Peppercombe - a Devon beach you have to walk to

Here's a beach trip for a day when the walk is part of the fun...




This one won't offer you miles of sand, and there are no icecream stalls, but then there aren't many people either (and you can always get an icecream - or a pint- at the pub on the way back).








Start your walk at Horn's Cross, on the A39 between Bideford and Buck's Cross. You can get the 315 stagecoach bus from Winkleigh to Bideford, then the 319 service to Horn's Cross. Or you can drive. If driving, park considerately - this is a small hamlet. You can park at the pub if you're a customer.

You'll be heading off past the pub anyway, down to the beach through Peppercombe, owned by the National Trust. Where the track forks just past the pub, stay left (not through the 5 bar gate) and follow the path. In spring it's alive with wild garlic, wood anemones, primroses and celandines. Later in the year you'll find red campion and other woodland plants and butterflies.

The path takes you alongside a stream, past a couple of quaint little cottages, then across a field, down another wooded section and so to the beach. It's about half a mile, and well signed at every turn.

The island you see on the horizon is Lundy, also part of the North Devon Biosphere Reserve.

The beach itself is stony, except for patches of sand at low water, so this is a walk and picnic lunch rather than a bucket and spade excercise. When you've had enough of building encampments with the cobbles, you can wander north east along the beach until you find a bit were the cliffs dip down and a brick-built dam holds back a small pond. From here you can pick up the coast path back up the other side of the combe. You'll take a narrow, sometimes very muddy path along the top of the cliffs this time, coming out about half way up the combe. When you reach the main track turn left and head up hill.





If you don't want to retrace your steps, keep left where the track forks and you'll walk back to the start point along the other side of the combe.

Horn's Cross is about 25 miles from your self catering accommodation - but you can also get the bus direct from Winkleigh to Bideford, then get the 319 service to Horn's Cross. Get a day rider ticket for North Devon that lets you get on and off stagecoach buses all day.

Feeling more energetic? Peppercombe is also the start of a lovely 2-3 hour one-way walk along the south west coast path to Westward Ho!. Get the 319 bus from Bideford to Horn's Cross, then walk from Peppercombe to Westward Ho!, pick up the local (very frequent) First service bus back to Bideford. You can do the whole thing without your car from the bus stop at Winkleigh.

Torrington 1646

Re-live the last major battle of the civil war in the Cavalier town of Torrington...
At Torrington 1646 you'll be guided through a reconstruction of the town on the night of 16 Feb 1646, when the roundheads marched from Exeter and started a night-time battle against the cavaliers, loyal to the King. It ended with the destruction of the church when 80 barrels of gunpowder (Guy Fawkes only had 36) and 200 prisoners went up in flames.

There's a chance to try on 17th Century armour,and find out about how the women and camp followers dressed, how to bow without showing people your lice.... And find out many many uses for urine...



Your kids will love it, and the best bit, if the weather allows, will be joining in with the pike drill and watching the musket being fired (don't worry, it's only tissue paper).





Torrington 1646 is about 13 miles from our Devon eco lodges and cottage - in the town of Torrington. And while you're there, there's the glass factory (which does tours), lots of good walks, and of course the Plough Arts Centre.





Opening times (2009):

Jul and Aug, Mon-Sat, first tour 10:00, last tour 15:00.
Sep, week days only
Oct - Mar closed
half terms - ring for opening times.

Getting there:
Take the A386 to Torrington and park in the South Street car park (well signed). You'll find the entrance to Torrington 1646 in the building that houses the Tourist Information and the Library.

Without the car, take the 315 bus from Winkleigh and get off at the church in Torrington. Walk through the churchyard into the High Street, heading for the Pannier Market, then turn up the hill (South Street) and you'll find the car park and Torington 1646 at the top on your left. Make sure you leave enough time (approx 2 hours) to do the tour before the last bus back!

Torrington 1646
Castle Hill
South Street
Great Torrington
EX38 8AA
01805 626146
Find out more, check opening times etc...

Kayaking on the Torridge, at Bideford

Try kayaking on the River Torridge at Bideford. You can hire sturdy kayaks suitable for beginners from Bideford Bicycle Hire and enjoy this part of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve from a completely different perspective.





Paddle yourself beneath Bideford's famous Long Bridge or head up stream past saltmarsh and reedbeds towards the iron bridge at Landcross to see this part of North Devon from a 'Tarka the otter' viewpoint!

