Barnstaple
North Devon’s largest market town sited on the River Taw, holding daily markets in its historic Pannier Market and reputedly the UK’s oldest Borough. With its many individual interesting shops and larger stores, heritage guided walks around the older parts of town, a museum, theatre, cinema and fine art gallery, there is plenty of interest. For walkers and cyclists, The Tarka Trail starts at Barnstaple Railway Station connecting with Bideford via Instow.
The Queens & Landmark Theatres
www.northdevontheatres.org.uk
Museums in North Devon
www.devonmuseums.net/the-museum-of-barnstaple-and-north-devon/devon-museum/
White Moose, Contemporary Fine Art Gallery
www.whitemoose.co.uk
Cycle Hire
www.tarkabikes.co.uk
Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk
More than eighty years after its closure in 1935, you can once again board a train of original carriages at England’s highest narrow-gauge railway station, Woody Bay Station, 1,000 feet up on Exmoor. Operated almost entirely by volunteers, with the mission to fully restore the legendary Lynton & Barnstaple Railway.
Bideford
The Burton Art Gallery & Museum
http://www.burtonartgallery.co.uk
The gallery holds exhibitions and has a wonderful collection of old North Devon pottery and is sited in this thriving medieval market town on the River Torridge. The town boasts a historic Pannier Market and a thriving Butchers Row, full of craftspeople and artists. For walkers and cyclists, The Tarka Trail connects Bideford with Barnstaple and Torrington.
Cycle Hire
www.bidefordbicyclehire.co.uk/
Great Torrington
A market town swathed with Civil War History. Home to Dartington Crystal, RHS Garden Rosemoor and Torrington 1646, The Civil War Experience and a Leper Museum.
www.torrington-1646.co.uk
Westward Ho!
A family resort with vast expanses of golden sand and the famous, two mile Pebble Ridge which acts as a barrier between the sea and the Country Park behind, home of the oldest golf links in the country, The Royal North Devon Golf Club.
http://www.royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk
Appledore
An unspoilt fishing village overlooking the Torridge Estuary, with its quaint narrow cobbled lanes and fascinating tiny shops and galleries, including the Sandy Brown Ceramics Museum, this is a haunt for many artists and craftspeople.
http://www.sandybrownarts.com
Holsworthy
This historic market town dates from Saxon Times, with lively markets on Wednesdays.
Clovelly
Famous as one of Britain’s prettiest fishing villages, with its tumbling cottages lining the unique, improbably steep cobbled streets, leading to its quaint 14th Century Harbour.
Lundy
Twelve miles from the North Devon mainland, this 400ft high granite outpost is a haven for bird watchers and nature lovers, being renowned for its puffins and seals and now its seas made an international marine haven. Chosen as a temporary home for ‘Land’, one of a series of Antony Gomley’s figure sculptures. Regular boat trips bookable from Bideford and Ilfracombe.
http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/
South West Coast Path
Winding its way around the whole South West coastline, some of the most dramatic climbing and views it offers are found here in North Devon!
https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/
Ilfracombe
Situated in a spectacular setting, the small fishing town became famous with the coming of the railway in the 1800’s, spawning great Victorian mansions overlooking the dramatic seas across to Wales. Now more famous for it’s Damien Hirst bronze sculpture, ‘Verity’ who stands guard at Ilfracombe Harbour and the many small galleries springing up across the town, it is becoming viewed as the ‘St Ives’ of the North!
There is the strangely designed Landmark Theatre, plus a delightful museum full of wonderful collections hidden away in drawers and cupboards as well as various links with Darwin to discover.
http://www.damienhirst.com/verity
www.northdevontheatres.org.uk
http://www.devonmuseums.net/Ilfracombe-Museum/Devon-Museums/
Exmoor National Park
Known as one of the quietest places to visit and recently awarded International Status as a ‘Dark Skies’ area; the vast array of stars is usually one of the first things visitors notice, such a rare sight in our towns now due to increasing light pollution. Enjoy the many coast and countryside walks, lovely hamlets and quaint pubs spread out over the park.