Coastal Walks
The Southwest Coast path stretches across all of the Devon coast, so make sure you bring your walking boots! You won’t run out of path here.
Baggy Point is probably the most famous of all the walks in and around this part of North Devon and it’s a very simple one to navigate; you can walk straight across the beach from the resort and up to the very tip of Baggy Point where you’ll find some of the best views in the county. There’s an upper and a low path and you can cut across to Putsborough and back too!
Remember dogs can go on Croyde beach from the end of September, so many of our WaggyTails cottage and lodge guests simply enjoy taking a walk on the beach with their 4 legged friends!
Another local favourite walk is just a few bays overs at Morte Ho where you can park up and go on multiple walking loops to Lee Bay, Bull Point or Morte Point and circle your way back to Morte Ho for a cream tea or pasty in this cute little village.
Country Pubs
Settle into one of the local pubs like the Thatch or try Sunday Lunch at the Manor. These family and dog-friendly pubs are perfect after a long walk or a cosy evening.
The Thatch is known for its old world interior mixed with the new Croyde Village surf vibe, as well real ales on tap and their famous nachos. The Manor has plenty of live sports on show and are popular for their Sunday roast!
If you’re a foodie, venture over to Georgeham, just a 5-minute drive from the resort. Here you’ll find quality pub food at The Kings Arms & The Rock Inn. Try the pies at the Kings Arms and enjoy sitting by the fire. Plus the local Exmoor steaks at The Rock Inn.
If you venture slightly further out for a day trip and want a stop in on the way back to the resort, try The Chichester Arms in Bishops Tawton and the Hunters Inn in Newton Tracey.
Fine Dining
If you feel like treating yourself and your palate this Autumn, there’s plenty of fine dining restaurants to enjoy in North Devon.
Just under 30 minutes away from the resort in Ilfracombe, you can find Thomas Carr’s The Olive Room serving a ‘relaxed and unpretentious’ seafood focused menu. This North Devon Michelin star restaurant located on Fore Street in Ilfracombe was started by local chef Thomas Carr who grew up around the corner in Woolacombe and learnt his trade with famous chef Nathan Outlaw.
The Masons Arms in Knowstone, just off the North Devon link road has long held a Michelin star. The 13th Century Inn, owned by Mark and Sarah Dodson, serves the finest local ingredients in a cosy setting on the edge of Exmoor National Park.
North Devon has more Michelin stars than two of the country’s biggest cities, Liverpool and Manchester, combined, which shows how strong the food scene is in this part of the country. You can also read our full blog on this.
Lundy Island
Take a day trip over to the unique Lundy Island, just off the North Devon coast where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel.
You can day trip over on the MS Oldenburg from Ilfracombe to Lundy up until towards the end of October.
You’ll be sure to see plenty of wildlife in the UK’s first marine conservation zone. Look out for the famous puffins as well as the friendly grey seals and sometimes basking sharks too.
View the sailing timetable
Day Returns 2019 – Adults £42, Child (under 16 yrs) £22, Infant (under 4 yrs) Free of charge, Family Ticket – 2 adults and 2 children £95
Discounts are available for Senior Citizens, Students, National Trust members, Groups, Schools and Coaches, on day return tickets only.
Croyde Bay Resort is the perfect location for staying in North Devon when day tripping to Lundy or using North Devon as base to get to Lundy for a couple of nights.
National Parks
Devon is home to both Dartmoor and Exmoor, two epic and rugged National Parks.
Exmoor National Park features gorgeous scenery from coastal cliffs to moorland and woodland, covering 267 square miles. This unspoilt area of natural beauty is one not to miss!
Exmoor also features Europe’s first dark sky reserve, truly inspirational for looking at the stars on a clear night. Some of the recommended star gazing spots are;
- Holdstone Hill
- County Gate
- Brendon Two Gates
- Webbers Post
- Anstey Gate
- Haddon Hill
- Wimbleball Lake
Dartmoor National Park is slightly further from the resort but another beautiful part of Devon. The 368 square miles of Dartmoor is contrasted by granite tors, steep wooded river valleys and moorlands as far as the eye can see.
Historic Sites
Clovelly is open all year and whilst a few of the smaller independent shops have restricted opening, you will be able to see all of the sites there as well as all the attractions like the fisherman’s cottage, chapels and of course the harbour, famous for its crab and lobster.
Barnstaple Pannier Market, a historic indoor market, has a variety of stalls from fresh vegetables and fudge to crafts and ornaments. It’s located next to Barnstaple’s famous Butcher’s Row, where you can get local meat and fish as well locally baked bread and more.
Arlington Court was built in early 1823 and can be seen preserved today, for those history buffs among us. The Carriage Museum (New Wing only), car park, tea-room, garden & wider estate are currently open at Arlington Court. Prebooking is required.
Local Attractions
There’s plenty of family friendly local attractions open during the Autumn including Quince Honey Farm, The Big Sheep, The Milky Way, Combe Martin Wildlife Park and Exmoor Zoo. Prebook tickets are currently required for most local attractions.
If there are animal lovers in the family head to Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur park (tickets are around £15 for both adults and children) or Exmoor Zoo (tickets are around £15 for adults and £12 for children). The Big Sheep, The Milky Way and Quince Honey Farm all have indoor and outdoor facilities – check their websites to see what is open.
Cobbaton Combat Collection has a huge indoor collection of military items from guns and uniforms to armoured vehicles and tanks which can be seen in their venue not far from the a361. This is a great day out for military fanatics, history buffs and adventurous children alike.
Stay in North Devon this September, October, November –
If any of the activities and adventures above or simply the lure of going for a walk on the beach followed by a country pub excites you, we have some special offers during the autumn. October and November dates are currently available for our discounted 3 and 4 night breaks in our cottages and lodges.
3 & 4 night cottage breaks from £159* and lodge breaks from £249*.