This is a day out you can do without the car - take the 315 bus from Winkleigh to Bideford (enjoy the fabulous views from the top of the double decker) and get off at the Quay.

You can also combine kayaking with walking or cycling on the Tarka Trail - see Puffing Billy to Bideford on the Tarka Trail.

If you need refreshment, there's a cafe in an old railway carriage and what was once Bideford Station - now a waypoint on the Tarka Trail. In Bideford itself you'll find an art gallery (in the park at the far end of the Quay, and plenty of shops and cafes.



The hire shop is easy to find. From the bus stop or by car, cross over Bideford Long Bridge and find Torrington Street just around to your right. There's limited and charged parking here - more the other side of the river in the big pay and display car park. If you've been walking or biking on the Tarka Trail you'll spot the shop and steps down to it.


Prices (in 2008) were £10 for the first hour, then £5 per further hour.




Bideford is about 20 miles from our Devon ecolodges and self catering cottage







Bideford bicycle hire webpage.
01237 424123
Torrington Street,
East The Water,
Bideford EX39 4DR

Exeter galleries, cathedral and tours

In the city of Exeter you can visit galleries, take a guided tour, admire the Cathedral or just relax in a coffee bar.






If you feel the need to return to urban life for a day, Exeter is a good bet for a spot of culture. And if you want to be green you can take the train on the picturesque Tarka Line - Eggesford Station is only about 4 miles away. All the trains have to stop here - a condition imposed when the land for the station was originally sold by the Earl of Portsmouth's estate.

Stay on the train until you get to Exeter Central (not Exeter St David's). Coming out of the station turn left, and almost immediately you'll pass the Royal Albert Memorial Museum's main building. It's closed for redevelopment until March 2010, but much of its offerings have been rehoused in the library and around the city. To get to RAMM in the library, take the 3rd left after the station, walk about 100m until you see the library / council buildings. You won't miss them - they look just like council buildings! Check their website or ring 01392 421252 for more about what's on...

But if you take the second left, just up from the end of Gandy Street you'll come across the Exeter Phoenix gallery.
Entrance to the gallery is free, and there are regular workshops - check their website or ring 01392 667080 to find out what's on. You never know who you might meet....











If you've got kids and it's wet, the gallery may be a welcome distraction, and there should be something to occupy them. The cafe is also family friendly, and does local food.



Coming back out of the gallery, go down the hill and turn left into Gandy Street - lots of boutiques, cafes etc, and if you keep going you'll hit the high street. If you want to see the Cathedral, turn right in the high street, then turn left when you see the signposts.

You can also join a guided tour of historial Exeter. The Exeter City Council run several, covering, ghosts, murder and mayhem, the Cathedral, the custom's house and many more. Check out their website a full list and timetables.






Exeter is about 35 miles from our ecolodges and cottage - but it's perfectly green if you go on the train or bus!

These venues sometimes have events that we list on our diary pages.

Horn's Cross to Westward Ho! on the South West Coast Path

This is a good one way walk through a wooded combe and along a fabulous stretch of the South West Coast Path. Take the bus out and walk back....





You start this day out from either the bus stop at Winkleigh the bus stop on the Quay at Bideford. After a short journey you'll walk along wooded paths, see Lundy Island out to sea, dip down to a beach, and catch cliff top views. The walk is narrow and steep at times. You can't get lost though - just keep going and you'll arrive in Westward Ho! feeling smug about not just lounging around on the beach. I'd allow 2-3 hours.

Getting there

Bus: Get the 09.03 (summer 08 timetable - do check!)bus from Winkleigh to Bideford. Buy a North Devon dayrider ticket so you can get on and off stagecoach buses all day - it's only £3-4. You'll arrive with some time to kill, so enjoy the Quayside, admire the long bridge, or visit the Burton Art Gallery (free entry, interesting history of the bridge upstairs, plus cafe & loos.) It's in the park just beyond the Quay.

Drive: Take the A386 to Bideford and park in the pay & display car park at the far end of the Quay. Then catch the 319 bus to Horn's Cross (see below).

Be back on the Quay (on the river side) to get the 319 stagecoach bus to Horn's Cross (11:25 from the Quay in summer 08). If you stay on the LHS of the lower deck you'll see the sign for Horn's Cross in time to ting the bell. The bus stop is by the pub. Walk through the pub car park, down the lane, then turn right through a gate signed Peppercombe. Follow the path downhill until you reach signs for the coast path, then branch off. From here you can't go wrong!

