Our Devon Days Out series is here to provide you with some inspiration for day trips around North Devon. This blog looks at the harbour towns of Combe Martin and Ilfracombe – perfect places to get out on the water, or to keep your feet dry mooching the shops and eateries!
Combe Martin
- Family friendly
- Parking
- Public Toilets
- Dog Friendly
Combe Martin has a very popular beach; the sheltered cove is perfect for rock-pooling and it is a popular paddle boarding bay. There is level access to the beach and there is also a sloping path from the main car park to the beach. Spectacular cliff-top walking is on the menu along the coast path here on England’s highest coastline featuring great hogs-back cliffs at their most dramatic. Why not hire a kayak and mooch around the beautiful coast line exploring hidden coves and sea caves, before treating your self to fish and chips on the beach! The village also boasts its own Wildlife and Dinosaur Park!
Eating
There is a plethora of good eateries in Combe Martin – try the Dolphin Inn – a hidden gem of a pub which is good value, dog friendly and serves up brilliant food.
Ilfracombe
• Family friendly
• Parking
• Public toilets
• Accessible
There is something for everyone in Ilfracombe with its picturesque historic harbour of quaint pastel coloured houses, 14th Century chapel perched on Lantern Hill and Damien Hirst’s statue Verity standing guard surrounded by dramatic clifftop scenery It’s also directly on the South West Coast Path. With its stunning beaches and coves including the famous Tunnels Beaches, great eateries, numerous art and craft galleries, independent shops, activities and attractions galore it truly is the perfect day out whether the sun is shining or not! Take a boat from the harbour to search for seals and dolphins, browse the many gift shops, or try the aquarium for some indoor fun. Keypitts is great for quad biking, and Easy Divers will even take you scuba diving with wild seals off Lundy Island!
Eating
For fish and chips at the coast try the Dolphin, or for really fresh seafood it has to be S&P seafood where they serve up platters of fish and shellfish caught on their own vessels– keeping food miles to an absolute minimum. Treat yourself to a lobster sandwich with a glass of cold pinot grigot! Joey’s sells local and Italian ice-cream to die for and there is a plethora of eateries and places selling sweet treats and more!
