred restaurant in a 13th Century village pub at Knowstone.
About 40 minutes drive from Webbery, but well worth it. Mark was head chef at the
Waterside Inn for many years and provides consistently wonderful food at sensible
prices using the best of local produce. Booking recommended.
Memories Restaurant
8 Fore Street, Northam, Bideford, North Devon, EX39 1AW
01237 473419
Small is beautiful! Winner of best restaurant in North Devon award. Chef-patron Brett
provides innovative, constantly changing menus utilising excellent local produce,
while wife Naomi runs front of house. Brett is a keen fisherman and you will often be
eating his catch of the day! The restaurant is air-conditioned and offers an intimate
atmosphere. Our personal favourite. Booking essential.
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Mortehoe Shellfish
Kinevor House, North Morte Road, Mortehoe, North Devon, EX34 7EE
01271 870633
A real fish and seafood experience. The spectacular evening platter with whole
lobster, crab and 12 varieties of seafood is not to be missed.
The dramatic juxtaposition of sweeping, heather-clad moorland with high, craggy,
cliffs dropping sheer into the clear cool waters of sheltered bays make Lynton and
Lynmouth the jewels in the crown of the North Devon Coast.
Lynton and Lynmouth developed gradually over the centuries around two splendid
deep and wooded river valleys, those of the East and West Lyn which have their
origins in a matrix of small streams on the high ground of Exmoor and then come
together in confluence just before they flow into the sea at Lynmouth. It was the
Victorians who made these twin settlements a Mecca for discerning holidaymakers,
giving the area the title 'The Little Switzerland of England'.
Really just large moorland streams in normal conditions it was these two rivers,
swollen by 48 hours of continuous heavy rain in August 1952, that brought tons of
rock crashing down through Lynmouth devastating the village with fatal
consequences. The effects of the flood can still be seen to-day.
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About a mile from the centre of Lynton lies the renowned Valley of Rocks. It can
easily be reached by car but the reward is so much the greater (if for nothing other
than the cardio-vascular system.) if one makes the journey on foot coming up via
North Walk or Hollerday Hill. Dominating the valley is Castle Rock. Other bizarrely
weathered formations bear names such as Ragged Jack and the Devil's Cheesewring.
The Cliff Railway was officially opened in 1890 and operates at a gradient of 1:1¾
achieving a vertical ascent of approximately 500 feet. With a gauge is 45 inches the
railway is a minor masterpiece of Victorian engineering. Each car has a 700 gallon
water tank which is filled at the top and emptied at the bottom. This displacement of
water causes the lower car to be pulled up to Lynton, while the heavier car at the top
descends to Lynmouth.
The beautiful river walk from Lynmouth to Watersmeet is not too taxing and promises
the reward of lunch or tea at the excellent National Trust café at the confluence of the
streams.
Welcombe
Welcombe lies on the Atlantic Coast just on the Devon side of the North
Devon/Cornwall border midway between Bideford and Bude. The parish of
Welcombe comprises a scattered group of hamlets incorporating approximately 100
households. The village sits astride a deep valley which leads a meandering stream to
the cliff edge at Welcombe Mouth where it ends in a picturesque waterfall. St
Nectan's Church looks over the northern flank of the valley while The Old Smithy Inn
lies on the southern side.
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Westward Ho!
On a narrow strip of land beneath the wooded hillside and golden sands of Bideford
Bay, lies this little seaside resort that has been a popular family holiday destination
since Victorian times.
The village is fronted by over two miles of golden sand and is protected by the
famous pebble ridge and long promenade. Behind the pebble ridge lies the Northam
Burrows Country Park, with nearly 1000 acres of common ground to explore. To the
west of the village you will find wonderful scenic walks too. All the traditional
seaside attractions you would expect are situated on the promenade and within the
village, which provides a vibrant atmosphere and happy bustling shopping centre.
