Here's what we got up to on our wonderful holiday at HPBs Northway Court in Devon.
Stunning beaches, beautiful idyllic countryside, coastal walks, breath-taking scenery and the well known Tarka Trail. Once you visit this fabulous destination you will never forget it!
Peppercombe Beach. Turning right out of Northway Court into the lane we walked until we came to a right hand bend where we entered the National Trust path. We then set off on a high coastal 6 mile walk along the South West Coast Path, through ancient woodland, with glimpses of sea views through the trees (there is an optional steep descent from the site) to Peppercombe Beach, an isolated stony beach worthy of Robinson Crusoe. It's flanked by rising red cliffs on one side and the rhythmic lapping of waves on the other. There is a long history of people coming here to build their makeshift beach bothies along the shoreline, making use of whatever materials the waves deposit among the giant pebbles. We returned to the site via the steep assent, a dried up stream I think.
You can then continue by foot to Bucks Mills and Clovelly.
We chose to return by foot and visited Bucks Mills, which is quite close by car. Well what can I say! It's an absolutely stunning little hamlet! There were couples picnicing on the beach. Don't come here with flip flops on as you need to walk over the large pebbles/rocks to the beautiful waterfall. This is a hidden gem and it's stunning, if you can find it! There is parking at the top of Buck's Mill village. It's beauty lies in its uncommercialised status, with no pub, or shop, just the raw atmosphere of the coastal scenery and woodland that surrounds it. Look out for peregrine falcons and ravens riding the cliffupdraughts. This whole area is protected as a Site of Specific Scientific Interest.
Next stop was Hoops Inn, just half a mile from Northway Court. We ate in the restaurant and we were not disappointed, food, drinks and service was excellent. The food is locally sourced and the men enjoyed the cask ales, Dartmoor Jail at £4.90 a pint. A very quirky pub with little corridors. 13th century part-thatched, Grade II listed Inn, very picturesque.
Tarka Trail. A brilliant day out exploring and exercising. We hired bikes for the day from Tarka Cycle Hire shop at Barnstaple next to the railway station. (Parking £5 per day). Access to the Trail is directly opposite. We cycled the southern trail and it was a beautiful route, easy to follow and so scenic and safe for every ability of cyclist. I hadn't cycled for ten years!!! Such a wonderful way to spend a day. The route follows the old railway line and the stations have been turned into welcome cafes and refreshment stops. Our lovely pit stop was at Fremington for a coffee.
We rode on to Bideford, stopping en route at Instow.
We locked our bikes at Bideford old railway station and walked over the Bridge to the quay. A great find was a little cafe called Quay 22 just across from the quayside. Food was delish.
The pool at Northway Court was most welcome on our return. A beautiful pool with a mural at one end. With a little imagination you can pretend you are swimming in the sea.
We had to visit Westward Ho! ( the only place in the UK to have an exclamation point in it's name) on a day with a low tide so we could see the beach. If you're looking for cheap car parking you can't beat The Seafield car park. It's free. It's located at the west side of the village with easy access to the coast path. We walked as far as the little wooden bridge and large rocky beach. Easy walking along a wide path. It's quiet, peaceful and has great views. Lots of wild flowers in the bushes and shrubs that line the path.
Right next to the car park is The Pier House Restaurant perched on the cliff edge overlooking Bideford Bay. You are literally on the ocean edge in the restaurant and the views are stunning. We really enjoyed our cod (without batter) and chips.
After lunch we drove to Appledore, where the Taw and Torridge rivers meet, for a stroll along the promenade and treated ourselves to a Hockings ice cream, which many of the locals claim is the best in the country! It was good.
