EmsworthTravel: North Devon weekend July 2011

My daughter was invited to a wedding in Croyde, North Devon so I thought it was an ideal opportunity to explore an area I have not visited before. The countryside is beautiful and it is like going back in time with quiet roads and friendly laid back residents. The following are a selection of photos taken as I drove north from Barnstaple and Croyde. The most touristy was Ilfracombe which is typical old seaside town lacking charm and character but if you want lively then this is the place. Woolacombe was the second largest town I visited but this was pleasant and retained individuality and personality with plenty of shops of retaurants and a pleasant atmosphere. Moretoe is the quieter neighbour with just a few restaurants and pubs and a church.
Croyde is a pretty village with a few shops, restaurants and pubs and is know for its surfing. Lynton and Lynemouth were lovely. With Lynton lying above Lynemouth and can be reached by funicular railway. The walks are spectactular around here with rugged hillside though there is not much of a beach and this was very rocky. The best beaches were at Croyde and Woolacombe and Coombe Haven beach was smaller and reasonablebut there was little else than a few caravan parks and dated shops in need of a lick of paint. The hotel we stayed in at Barnstaple was the Royal & Fortescue Hotel which was very pleasant and the friendly staff could not do enough for you. The position was good and though the car park was separate from the hotel, this was locked at night and secure. The air conditioning was a little noisy and we were unable to open the window to get fresh air into the room but otherwise we enjoyed our stay there and would stay there again as it was a good base for visiting the area . There was also a good choice of shops in Barnstaple and a market a short walk away (picture below) The food in the restaurant was excellent and you get what you ask for; I asked for a rare steak (medium to rare is what I normally like but well done is what I normally get) but in this case, rare was what I definitely got and one of the best steaks it was too!