Places to Go
Here are just a few of the places you might like to visit during your stay with us.
Great Torrington
Great Torrington is a friendly, welcoming town, set in the midst of rolling, unspoilt green countryside. An ancient settlement extraordinarily sited on an inland cliff top with steep drops down to the River Torridge below. This impressive situation offers spectacular views. In the very heart of Tarka Country, the wonderful landscape has remained practically unchanged since Henry Williamson wrote his classic novel “Tarka the Otter” in the 1920s.
Torridge Valley and the Tarka Trail
The Torridge valley, with its intimate wooded banks, was Tarka's home territory. His fictional birthplace was amid the roots of an riverside oak close to Canal Bridge which can be seen from the Tarka Trail.
The Trail offers the perfect opportunity to see, on foot or by bicycle, the locations described by Henry Williamson, many of them little changed since he was writing in the 1920s. Short sections can be walked as part of a day out, while longer sections make a wonderful walking weekend. Public transport serves many locations to enable day or weekend walks. For the more serious walker who relishes the challenge of completing the whole Trail, there is the happy prospect of a full two week walking holiday.
Torridge Cycle Hire, Station Yard, Torrington Tel: 01805 622633
Bideford
Bideford has been welcoming visitors for centuries. They have come by both road and sea. Our location, people, heritage and character continue to appeal to guests and residents alike. This site is intended to provide a 'snapshot' of Bideford today while taking the user into the confidence of our history and highlighting many of the aspects and elements of a town which should be seen and enjoyed.
Still a working port, our maritime heritage is well charted. Refered to by Charles Kingsley in Westward Ho!, noted in Tennyson's Revenge and immortalised in the verse of Edward Capern, Bideford's postman-poet the "little white town" retains its ability to captivate and charm.
Westward Ho!
Westward Ho! Is perhaps best known for being named after the book of the same name written by Charles Kingsley. But it's also famous for it's two miles of sandy beach known as the Golden Bay.
When the tide is out it makes the perfect spot for a stroll by the water's edge. There are stunning views across the Taw and Torridge estuary towards Saunton and more immediately there's the scenery of Northam Burrows Country Park.
Clovelly
The village is traffic free and the main street, known very simply as 'up-a-long' and 'down-a-long', tumbles its cobbled way down 400ft of solid rock to the tiny harbour and lifeboat station, both protected by an ancient stone breakwater. It is a descent through flower-strewn cottages broken only by tempting little passageways and tiny winding lanes that lead off to the left and right and offer the prospect of discovering more peaceful, picturesque treasures of Clovelly.
Holsworthy
Holsworthy is a wonderful town which has a market charter dating back to the 12th century. One thousand years ago it was described as a Port Town. The word Port was a Saxon term for a secure place for trade - a market.
Holsworthy boasts one of the busiest and largest livestock markets in the country and lies in the heart of 'Ruby Country', where a new initiative is underway to provide walking, cycling and horse riding trails through this area of charming countryside. Focusing on themes such as culture, heritage, food and drink, the trails will offer an excellent opportunity to discover some of the natural features in the town and its surrounding area. 'Ruby Country' is a designated area of tranquillity and its unspoilt beauty is a must for any visitor looking for a taste of traditional Devon life.
Bude
Bude and nearby beaches provide some of the finest surfing to be had in all England; most beaches have lifeguard cover during the Summer months.
The town has excellent facilities with an interesting selection of shops, a large supermarket, and recreational activities, including a modern indoor heated swimming pool. A few minutes walk from the town centre and you can be exploring the dramatic scenery of the South West Coastal Path, or discovering the famous Bude Canal, an engineering feat of the early 19th century.
Dartmoor Fringe
This is an area of scenic contrast where the distant Dartmoor Hills form a constant backdrop to the richly endowed rolling farmland.
The River Okement flows from the moor to join the Torridge, providing on its route, a haven for wildlife. There are many opportunities to explore this special area, with cycle routes, circular walks, village trails, and on Dartmoor the freedom to walk where you will, with only a map and compass to guide you and no set path to follow.
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