Classic News - North Devon

January 2003 www.classic.co.uk

classic news | North Devon This Newsletter presents an introduction to North Devon from our Managing Director, Simon Tregoning. He discovers that the area has plenty to keep four adults and six kids entertained over an October half-term break, whatever the elements choose to do.

classic news | North Devon page 1

This Newsletter is based on a half-term break in North Devon with the Tregoning family and friends. In all the party consisted of four adults and six children – brave or foolhardy, call it what you like.

Where the moors meet the sea North Devon truly is a land of contrasts.

In the east, the coastline consists of towering cliffs cut by occasional steepsided valleys like the one to which Clovelly clings. Then, from Bideford to Woolacombe the land flattens out to the estuaries of the Torridge and the Taw. This opens up to wide expanses of sandy beaches like Saunton, Croyde and Woolacombe itself. Then, as you continue west towards Exmoor, it is back to the towering cliffs and steepsided valleys containing towns and villages like Ilfracombe, Combe Martin, Lynton, Lynmouth and then across the border into Somerset. The steeper parts make for some stunning walking, particularly as you get closer to Exmoor where the high points provide incredible views over the moors and sea. The flatter parts are dotted with untouched villages and have some glorious beaches. These beaches make wonderful playgrounds whatever your favourite toy – bucket, spade, kite, surfboard or all four! Inland, the valleys of the Taw, Torridge, Dart and Mole are perfect for woodland walks, particularly as the leaves start to turn in autumn. Look out for the Tarka Trail which cuts right through north Devon from Okehampton to Exmoor.

So, what do you do with four adults and six children for a week at the end of October in north Devon? However wonderful the house, it is vital to get them out for a reasonable part of each classic news | North Devon page 2

day. But this did not prove at all difficult, despite some occasionally less than perfect weather – rain is not entirely unknown here in the West Country!

Swimming on a Sunday morning is part of the routine at home and, for our first day of the holiday, we saw no reason to break with tradition. From the pool it was off for a pub lunch in Berrynarbour.

The major find here was the children’s playroom full of padded foam and climbing frames. Finally, a quick blast on the coast path and, with a force eight blowing, blast was the right description.

The rest of the week consisted of a mixture of activities to keep the children happy and walks to keep the parents happy, plus the inevitable trip to a fun park. A nearby farm had diversified into quad biking and horse riding. An apparently strange combination, but it worked very well with the older kids ripping up the quad bike track and the younger ones (ranging from two to five) taking their first ride on a horse, pursued by parents with over-active cameras.

Each of the walks was memorable for a different reason. The walk to Heddons

This page from left: Lynmouth. Enjoying the surf.

Page 1: A view across Exmoor. Page 2: A walk to the Valley of the Rocks. Page 4: The fabulous view on the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway.

Mouth on the western edge of Exmoor was dramatic. A moorland stream tumbling through woods and then opening up to the flanks of the moor towering over us and then, suddenly, the sea. The walk reassuringly starts and finishes at the Hunter’s Inn, so lunch is not a worry. There is also a National Trust shop beside the pub and, for early risers, they offer a morning of deer watching followed by a fry-up breakfast at the Hunter’s Inn. Do not miss the route from Heddons Mouth via Woody Bay and then through the Valley of the Rocks to Lynton. The combination of moorland, cliff and sea is quite unique, you will not find anything quite like it anywhere in the West Country. Lynton and Lynmouth are probably the most interesting of the towns and villages along this coast.

The cliff railway at Lynton is well worth the trip and Lynmouth is famed for the flood in August 1952. This took most of the village out to sea and along with it, the lives of 34 villagers. All the towns along this coast appear to be caught in a time warp that harks back to the hey days of the seaside resorts in Victorian and Edwardian times. Whatever your architectural tastes they are worth a visit. In the other direction, caught in a valley between Ilfracombe and Woolacombe, is the village of Lee. We walked up from the coast at Lee on a woodland walk that turned into a long distance yomp more suited to a unit of classic news | North Devon page 3

Marines than six small children. But, at the end, having under estimated both time and distance we were rescued by the owner of the Grumpus Inn back in Lee, who turned the chip pan back on at 2.15pm to refuel the children and made some fine rolls for the adults – who says we know nothing about service in this country!

The kids’ day out is an inevitable part of every family holiday and, although the dads pretend to be thoroughly ‘anti’, once they get there, it is often difficult to tell the adults and children apart.

The choice in our case was between The Milky Way and The Big Sheep, both between Bideford and Clovelly. The Milky Way won this time because half the party had already been to The Big Sheep. It proved a very successful day with the highlights being the dodgems for the little ones (who were given their own slow and soft bumping session) and the extensive play area for the older children (particularly the ‘Death Slide’ for the dads). But, reassuringly, the Birds of Prey display came up winner across all the age groups.

