North Devon recommendations

[watersprites]

Off to North Devon next week (staying in Woolacombe) with primary aged dc. Any recommendations for things to see, do & where to eat? Thanks

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We've had an amazing holiday in Devon recently! We stayed in Croyde which has a beautiful beach and some nice restaurants in the village.

We visited Watermouth castle with a 8 and 4 year old and they loved it, its such a random place!

We went crabbing at Appledore that was so much fun, the kids absolutely loved it, it's where the crabbing champions are held apparently so you'll catch loads!

We also went to the Big sheep which was a nice few hours.

Eat Hockings ice cream. That's all you need to know.

100% agree with you 😁

Barricane Beach at the far end of Woolacombe beach has lovely shells. They also have a great pop up Sri Lankan cafe which I think is every Friday and Saturday evening (just check online, sometimes they don't open if weather is bad).

I also really like Lynton and Lynmouth - park at the top and take the cliff railway down. You can also combine with a trip to Watersmeet.

Day trip to Lundy?

While sitting on the pebble ridge at Westward Ho! looking out to sea.

Here are some tips, OP.

https://www.visitdevon.co.uk/

@shivbo2014 forgot about crabbing so that's a good tip. Big sheep came up on google & I will check out Watermouth castle.

@ReviewingTheSituation hockings it is!

@mindutopia just googled the cafe, looks great.

@Greybeardy not sure we can fit it in but we shall see.

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain reading now.

Thanks all!

Just don't go to Ilfracombe, it's a dump. Woolacombe is lovely though. Ride down the dunes on a body board and walk the trails that go up above the beach. We always pick up something from Gobblebox and have a go on the crazy golf course that's there.

The lower part of Ilfracombe is nice by the harbour and the tunnels beaches and the theatre. The upper town is a dump for sure though 🤣🤣

Milky Way is nice as is a trip to clovelly. Both of those I think you can revisit within the week.

I'm fortunate enough to live in Bideford 😊

This cafe was great the food was delicious....we also had delicious pizza from a van on the front...two years ago

Second the tunnels beaches but hit it at low tide. My kid loved it but as the weather was great she just wanted to spend every day on woolacombe beach with a bodyboard.

Watermouth castle is weird AF. We had a fun day and it's worth a visit but it's really, really fucking weird, be warned.

Saunton Sands & Croyde have good beaches. But our favourite is Putsborough Beach.
Places to visit: The Milky Way, The Big Sheep, Quince Honey Farm, Arlington Court, Exmoor Zoo, Combe Martin Dinosaur & Wildlife Park, Watermouth Castle.
If it's wet & you just need a decent soft play for a few hours, World of Wonder at Infinity Devon near Bideford is good.

Paddle boarding and kayaking at Combe Martin is worth doing.

Squires fish and chip shop in Braunton is amazing! Near to Saunton sands which is a lovely beach very popular with surfers.

Oh no! We are going to Ilfracombe!

@HouseofHolbein I went to school in Bideford! (Long time ago - school is still there with a different name but doesn't have all the boarding houses anymore.)

I live just down the hill from there and my kids went to scouts in the hall 😊 several of my friends boarded there as teens and have since moved back into the area 👍

Tbh I love the harbour part. We go quite regularly. There are boat trips a decent aquarium a lighthouse/chapel the statue verity some lovely walks as well as the tunnel beaches landmark theatre and there's a very old fashioned museum.

Just don't expect a nice shopping experience 🤣🤣

Thank you @HouseofHolbein . That is very reassuring. The harbour does look lovely.

You MUST go to Watermouth Castle. As an OP said, it is as weird AF but fabulous with it. My kids adore it there.

Also The Milky Way. Worth the drive, see Clovelly at the same time. I'm not a fan of the Big Sheep, it's always really crowded and overpriced in my opinion.

Yes, I agree with the comments re Ilfracombe high street, but the harbour is nice. I also recommend the sunset sea safaris from Ilfracombe in the rib boats too, great fun.

I lived in North Devon for 25 years and raised my kids there. Great place for a holiday.

We regularly pop to woolacombe for the day, we usually pop in to the arcades, then funder island (the crazy golf place) before going to the beach.
We've had lovely meals at The Beach House. The Red Barn will be packed, and although it's nice to sit outside and look at the view, the food isn't amazing.
Fish and chip shop and gobblebox are nice to grab and go sit on the grass verge at the esplanade, and there's a hut that sells waffles that has the most amazing ice-cream right next to funder island (hockings doesn't go out that way, but an ice-cream from one of their vans is amazing!!) stoned pizza van is good, and although we are yet to try the curry from Barricane, i've heard nothing but positives.
Shore 2 surf have some good stuff if you want to shop for summery clothes/shoes, and there's also a real cute dog accessory's shop on the same road as Woolacombe bay hotel - which has a lovely little cinema in it if there was a rainy day/evening you wanted to fill.

Ilfracombe town centre is a little run down but there are some lovely bits, it just isn't picture perfect. The harbour is great and the Verity Statue I found breathtaking. You can get different boat trips (but I'd book online). The tunnels beaches as others have mentioned are great too, especially if you don't have typical beach weather as they are more a windy explore

Watermouth castle as others have said is just the strangest place. You cant really explain it. But it's super fun if you embrace the weirdness.

Lynmouth and Lynton railway is fab, i don't personally find loads else to do there so it's ideal for half a day.

The milky way is a bit further out depending on where you're staying but worth a trip I'd say.

Combe Martin is great for kayaks. It's a small beach (though there is a second 'secret' one) and it can get busy with paddleboards and the like.

If you've time/availability we've rented a beach hut a couple of times in Weymouth and that's really enjoyable. It extends the day out a bit.

Have a lovely time. I wish we were going this summer again!

Mortehoe is my favourite place on earth and I have a house there and am in it right now.

I’d recommend the Chichester arms for food. There is a tractor and trailer ride from Mortehoe out to the light house, which is fun. Wednesday night the sheepdog and falconry show is good. If you watch an episode of Mist; sheepdog tales it is set there and you’ll meet the farmer on the show.

exmouth zoo and Combe Martin wildlife and dinosaur park are good. Milky Way and big sheep are a waste of time.

clovelly is worth a visit. Look up events at Hartland abbey as they often have evening outdoor children’s theatre. Ilfracombe harbour is nice but the rest of Ilfracombe is not. They have nice boat trips and you can kill half an hour in the aquarium.

Wooly is all about the surfing. This week it was rough at the start and now it’s flat, which is a shame. Barricane beach is lovely and has a nice cafe. Totally different feel to it.

national trust also often run events like crabbing or rock pooling, which are fun as they help you find things in the rock pools.