Woolacombe and Mortehoe
Between Braunton and Ilfracombe lie some of Europe’s finest and cleanest beaches,
ideal for both families with children and watersports enthusiasts. The small village of
Woolacombe is located along this spectacular coastline of soft, golden sandy beaches
flanked by the dramatic headlands of Baggy Point and Morte Point.
Woolacombe"s popularity has never been greater; it was given the accolade "Family
Holiday of the Year 1999" by the English Tourism Council, having been nominated
by a regular holiday maker. The Village has also achieved both the Blue Flag and
Premier Beach Seaside Award for it’s attractive sandy beach making it the ideal base
for a family holiday.
And if its beaches you want, nigh on three miles of golden sands stretch from
Putsborough in the south to Woolacombe village itself offering scope even for the
most energetic beachcombers. The shallowness of the waters means that they are
readily warmed by the Sun making bathing a safe and pleasant experience in good
weather. The beaches are patrolled by lifeguards during the main summer season.
The little settlement of Mortehoe is a pretty stone village named in the Domesday
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Book. The village boasts a number of tea rooms and pubs, a thirteenth century church
and Mortehoe Heritage Centre which celebrates the area’s rich maritime history.
Mortehoe is also the starting point for the many scenic walks along this dramatic
stretch of coastline. Just north of the village and reached only on foot, lies Rockham
Beach at the base of a 100 ft cliff, the ideal spot for a quiet day’s relaxation on the
beach.
Gardens and Country Houses to visit
ROSEMOOR
A true gardener’s garden , often featured on TV. Displaying a stunning variety of
garden styles, maturity, and planting with all year round interest, Rosemoor is rapidly
evolving into a garden of national importance. Its 40 acres are designed to delight and
inspire a wide range of visitors, from the novice to the professional, and its fascinating
explorer trails are popular with children.
The Fame of 2000 roses in 200 varieties is spreading - and rightly so, for they are
truly a magnificent sight. There are beds of tender perennials, a quarter of a mile of
herbaceous borders; contrasting beds of hot and cool colours, a newly planted Winter
Garden and spectacular Plantsman's and Foliage Garden with its bamboos, grasses
and carefully selected shrubs of fine architectural form. There is a stream that rushes
through a 'new' rock gorge planted with ferns and bamboos, then meanders through
the bog garden before tumbling down into a magnificent lake.
Tapeley Park Gardens
On the road between Webbery and Instow. With its four distinctly different themed
areas set in a twenty acre site, Tapeley Gardens are home to a rich and fascinating
variety of flowers, trees, shrubs and vegetables.
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The well known terraced Italian garden, created by Lady Rosamond Christie in the
late 19th century, have recently been restored by Mary Keen and Carol Kleins. They
now brim with new scents and colours, complimenting the existing rare and tender
plants. This, with the stunning views, woodlands and lakes, walled kitchen garden and
dairy tea rooms, plant sales and childrens play area make for an extensive and
uplifting day out.
Hartland Abbey
Located in a beautiful, sheltered valley by a small trout stream, only a miles walk
from a spectacular Atlantic Cove. From 1157-1539 the Augustinian Canons lived and
gardened in this hidden paradise. In the 18th Century shrub gardens were created
either side of the abbey with a woodland walk to the walled kitchen gardens.
The winding paths in the Baronet's Bog garden, designed by Gertrude Jekll and until
recently hidden by undergrowth, lead to the newly discovered Victorian Fernery and
the charming secret walled garden. Being an informal mixture of tender and rare
plants, summer perennials, shrubs and vegetables for the house, they are pretty in all
seasons. The woodland walk to the beach is a carpet of wildflowers in spring.
Marwood Hill
These gardens are the end result of the owner's passion over 50 years collecting an
enormous number of trees and shrubs, many of them very rare, together with many
herbaceous and alpine plants. These have now matured and every season sees an
exuberance of flower with large collections of Camellias and Magnolias in Spring
with a mass underplanting of Snowdrops and Daffodils.
