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North Devon Holiday Cottages
A holiday cottage in North Devon, whether on the coast or inland, can cater for anyone's taste, making a holiday not to be forgotten. There are holiday cottages all over North Devon to suit any size family or pocket. North Devon has a beautiful coastline, with some of the highest cliffs in England, old harbours and hidden coves for you to explore. Inland, you have Exmoor, where you can lose yourself among the heather and legends, and you can explore on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle, travelling around your holiday cottage. You could also sit in one of the coastal pubs, enjoying local food and drink, with a beautiful sunset view. The Tarka Line is a scenic railway trip linking Barnstaple and Exeter through the beautiful heart of Devon.
North Devon even has its own island, Lundy Island, which is surrounded by the UK's only Statutory Marine Reserve. Lundy Island is full of seals, Sika deer, Lundy ponies, Soay sheep, rabbits, basking sharks, dolphins and seabirds.
There are many literary connections, such as the Tarka Country, Lorna Doone was shot at the altar in Oare church on Exmoor, Charles Kingsley's desk in Clovelly, or you can take the day away from your holiday cottage to go and see Westard Ho!, where Rudyard Kipling spent his school years.
There are many excellent restaurants for your cottage holiday in North Devon, and you have to experience the local speciality of a cream tea. Fruit and vegetables are plentiful in North Devon, so you can always find fresh varieties. The seafood is also very fresh here - you can even buy your seafood straight from the trawlers on the coast, especially if you book a holiday cottage in North Devon by the sea.
On your North Devon cottage holiday, you can either wind down by total relaxation or by participating in the many activities available. These include the Tarka Tennis Centre in Barnstaple, various golf courses, horse riding, quad biking, surfing, windsurfing, skimboarding on the flat sands of Westward Ho!, Woolacombe or Saunton, para-gliding from the cliffs above Woolacombe, mountain-boarding near Bideford, diving around Lundy Island, fishing, walking, rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, hang gliding, water skiing or even falconry.
If relaxation is more your thing on your North Devon cottage holiday, most of the local health and leisure clubs will allow you to become a temporary member for the duration of your holiday, so you can experience pampering like an aromatherapy massage or beauty therapy session.
There are a few theme parks, which not only have thrilling rides, but special exhibitions and shows, such as flying ferrets, the sheep grand national or you can feed a new born lamb, filling your day with memories you can reflect on at the end of the day in your North Devon holiday cottage.
Festivals
In June, for 30 days, is the North Devon Festival, celebrating culture, heritage, nature, life, music, art, theatre and sport all over the region where you have booked you holiday cottage.
The Barnstaple Fringe is where pubs, clubs and restaurants present a wild mix of jazz, blues, comedy and storytelling, so if you like informal music, book a holiday cottage in or near Barnstaple.
The Goldcoast OceanFest is one of the biggest events, taking place on the beaches of Croyde and Woolacombe, with music and sports, such as mountain bike trials, skating, surfing, volleyball and beach football.
The Bideford Folk Festival, which offers music from around the world.
The Lynton and Lynmouth Music Festival.
The Appledore Visual Arts Festival, including exhibitions, workshops, arts, garden trails, music and entertainment.
The North Devon and Exmoor Walking and Cycling Festival has loads of guided walks and cycle tours.
The annual Victorian Week in Ilfracombe celebrates the town's history with parades, fayres, street entertainers, garden parties, and a town crier on every corner competing with each other.
Places to go
If you want to leave your holiday cottage in Devon for the day and are feeling active, the expanse of sandy beach at Westward Ho! provides an ideal setting for kite buggying and sand boarding. Woolacombe, Putsborough, Westward Ho! and Saunton have Atlantic waves ideal for surfing of all levels, while Croyde is loved by the expert surfers.
If you are not feeling so energetic, you can relax either around your holiday cottage in Devon, or on one of the golden beaches.
The Maritime Museum at Appledore.
The Hartland Quay Museum.
Barnstaple Museum. Also in Barnstaple, England's oldest borough, is the pannier market, which has remained unchanged. From here you can buy local produce to take back to your holiday cottage in North Devon.
Ilfracombe Museum.
Great Torrington is worth a visit to see important events of the Civil War, 'Torrington 1646' in the 'Cavalier Town'. Also here is Dartington Crystal, where you can watch glass making.
The Atlantic Village Shopping complex offers not only excellent shopping opportunities and great places to eat and drink, but also encloses the Atlantis Family Adventure Park. Here you can experience Devon's largest interactive Maze, the Atlantic Voyager Playship, panning for gold, Sky Bounce Trampolines, adventure golf and the Kid's Cove indoor play area.
The Exmoor Zoological Park, found in Barnstaple, specialises in smaller animals and is a great family day out, with excellent catering for the younger children.
Historic sights
The village of Clovelly is another great place to go on a trip out from your holiday cottage in North Devon. It has steep cobbled streets leading from the ancient harbour and looks as though it has been untouched for centuries.
Hartland and Lynmouth have remains of lime kilns, ruined harbours and ancient forts, and you can explore the many ancient rock formations there.
In Bideford is the Kathleen and May, one of the last three masted schooners, which was saved from dereliction in 1998.
Pack O' Cards Monument and Museum in Combe Martin, Ilfracombe, is a grade II ancient monument with the museum telling the story of the inn.
So, whatever you want, from an action packed holiday to a relaxing break, choose a holiday cottage in North Devon.