Next stop was the Dartington Glass Factory in Torrington. The company manufacture their glassware using traditional glass blowing techniques. A self guided tour to watch the glass blowers at work is a fascinating and unique experience. It costs £10 and the tours are only available on week days 9.30 - 10.15 a.m. 12.00 - 1.15 p.m. and 2.00 - 3.15 p.m. There are no longer many places that still make all their glass products by hand but Dartington Crystal does and you get a good view of the skilled British crafts people at work. So much goes into the making of each piece. I could have watched the teams working for hours. The shop had plenty to see and purchase. I bought some Christmas presents.
On our journey to Devon our very good friends John and Julia invited us to lunch. Thank you so much it was great to stretch our legs and enjoy a delicious meal with you. Julia also suggested we meet up again at Hartland Quay. This was such a good idea. We checked to see whether the Quay was open as lots of filming is done in the area.
Large parts of the Hartland coast are quite difficult to access, but one of the most easily reached places is Hartland Quay, marked by a cliffside hotel and the remnants of a small, long-abandoned harbour. Here the road comes to an abrupt end in the hotel car park, right next to some dramatic shoreline rocks and the ever restless surf. This is one of the best spots in North Devon to witness this wild frontier. One thing not to come to Hartland Quay for is sand: there is precious little of it, and even then it's only visible at low tide. No, the shores here are made up almost entirely of some very ferocious-looking rocks, steep, pointed and slippery. These are the ramparts defending Hartland against the wild winter Atlantic.
There are unbeatable views across the Bristol Channel to Lundy Island, directly opposite.
These jagged rocky ledges have been responsible for many a shipwreck over the centuries; stories of these are recounted in the excellent Hartland Quay Museum.
The "Wrecker's Coast" that thrusts it's razor-backed rocks out into the Atlantic between Hartland Point and the Camel Estuary boasts some of the most dramatic and savage coastal scenery to be found anywhere in Europe.
The list of local shipwrecks at the Museum is enough to bear witness to the savagery of this littoral.
The cliffs display a spectacularly folded sequence of alternating grey shales and sandstones known as the Crackington Formation that was deposited in the Carboniferous period approximately 320 million years ago.
The Wreckers Bar is located at the Quay and we enjoyed a lovely "pub grub" meal here with friends.
We then visited St. Nectan's church, whilst on our way to Hartland Abbey. This imposing building, known as the "Cathedral of North Devon" has a 39m tower (known as Peeping Tom) so is hard to miss.
We drove on to the striking 12th century Hartland Abbey, a monastery until the Dissolution when Henry VIII gave it to the keeper of his wine cellar. We enjoyed visiting the house and Lady Angela Stucley spoke to us and said "thank you so much for visiting". Although it was built in the 12th century remaining as a Monastery for 400 years and passing through the female line three times, it has never been sold. Consequently, it contains collections of pictures, furniture and porcelain which have accumulated over many years. It has a friendly and lived-in atmosphere.
Again another popular filming location so it may be closed. They were filming Malory Towers outside whist we were there.
A wonderful place to visit. The walled garden was a lovely sunny spot to relax in.
Opening Times 2024 24th March to 3rd October Sunday to Thursday. Gardens open 11 am - 5pm House 2 - 5 p.m. (The main reception rooms in the house will be closed from 10th June - 5th July for filming.)
Saunton Sands was next on our list. One of the most stunning beaches in the whole of the UK. The beach is backed by sand dunes and stretches for miles.
We continued our drive to Croyde with amazing views.
We parked in Croyde at National Trust Baggy Point car park and walked the circular trail with amazing views.
For lunch we retraced our steps and drove to The Beach Cafe, Down End, Croyde Bay. It has a car park, toilets, cafe, surf hire and is walking distance from the beach. The picnic benches by the cafe have the most fabulous view over the bay. The beach at Croyde Bay is wide and sandy, sitting between two headlands and the rolling green hills of the Devonshire countryside.
After lunch we drove to Woolacombe, which has a three-mile-long stretch of golden sand.
Next stop was the village of Mortehoe, where we parked next to the Museum. With National Trust status, Mortehoe offers a beautiful coastal walk to Mortepoint that has views for miles.