A succession of dramatic Himalayan and other species Rhododendrons and a great
variety of flowering trees take us through into summer.The three lakes, linked by the
biggest bog garden in the west are alive with ducks and multicoloured carp.
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Docton Mill
Less than a mile from the sea, in one of Devon’s outstanding beauty spots lies Docton
Mill. The mill itself, mentioned in the Domesday Book, has been restored along with
its waterways and now generates electricity for the house.
The internationally renowned garden blends with natural landscape. Eight acres of
sheltered wooded valley with millpond, leats, trout stream crossed by footbridges and
smaller streams. The encompassing bog garden is exceptional.
Knightshayes Court
Just outside Tiverton Designed by William Burges and begun in 1869, Knightshayes
is a rare survival of his work. The rich interiors combine medieval romanticism with
lavish Victorian decoration, and the smoking and billiard rooms, elegant boudoir and
drawing room all give an atmospheric insight into grand country house life. The
celebrated garden features a water lily pool and topiary, fine specimen trees, rare
shrubs and delightful seasonal colours. Attractive woodland walks lead through the
grounds
Arlington Court
The plain exterior of this house, built in neo-classical style in 1822, does little to
prepare the visitor for the astonishing rooms inside. Full of collections for every taste,
many of them amassed by the eccentric and widely travelled Miss Rosalie Chichester,
they include displays of model ships, costume, pewter, shells and other fascinating
objects. The Trust's large collection of horse-drawn carriages is housed in the stables
and there are carriage rides in the grounds, starting at the house. Walks lead through
attractive gardens into extensive parkland grazed by Shetland ponies and Jacob sheep
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North Devon Beaches North Devon has some of the finest beaches in the Country. Here are our
recommendations
Northam Burrows
1.5 miles of sandy beach protected by its ridge of huge pebbles. Ideal for swimming,
surfing and sailboarding. There is a visitors centre explaining the ecology of the sea
and surrounding area. This is open Easter - September 10am - 5pm, although the park
is open all the time. There is a car park behind the pebble ridge and toilets at the
visitors centre.
Westward Ho!
A seaside resort with amusement arcade, putting green,tennis courts,playground,
beach shops, snack bars and seaside pubs. The beach - sand/pebbles - is easily
accessible from the car park and is ideal for swimming and surfing. There are also
pools in the rocks which have been adapted for swimming
Instow
Our nearest beach. Long, sandy esturine beach.. When the tide is out it is very
pleasant walking along the beach by the edge of the river Torridge with picturesque
Appledore on the opposite side, or just sit down and enjoy and ice cream.
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Saunton Sands
3 miles of flat sand backed by massive sand dunes. Excellent surfing beach and ideal
for all water sports. Manned with lifeguards. Wheelchair accessible. Shop, toilet etc.
at car park end of beach. Arrive early as car parking space is limited and can fill up on
busy days
Croyde
This award winning sandy beach is just around the corner from Saunton Sands, but
because it is smaller it can get crowded. However it is easily accessible, there is plenty
of car parking and it is excellent for swimming, surfing, windsurfing etc. The beach is
manned with lifeguards. At one end of the beach there is equipment hire, a shop,
refreshments and toilets.
Woolacombe
A modern settlement rather swamped by hotels guest houses and caravan parks.
However once you get past all this you come to one of the finest beaches in the West
Country. 3 miles of golden sand with numerous awards. It is very clean and tidy, has
good toilet facilities, first aid, life saving equipment and even a lost children service.
There is a large car park near the beach. Woolacombe is ideal for all water sports and
there are lifeguards on the beach. However attention should be paid to warnings not to
bathe at low tide.
Putsborough
(At the southern end of Woolacombe Sands) Another award winning sandy beach
manned with lifeguards. Again ideal for surfing, swimming and water sports. There is
a beach car park but access for wheelchairs is difficult. Toilets and snack bar.
