When we think of beautiful shorelines, our minds often drift off to the wonderland of the Bahamas or people tanning in the Caribbean. But, here I am writing a blog about why North Devon should be your next visit when seeking beautiful coastlines.
Beyond the beaches, North Devon is a beautiful region in the southwest of England, known for its rugged coastline, picturesque villages, and rolling countryside. While many visitors flock to the more popular destinations like Croyde and Woolacombe, there are also many lesser-known spots that are well worth a visit. I visited North Devon with my family after Christmas, and even in peak winter we loved our time away escaping to the coastline.
My favourite places in North Devon that are worth exploring:
Ilfracombe
This small seaside town is often overlooked by visitors, but it has a lot to offer. The town has a beautiful harbour and a selection of excellent restaurants and pubs. Our hotel was well located right on the harbour, where we went on a morning stroll. Of course, it rained but we were still wowed by the beauty. This is where we decided to stay, there are many hotels and Airbnb options in this area. The main reason was that it was easily accessible to the main spots we wanted to cover, but also in itself was a gorgeous little spot, right on the coast, with views of the ocean from our hotel, and access to a lot of cafés and restaurants.
Valley of the Rocks
This is a spectacular coastal valley with towering granite cliffs, and it's a great spot for hiking, rock climbing and wildlife watching. The valley is home to a herd of wild goats that can often be seen roaming the cliffs.
For me, this was the star of the show! I will leave the proper view/reveal for the video: watch here!
Lynton and Lynmouth
There are two small towns located in the Exmoor National Park in North Devon, England. These twin towns are connected by a unique cliff railway and offer a range of attractions and activities for visitors. Otherwise known as ‘Little Switzerland’, it’s a must-see spot. As we went in the winter, the cliff railways were closed. But, as we had our car we equally enjoyed the views of the hills and the ocean from the road. There are many restaurants on the coast line, and we enjoyed some hot lunch with spectacular views, followed with a walk in the winter sun.
Drive from Ilfracombe to Minehead
The drive from Ilfracombe to Minehead (little over an hour) is beautiful, and whilst this isn’t a specific ‘spot’, the journey in itself was entirely worth it. We spent the journey soaking in the rolling countryside, stopping where we get to sit and absorb the views. Typical of England, we experienced all four seasons on this drive. We ended up crossing over from North Devon to Somerset, it was one of the favourite parts of our trip.
I created a short 5-minute vlog to take you on the trip with us, a little trailer if you will. Celebrating my sister's birthday, it was the perfect getaway. We spent a few days here, and I can imagine in the summer you could easily spend endless days here just being with the water. We will be returning for sure!
Link to the vlog: watch here!
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