There are glorious cliff top scenes, wonderful butterflies and flowers in summer, and views of Lundy out to sea. You'll dip down to a beach (good for lunch) before heading up and down quite a few times more...

Eventually you'll reach Cornborough Cliffs, about a mile outside Westward Ho! Follow the coast path signs for a slightly more interesting detour, or just take the wide path into Westward Ho!

You'll come out by the colourful beach huts - this will feel like a different culture after your walk! If you walk along the front, then turn up towards the church, you'll come to Nelson Road where you can catch the First 1 bus back to Bideford Quay. Because this is a different service, you'll have to buy a ticket. The last bus back from Bideford to Winkleigh is at 16:50 (summer 08).

Bideford is about 20 miles from our self catering cottage and eco lodges - or start your day just 1.5 miles away at the Winkleigh bus stop.

Westward Ho! and Northam Burrows

The huge beach at Northam Burrows Country Park, near Westward Ho! is about 40 mins drive away. It can be almost empty outside peak season, and even in August there's plenty of room.





This picture was taken in October - you can see the miles of sand at low tide. Parking is easy - there's a car park (small charge in the sumer). At the far end of the car park there is a really worthwhile interpretation centre / shop as well as public loos.

Even in August there's plenty of room, though you'll have to share a bit...

Westward Ho! takes its name from the Charles Kingsley novel - ie the novel came first!

Northam Burrows is famous for it's pebble ridge made of rounded cobbles cast up by the sea. If you're there in May, you may catch the 'Pot Walloping Festival' where locals gather to throw the previous winter's dislodged cobbles back up onto the ridge. Traditionally, this protects their grazing rights.

Walking the South West Coast Path
The first mile or so of the South West Coast Path, from Westward Ho! to Cornborough Cliff, has been made an easy - access level path. Beyond that it's more challenging. If you are sure of foot there's a great walk from Horn's Cross (off the A39) back to Westward Ho! that you can do as a one way walk if you take the bus out. Rudyard Kipling spent several of his childhood years at Westward Ho!, and scenes from Stalky and Co. were written about this coastline, which he knew from attending the United Services College here.

Getting there
Northam Burrows and Westward Ho! are about 23 miles from our cottage and ecolodges. Take the A386 (or the bus) to Bideford...

Driving: - as you go through Bideford, look out for the signs to Appledore and Northam Burrows, rather than Westward Ho! There's a smallish turning on the right - it's signed. Follow signs for Northam Burrows Country Park.

Bus: Well,it's not seamless, but it's doable. Get the 315 service to Bideford and change on the Quay to The First 1 service for Northam and Appledore. There's a bus on the golf links road and you walk down through the Country Park from there. It adds a bit of exercise, so not necessarily a good option for young children or anyone carrying loads of beach gear.

There may be events or walks organised for the Country park. Check out our diary pages for details.

Halsdon Nature Reserve

Halsdon Nature Reserve is one of the nearest of the Devon Wildlife Trust's reserves to Wheatland Farm. Otters are sometimes to be seen from the hide overlooking the River Torridge, and orchids and bluebells bejewel the woods in spring.




The 57 hectare reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, with mixed deciduous river valley woodland, riverside meadows, marsh and including 2.4km of the River Torridge.

It's mostly oak woodland, but rarer trees, including the Devon whitebeam (sorbus devoniensis) and the wild service tree (an unusual-looking tree with greyish brown, flaky bark) are also here.

In 2009 the Trust started an ambitious programme to improve access an manage the woodland more actively.

You can do a circular walk from either of the two car parks - of if you're car free, take the 315 bus to Dolton and walk along part of the Tarka Trail to the bottom end of the reserve, up through the woodland, then back to Dolton on a footpath. There are a couple of pubs in Dolton if you need refreshments.

There are a few fields at the valley bottom that you're asked not to go through in the summer without a permit, but that's a relatively small part of the reserve. In the winter you don't need a permit - but please don't take your dogs into this area.

The paths a pretty variable - sometimes steep and muddy. But from the car park at the southern end of the reserve there's a fairly flat smooth section with a well-made surface for nearly a kilometre, as far as the riverside.

If you're taking kids, try some of the games on this webpage while you're there.