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Barricane Beach
(just north ofWoolacombe Sands) A Small rocky cove with a beach made of broken
sea shells not native to Britain. Rock pools amongst the flat rocks. Wheelchair access
is possible if a little difficult. Parking is on the Mortehoe road (opposite the Devon
Beach Hotel) or at Woolacombe Beach car park five minutes walk away.
Combesgate, Rockham & Grunta
Small secluded bays with deep safe rock pools. Unfortunately the only access to these
bays is by footpath. A good starting point is the ancient parish church at Mortehoe - St
Mary's. The Chichester Arms in Mortehoe does a good lunch.
Tunnels
The Tunnels at Ilfracombe are passages hewn through the cliffs to a privately owned
bathing beach. The Victorians also built up walls between rocks to make two bathing
pools - One for ladies and one for gentlemen. There is a cafe at the entrance to the
tunnels as well as a snack bar by the beaches There is a small charge to use the
Tunnels.
Hele Bay
Just east of Ilfracombe this safe shingle beach is popular with canoeists. There are a
few amusements and a tide filled childrens swimming pool. In the village is a working
16th century watermill open April - October. There is also a pottery at the mill where
you can make your own pot. From the village there is a paths up the impressive 447ft
Hillsborough hill which provides a good view of Ilfracombe Harbour. Its summit is
also one of the few places in the country where you can see the sun rise and set over a
sea horizon. Just yards from the beach is the Hele Bay Pub with good food.
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Lee
This pretty little village nestles in Fushia Valley - a deep combe where fushias grow
in profusion. The beach is delightful at low tide with lots of rock pools to explore and
a stretch of sand giving good bathing. At high tide all this is covered and the beach
becomes very uninviting.
Combe Martin
At high tide the beach looks uninteresting but as the tide goes out there are large rock
pools to explore and stretch of level sand appears outside a ridge of stones known as
the breakwater. The sea is free of currents and therefore popular for bathing. Just a
little to the west is Sandy Bay which is reached by Sandy Bay Lane. Steps lead down
to the beach, but unfortunately there is no sand. However it is a great spot for picnic.
Wild Pear Bay
A delightful beach often used by naturists. Although steps have been cut into the cliff
down to the beach, the descent and climb back are quite arduous. The beach is a
mixture of sand and pebbles and on the north side is a stream of drinking water. The
nearest car park is the beach car park at Combe Martin. Take the footpath to Lesser
Point which then goes on to Little Hangman and you will come across the path down
to Wild Pear/Hangman beach.
Woody Bay
A lovely sheltered bay where the steep cliffs are covered in woods and a fast flowing
stream gushes down the hillside to the beach below. There is a small car park next to
the road and the path zig-zags down through the woods to the beach below. The
beach, made up of rocks, large pebbles and shingle, is safe for swimming and is a
lovely place to just sit, relax and enjoy the scenery. The only disadvantage is having
to walk back up
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Lee Bay
A very narrow scenic road brings you from Woody Bay to Lee Bay. Another very
attractive bay with rocks to climb and a sandy/shingle beach to play on. However
bathers should beware of strong currents. Car parking is in a field near the bay and
there are some facilities. Have tea in the delightful tea shop at Lee Abbey.
Wringcliff Bay
This secluded little bay is surrounded by high cliffs. The path down to it is quite steep
and not really suitable for very young children. There is a car park in the Valley of the
Rocks and the path is sign posted from the little roundabout near the car park.
Long Haul
If you want to use Webbery as a base to explore the wider region here are one or two
suggestions for places to visit.
Eden Project The Eden Project Bodelva, Cornwall PL24 2SG
01726 811911
In the warm temperate biome natural gardens bloom as in the Mediterranean,
California and South Africa, habitats halfway between the wet green woods and the
deserts. The Eden Project combines ecology, horticulture, science, art and
architecture. It provides an informative and enjoyable experience while promoting
ways to maintain a sustainable future in terms of human global dependence on plants
and trees. The exhibits include over one hundred thousand plants representing five
thousand species from many of the climate zones of the world.
