ACTIVITIES

One of the most fun things to do here is surfing and we are spoilt for choice with Woolacombe, Putsborough, Croyde and Saunton Sands all close by. These are great sandy beaches with loads of space and during the summer months some of them have lifeguards for your peace of mind and safety. The gently shelving beaches are great for kids too as the shallows go out a long way though on rougher days you must watch out for waves.

There are plenty of places to get lessons and hire the kit such as Nick Thorn or Surf South West

Kayaking in Combe Martin Bay is great fun and you can hire Kayaks from Surfside in the village, they also sell some great surfy clothes!

Fishing trips and boat rides to Lundy Island are all available from the harbour in Ilfracombe and there are some great coffee shops and a really interesting little aquarium to visit Ilfracombe Aquarium

Mountain biking is popular here and the Tarka Trail is a great place for the whole family to hire bikes and go for a ride mostly avoiding any roads.

There are so many things to do here we could go on forever so here is just a quick summary:

• Coasteering – Team Players.
• Off road driving and quad bike adventures at Keypitts.
• Horse riding and pony trekking also at Keypitts and Dean Riding Stables.
• Clay pigeon shooting and tuition at South West Shooting School and North Devon Shooting Ground.

Walking and hiking are probably the best ways to really get to see some of the inspirational country we have here. The coastal path is glorious and we would really recommend walking from the Hunters Inn (a great pub) towards Woody Bay and Lee Abbey via the Valley of the Rocks.



Exmoor is just behind us and this is a wide open rugged space with many walks and there are numerous guides to help you plan a journey safely.

The arts play a key role in North Devon and there are many local festivals during the summer and for a thought provoking day out try Broomhill Sculpture Gardens.

Keeping the kids amused always seems to be a parents job and fortunately there is loads to do here for all ages, we love Watermouth Castle and importantly so do our kids, aged 5 and 7, there are quirky things to look at and touch in the castle and the grounds are great with lots of fairly gentle free rides and an old fashioned water show.

The Dinosaur and Wildlife Park appeals to many and has quite a range of animals and birds etc. to look at. The Sea Lion show is good fun.

Driving a bit further away is The Big Sheep a good day out and not a disaster if it rains as there is plenty to do under cover. It has a pretty serious near vertical slide.

Nearby in Barnstaple there is an indoor ten pin bowling alley with an artificial ice skating rink above letsgobarnstaple.co.uk and there are also indoor pools in both Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.