Halsdon is about 8 miles from our holiday lodges and cottage.

There are sometimes events and workparties at Halsdon - check out our diary pages for details..

Devon Wildlife Trust: Halsdon Nature Reserve

Puffing Billy to Yarde Cafe

The Tarka Trail between Puffing Billy pub and Yarde Cafe is a lovely woodland walk or cycle crossing the Torridge and passing several benches for the trail as part of Sustran's Art in the Travelling Landscape initiative.





While the surface isn't as good as other parts of the trail it's still fairly easy going. Bear in mind you're following the Torridge upstream now, so that means gently uphill almost all the way, but a much easier coast back once you've had a coffee and cake at the cafe!

Getting there:
Either drive or take the 315 bus from Winkleigh to the Puffing Billy stop just the far side of Great Torrington. Puffing Billy is the name of the pub here, once the station buildings. Cycling is a good option because there's no bus back from Yarde to Winkleigh. If you don't have your own bikes, you can hire some from Torrington Cycle Hire, just opposite the pub (01805 281461).


From here to Yarde Cafe is about 4 miles. Whether walking or cycling, set off leaving the pub behind you and passing under an archway. You'll soon come to a bridge over the Torridge. If you're there really early and it's quiet you may see an otter. In the evening, bats hunt for moths along the river banks here.



Along this stretch of the trail there is a series of 3 benches comissioned as part of Sustran's Art in the Travelling Landscape initiative. The 'courtship bench' will make you smile even if the 'bereavement bench' seems a bit morbid...








The cafe was shortlisted for the 2008 sustainable tourism category in the Devon Environmental Business Initiative's annual awards. It is normally open everyday 10.00am to 5.00pm during July and August, bank holiday weekends and during half term weeks. Outside the summer season, weather permitting, the cafe is open on Saturdays and Sundays - and sometimes other days if fine! Telephone 01805 624007 or 07972786306 to check.

Puffing Billy to Bideford on the Tarka Trail

This gently down-hill walk or ride crosses the Torridge at Beam Weir, made famous in Henry Williamson's book Tarka the Otter, before meandering along the valley, through a long tunnel, across another bridge and into the former station at Bideford, where there's a cafe in an old railway carriage. Cross Bideford's famous long Bridge and come back on the bus...

Getting there:
Either drive or take the 315 bus from Winkleigh to the Puffing Billy stop just the far side of Great Torrington. Puffing Billy is the name of the pub here, once the station buildings. If you walk you can get the bus back. If you want to cycle you'll have to go out and back again. If you don't have your own bikes, you can hire some from Torrington Cycle Hire, just opposite the pub (01805 281461).


From here to Bideford is about 5 miles. Whether walking or cycling, set off passing in front of the pub on the tarmac path that was once the railway track. You'll soon come to the bridge at Beam Weir. If you're there really early and it's quiet you may see an otter. In the evening, bats hunt for moths along the river bank.

A bit further and you'll come to a wooden bench, one of 30 pieces of art comissioned for the trail as part of Sustran's Art in the Travelling Landscape initiative.

Near hear you can detour into the woods on a permissive path that takes you to Weare Giffard, but apart from a bit of exploring I think I'd stick to the trail.

You'll go through a tunnel, then down to Landcross (had enough? you're close to the bus route again here - just come off the trail and cross over the Torridge on the road bridge. A few metres on the bus stop is on the corner)


You'll cross the Torridge again over a bridge where people often fish the tidal waters, than pass close to saltmarsh and a reedbed as you approach Bideford. The trail takes you right to the old station, where there's a cafe in an old carriage. If that's not open, the is a pub close by and plenty of other cafes etc over Bideford Long Bridge in the town itself.





If you walked, you can catch the 315 bus back from Bideford Quay - just cross the bridge, turn right and you'll find the bus stops.

Puffing Billy is about 17 miles from our lodges and cottage, but if you take the bus your day out starts a mile and a half away at the Winkleigh Bus stop. If you're car-less and have young children with you we can sometimes run you down there.

Instow to Fremington on the Tarka Trail

This is an easy going walk (or cycle) with options to explore part of the South West Coast Path and detour around a nature reserve. You'll end up at Fremington Quay cafe, which was voted 17th in the Independent Newspaper’s 50 Best Cafes in the UK 2006 - the only one in North Devon.


