Appledore

[BoldAquaOP]

Anyone who lives or has been away to appledore, what is it like? Any nice shops/pubs?

It’s cute. Small, but there’s a few pubs to eat and drink at.
a nice little deli shop.

visiting or planning a move?

Just visiting for the week, husband booked it without really researching, wish he hadn’t as it looks like we will be a bit bored

Yeah, there’s not much there. Will you have a car? Do you like walks? Parts of the South West Coastal Path will be easily accessible.

Will be in the car, plan was to travel round a bit, we are taking our dog so walks will be fine but not sure the kids will be impressed

Lovely little place, nice pubs and a deli. Really good ice cream vans.

You can get a boat across the estuary to Instow.

You can walk to Northam/Westward Ho beach which is a lovely long stretch of sand. Or of course drive and park near the beach.

RHS Rosemoor is nearby. As is Bideford, Bude, Hartland Point.

We’ve stayed and enjoyed it. It’s a quiet base for days out. Small ‘beach’ for dog walks, and a deli for lunches. We went to Clovelly, Eden Project, Saunton Sands Beach, Braunton and Barnstable have supermarkets, pottery painting and take aways. Do a little research before you go and you’ll find plenty of things to do.

We stayed here once the place itself was a bit boring I found, it’s very small (it’s lovely but so small!) we went on daytrips every day. It’s a nice, quiet base.

It's lovely to stop there has lots of olde worlde pubs. from there you can go to Barnstaple Bideford Instow etc well worth visitin

Time for an old fashioned holiday then. Buy an art kit each, take dominoes, go on long walks and build a sand castle.

It’s really lovely. Kids loved exploring the rock pools and crabbing. A few pubs to explore and lots of stuff close by. Mine loved the ‘monster slip and slide’ at Barnstaple.

If your children are young the big sheep is good

Appledore is a lovely village, crabbing on the quay. Ferry across to Instow for a wander there. Hire bikes.

Other ideas

Westward Ho! for 2p arcades. If one of the DC watched Malory Towers, Hartland Abbey its the school building. Milky Way adventure park, Dartington Crystal kids decorated glasses.

It is definitely the Devon Appledore, not the Kent one?

Yes defiantly Devon

Admittedly we stay at Westward Ho!, but a walk along the Northern Burrows (coffee half way at visitor centre) is a must for us. If you're active worth doing. If not, Appledore for a couple of hours.

We tried to visit Instow a couple of weeks ago, but due to badly signed roadworks never got there, so double check if that's an option. We ended up in Barnstaple, which I wouldn't recommend.

If you enjoy walking, there's a nice walk along the other side of Westward Ho! Beach is safe and OK there if you have children.

It’s one of the most beautiful places on the planet, absolutely gorgeous. Crabbing on the Quay, high tide boat to Instow, one of the safest, sandiest beaches in the UK at Westward Ho!, cycling for miles and miles on the Tarka Trail, Surf SUP Academy Westward Ho! Offer surfing and SUP safaris on the beautiful river Torridge. It’s one of the most beautiful places in Devon. Lots of amazing places to eat in Westward Ho! And Appledore. Sea pool in Westwatd Ho! Amazing free , massive paddling pool in Victoria Park Bideford in a fabulous park.
I absolutely LOVE the place.

Lynton & Lynmouth aren't all that far away, there's the funicular railway that goes up and down the cliff, and a museum dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Lynmouth Flood Disaster in 1952.

There's also a restored steam railway at Woody Bay.

We also liked Woolacombe.

We stay in Coombe Martin, which isn't too far away.
Nice beach and dunes at Saunton. Coombe Martin animal and dinosaur park was better than I thought it would be.
The kids enjoyed the Aqua park at the North Devon Wakepark. Which is next to the Milky way theme park (which we didn't visit).
Appledore's a nice base to come back to and potter around in the evening/do a bit of crabbing.
I wouldn't bother with Watermouth Castle and theme park unless your kids are under the age of 8.

If you like cycling the Tarka Trail is great. There’s a lovely cafe at Fremington Quay that we usually cycle to from Braunton. Braunton also v good for surf shops if you’re into that! We love the beaches in N Devon, particularly Croyde.

Croyde is dog free at peak season - so Saunton or Woolacombe would be better for OP

Following

How old are your children and what do you like to do?

As others have said, there's a little ferry to Instow (only £2), and plenty of walks, Northam Burrows is great for dogs.

Appledore itself is lovely - John's Deli is fabulous, the pubs are great with friendly locals - we love meeting visitors, and there is some fabulous food, pizza at Flame Factory, fish at Jack Spratts and Appledore Bakery has wonderful bread, cakes and coffee.

We loved it, but we like chilled holidays. It's a very cute little town, very compact, lots of restaurants and pubs. We did lots of day trips, cycled along the Tarka trail, went to Barnstaple, Coombe Martin, ferry to Instow, walks along the beach, RHS Rosemoor (children surprisingly loved it). I'd be delighted to go back.

we like a walk however I have a bad knee at the moment and waiting surgery so not sure how much walking I’ll be able to do without constant breaks.
ill look into some of the places you mentioned
my daughter is excited when I mentioned crabbing

I hope you all enjoy. With your knee, I'd take it as an opportunity to really slow right down - eat, drink and sit - Appledore is great for simple pleasures. Get some chips and sit by the anchor near the slipway and enjoy the sunset, the brass band plays on Monday nights on the waterfront which is lovely, a cider in the Seagate or the Champ is always a good idea.