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Belstone Dartmoor Village over 1000ft amsl giving direct access to the High Tors
St Ives Visit Porthmeor Beach and the Tate
Telephone: 01736 796226
Padstow and Rock Have Lunch at Rick Stein’s Restaurant, Bistro, Café or Fish and Chip Place All Reservations: 01841 532700 Please note that delightful as they are Padstow and Rock can be an absolute nightmare at busy holiday times
The Lost Gardens of Heligan Pentewan, St.Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom, PL26 6EN 01726 845100
Heligan, seat of the Tremayne family for more than 400 years, is one of the most
mysterious estates in England. At the end of the nineteenth century its thousand acres
were at their zenith, but only a few years later bramble and ivy were already drawing
a green veil over this "Sleeping Beauty". After decades of neglect, the devastating
hurricane of 1990 should have consigned the Lost Gardens of Heligan to a footnote in
history. Now restored and open to the public
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Walking
The South West Peninsula Coast Path (The South West Way)
This is Britain's longest footpath stretching over 600 miles from Somerset to Dorset.
The North Devon section of the Coast Path is 90 miles (140km) long and boasts some
of the most spectacular scenery of it all.
The Tarka Trail This 180 mile (280km) trail follows a figure of eight path centring in North Devon. It
takes the walker through a variety of Devon scenery including peaceful countryside,
wooded valleys, rugged moorland and coastline. Details of these and many more
walks are available from the local Tourist Information Centres. Some can offer self
guided or guided walks.
Ruby Country Initiative
This is a new regeneration project in and around Holsworthy and Hatherleigh that will
create a series of circular routes in this area of unspoilt countryside. A number of
circular walks are already available in the area and further details can be obtained
from the local Tourist Information Centre or from the Project Co-ordinator on 01409
220036.
The Webbery Wood Walk
This is our own primer for some of the more energetic walks in the area. Turn left at
the entrance to Webbery and go to Rice cottages (the two thatched cottages you will
have passed when you arrived. Please be careful as you walk along the road! Take
the signposted public footpath and follow it down into the gorge through the woods
past fishing lakes and fishing lodges until you come to the confluence of two streams
at the lane. Turn left and follow the lane past Furze Ball until you come to Webbery
Cross. Turn left and about half a mile further on you will be at the main entrance to
Webbery. A beautiful walk through a deep wooded gorge.
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Cycling
The Tarka Trail
A section of the trail offers traffic free, flat cycling along the disused railway line
from Braunton to Petrockstowe. The route offers 25 miles (40km) of safe cycling
making it ideal for families.
National Cycle Network
Route 3 of the National Cycle Network now passes through North Devon joining the
Tarka Trail at Petrockstowe and continues through Great Torrington, Bideford and
Barnstaple onto Exmoor and runs along the edge of the moor before descending into
Dulverton.
Ruby Trails
In addition to the walking trails mentioned above, this project will also establish a
number of cycling routes and will culminate with the completion of an off road cycle
route between Holsworthy and Hatherleigh, linking up to the Tarka Trail and thereby
providing one of the longest stretches of off-road cycle route in the country.
Completion is expected in 2006. For further information contact the Project Co-
ordinator on 01409 220036 or the local Tourist Information Centre.
The whole area offers a series of quiet country lanes ideal for exploring the local
countryside. Cycle hire is readily available locally at Bideford..
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For a Rainy Day It’s raining - cock-a-doodle-do, what shall we do? Here are some suggestions
Tarka Line
Take the Tarka Line train from Barnstaple Station to Exeter Central meandering along
the stunning River Taw Valley with its numerous stations straight out of Huff-Puff
Junction where the train stops on request only.
Milky Way or Big Sheep
A great fun day for adults and children alike.
General Places to Visit
Atlantic Village Clovelly Road, Bideford. Tel: 01237 422544.
Under cover discount shopping outlet with Discovery Island family adventure park.
Barnstaple Pannier Market Estates Unit, North Devon District Concil