Getting there (for a walk):
Either take the 315 bus from Winkleigh, or drive to Instow and use the pay and display car park.

Getting there (cycle):
Take your own bikes or do the route in reverse, hiring bikes at Fremington Quay. You'll have to retrace your steps though, as no-one seems to do one-way cycle hire. And you'll need to stick to the Tarka Trail as bikes aren't allowed on the Coast Path.

I recommend getting there by bus. Tickets are really reasonable and you get a unique trip through the transition zone of North Devon's Biosphere reserve, with fabulous views of the countryside - the 315 is almost always a double decker, giving you unparalleled views over the hedges. And the view as you go over Bideford Bridge is spectacular.

Instow is the first village stop after you leave Bideford. Ask the driver to let you off at the east end of Marine Parade – easiest to be on the lower floor now and smile nicely as there isn’t a formal stop there (if s/he insists on going on to the formal stop you just walk back down the hill until you get back to here).

The walk proper...
You'll see the old railway line, now the Tarka Trail. You can start walking here. (If you take the straightforward route along the Tarka Trail and amble, you'll be at Fremington in under 2 hours.) Alternatively, walk along marine parade and the sea front, enjoying the clinking of stays on the moored boats and the view across the water to Appledore. Follow the coast until you get to the far side of Instow.



Here, you'll have another choice. If unencumbered by buggies etc, follow the South West Coast Path through dunes topped with marram grass and along the coastline. You can rejoin the Tarka Trail fairly shortly after the cricket ground, or say on the Coast Path until you loop back just before the RSPB's Isley Marsh Nature Reserve.

If you need smoother going, join up with the Tarka Trail now - turn left off the road where you see a beach cafe. Stay on the road side and shortly on your right you'll see a pedestrian gateway onto the Trail. If you miss that, carry on along the road (it may be a private road, but it's a public footpath as well)and join the trail where a road crosses it just before the cricket ground.

Once on the Tarka Trail the walk is pretty open and straight.
Watch out for wildflowers like tansy, willowherb, toadflax, wild carrot and many others in summer.

Assuming you're on the trail...

Just outside Instow you’ll come across Instow Pond - a picnic site with a shelter made of traditional cob, and a wetland area where swallows hunt insects during the summer. Follow this link to download an audio clip about the pond: part of the Tarka audio trail.

Before you get to Fremington, look out for a set of steel kissing gates and an information board on your left. This is the start of a permissive path around Home Farm Marsh, owned by the Gia Trust and managed primarily for wildlife. The walk takes you back to the coast, then along and finally back to the Tarka Trail again at another set of steel kissing gates ( and probably adds a kilometre to the overall walk).

From there, keep on the Tarka trail until you reach Fremington Quay, once the busiest port between Lands End and Bristol.


Now the buildings are a cafe with fascinating displays and photographs from times gone by, incluidng pennyfarthing and other early bicycles (suspended from the ceiling).
The cafe is open most days in the summer, most weekends in the winter, and closed most Mondays outside peak season. Ring them on 01271 378783 to be sure.

To get there, cross the bridge over Fremington Pill (the river here). Even if you don’t want a coffee, go in and look at the pictures of how things use to be. The cafe doesn’t like you using the loo or eating at the tables unless you’re a customer, but there’s a picnic site a few metres further on (on the left).

Getting home again:
If you’re catching the bus back from Fremington, go back over the Pill and take the footpath up the hill (not along the side of the Pill) on the left hand side. I've done this bit with a pushchair and it was fine. If you walk up the West side (the side the cafe is on) you end up with a longish walk through modern housing before you reach the bus stop. A brisk 10 minute walk should cover it, so if you set off with 30 before the bus leaves you’ll be able to amble and still have loads of time to hail the bus.

Follow the path through beech trees and past a few houses until it narrows and runs alongside an unmade up road. Go through the gap in the fence and walk on the road (much easier) over a small bridge up to the main road.
The bus-stop is called the New Inn on the timetable, and this pub is almost opposite where your road joins the main road. Actually the bus goes from outside the Fox and Hounds pub a bit further to the left and across the road.

How far is it?
If you take the bus, your day out starts just a mile and a half from us! If you've got young children with you do ask, and we'll see if we can run you to the bus stop...

By car, Fremington is about 22 miles from us, and counterintuitively Instow is about 23. The last bus back is usually about 16.20 from Fremington - but please check. There should be an up to date timetable in your accommodation.