Walks

We have a couple of walking guides at the house that visitors are free to use: “Circular Walks in North Devon” and “Exmoor and North Devon Coastal Path – Minehead to Bude”. We also have O/S maps covering the local area that you can borrow during your stay.

WALKS ON THE APPLEDORE SIDE OF THE ESTUARY

The costal path is the obvious thing – but rather there and back in terms of walks. You can also walk to, and round, Northam Burrows directly from the house – this is part of the coastal path route. The Burrows is good place to go – good views back across to Appledore, and lots of bird life. A nice stretch of costal path (for parking up and a walk (but not circular walk) is at the far end of Westward Ho! – just search “Westward Ho! Seafield car park” for details.

Peppercombe

There is a steep (but nice) walk from Peppercombe down to the coast and back – park near but not at the Coach and Horses pub on the A39 towards Hartland Point (parking places on the main road a couple of hundred yards away).

Brownsham

Further along the A39, and not far past Clovelly, there are some nice walks starting off from the National Trust car park at Brownsham, including walking along the coastal path to Clovelly.

Visiting Clovelly https://www.clovelly.co.uk/ is popular, but we think, if you want a walk, the best way to visit is by accessing it via the Coastal Path starting at Brownsham National Trust car park (free). Quite a few people do this (either because they just want to combine a visit with a walk, or because if you do it this way you don’t pay for access to the village. This shows the route: https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/109/

Hartland Point

Hartland Point is a significant feature on the coast – you can see it from Northam Burrows beyond Westard Ho! and Clovelley.

To get to the coastal path, head through Hartland to Hartland Quay. You can park at the top of the cliff “Hartland Quay higher car park”. The coastal path heads east and west from there. There is a circular walk heading towards Clovelley, the route of which is in the “Circular Walks in North Devon and Exmoor” book in the house. It is pretty up and down on the coastal path so you want good shoes, and to be prepared. You can also do some of the path as a “there and back” walk.

You can go past the higher car park down to Hartland Quay itself. There is a car park, and a pub. https://hartlandquayhotel.co.uk/

Hartland Abbey https://www.hartlandabbey.com/ also has a lovely walk from the Abbey down to the beach at Blackpool Mill, which features as a location in the 2016 BBC drama, The Night Manager. The Abbey is closed over the winter. There is quite a good website about the area here: https://www.hartlandpeninsula.co.uk/incredible-landscapes One of the walking routes is the Northern Heritage Walk – the following link takes you to where you can download the route: https://www.hartlandpeninsula.co.uk/northern-heritage-walk.html

Coastal path walking from Hartland Quay towards Hartland Point

FAR SIDE OF THE ESTUARY

You can walk the Tarka Trail (can also cycle it). The car park at the far end of Instow (where the cricket pavilion is) is a good starting point. Head for Sandhills Car Park Instow, EX39 4LF

Crow Point

Crow Point (which is across the estuary, and what you see looking across from the Royal George in Appledore is an interesting place to go. Access via toll road (£2 cash) off the road between Barnstable and Braunton. https://www.tarkatrail.org.uk/plan-your-visit/locations/crow-point/  

Saunton Sands

Saunton Sands is a massive beach (and the largest sand dune system in Europe). The dunes are so large that people bodyboard down them. To access these dunes, the middle of the 3 car parks is the best bet – you have to pay to park, but you get a free coffee… It is a long walk to the beach from here though. Parking near the Saunton Sands hotel (road down to car park signed, and just before you get to the very large white hotel) is an alternative easy starting point for beach/dunes as you park 100m from the beach. The O/S map in the house will show you where these car parks are.

Croyde – Baggy Point

A little further on from Saunton Sands, you get to Croyde. Walking round Baggy Point at (which is probably a 90 minute loop) is very good – from the headland there are fantastic views over both Croyde Bay and Woolacombe Bay. It is £5:00 to park in the National Trust car park, which is as close to Baggy Point as you can park, or it is free if you are a member and have your card with you. Alternatively, there is a good car pay and display park on the right just as you get to the outskirts of Croyde which has a café.