You will have gained the impression by now that our week was not all sunshine and blue skies! But we did manage to get on the beach at Woolacombe and took to the water to make fools of ourselves on surfboards. Do not be put off by the approach to Woolacombe, which looks

like a typical English resort, the beach is huge, unspoilt and backed by sand dunes with little evidence of the town behind it. The other popular surf centre is Croyde just around the coast from Woolacombe.

On our last day, we were taking a last, quick walk on the nearby coastpath when one of the party spotted something out to sea. It proved to be a small pod of dolphins fishing the bay. It was a wonderful way to end our break – once we got over the initial panic of ensuring that every child had seen at least one fin!

Unfortunately, in the space and time, we really can only provide a flavour of north Devon. We would like to have spent more time in the rural hinterland which is wonderfully unspoilt and a true reflection of our countryside at its best. We would also have liked to have visited more of the historic attractions and the gardens, but we have provided you with a listing of phone numbers and web addresses on the information panel overleaf to fill in some of the gaps. In the end, the only option is to come and explore for yourselves.

*

Classic Promotion

It is rare enough to get time for yourselves, so here is an idea to make your next trip west that bit different.

Picture the scene; a classic British sportscar, touring unspoilt countryside on an open road. No, this is not a flashback to the sixties, but a great opportunity to add a bit of fun and nostalgia to your holiday. The West Country has so much to offer – what better way to discover its treasures than exploring in a classic car? Experience the open moors and coasts, the tiny villages or the tree-lined estuaries.

For less than you might imagine, you can enjoy driving a classic sportscar. Choose from well loved British marques, Jaguar, MG and Triumph and bring your holiday to life. Go on, spoil yourselves, and see the West Country in style.

For further details: 0845 458 1108 | www.cornwallclassiccarhire.co.uk

Activities

Places of Interest

Gardens

Attractions

Historic Sites

General Information

Quad Biking and Horse Riding Keypitts Farm Ilfracombe, EX34 6QA Tel: 01271 862 247

Lundy Island Day Cruises.

For sailing information Tel: 01271 863 636 www.lundyisland.co.uk

RHS Rosemoor Great Torrington, EX38 8PH Tel: 01805 624 067 www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rose moor

The Milky Way Adventure Park Clovelly, Bideford, EX39 5RY Tel: 01237 431 255 www.themilkyway.co.uk

Arlington Court Arlington, Barnstaple, EX31 4LP Tel: 01271 850 296 www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Horse Riding Outovercott Riding Stables Lynton, EX35 6JR Tel: 01598 753 341 www.outovercott.co.uk

Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway (pictured below) The Esplanade Lynmouth, EX25 6EQ Tel: 01598 753 486 www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk

Docton Mill Gardens Hartland, EX39 6EA Tel: 01237 441 369 www.doctonmill.co.uk

The Big Sheep Bideford, EX39 5AP Tel: 01237 472 366 www.thebigsheep.co.uk

Knightshayes Court Bolham, Tiverton, EX16 7RQ Tel: 01884 254 665 www.nationaltrust.org.uk

South West Tourism A variety of useful information from the region’s tourist board – particularly good for local events.

Tel: 0870 4420 880 www.visitsouthwest.co.uk

Watermouth Castle and Family Theme Park Ilfracombe, EX34 9SL Tel: 01271 867 474 www.watermouthcastle.com

Hartland Abbey and Gardens Hartland, Bideford, EX39 6DT Tel: 01237 441 264 www.hartlandabbey.com

Cycling Bike Trail Cycle Hire Fremington, Barnstaple, EX31 2NH Tel: 01271 861 407 www.biketrail.co.uk Devon Cycle Hire Sourton Down, Okehampton, EX20 4HR Tel: 01837 861 141 www.devoncyclehire.co.uk A Canal Trip The Grand Western Horseboat Co. The Wharf, Canal Hill, Tiverton, EX16 4HX Tel: 01884 253 345 www.horseboat.co.uk

Exmoor Steam Railway Cape of Good Hope Farm, Bratton Flemming, Barnstaple, EX32 7JN Tel: 01598 710 711

Okehampton Castle Okehampton, EX20 1JB Tel: 01837 528 44 www.english-heritage.org.uk

Exmoor Zoological Park South Stowford, Bratton Flemming, Barnstaple, EX31 4SG Tel: 01598 763 352 www.exmoorzoo.co.uk

classic cottages The specialists for coastal and country cottages of distinction throughout the West Country Leslie House, Lady Street, Helston, Cornwall TR13 8NA Telephone 01326 555 555 Facsimile 01326 555 544 Email enquiries@classic.co.uk www.classic.co.uk www.classicguide.co.uk

classic news | North Devon page 4

Copyright © 2003 Classic Cottages