Country, coast or buzzing Barnstaple

The choice is country, coast or buzzing, bustling Barnstaple. The Blue Flags fly at Saunton Sands and Woolacombe; hawks hover over Exmoor. Get to Exmoor Zoo for rheas and rhinos, vulture up the viticulture at Quance Wines, or take the 180-mile Tarka Trail. Get wet with surfing, sailing or scuba.

North Devon Beaches and Villages

Instow is a pretty coastal village nearby with a stretch of beach. Break out the buckets and spades and treat yourselves to an ice cream. Bideford and Clovelly are two lovely coastal villages close to the house.

One of Devon’s most memorable beaches, Saunton Sands is an impressive expanse of flat sand stretching for three miles backed by massive sand dunes and very popular with families and surfers.

Try out a few watersports at Croyde Bay, part of the beautiful heritage coastline of North Devon and one of the UK’s favourite surfing beaches. Croyde village is a charming hamlet of thatched cottages with many places to eat, buy gifts and great for hiring beach equipment and wetsuits.  Why not try a little surfing too – the surf schools here are some of the best in the country.  Just put your wetsuit on and enjoy the water all year round.

At Westward Ho! there are two miles of wonderful sandy beach where you can enjoy swimming, surfing, canoeing and kite surfing. The sand dunes are a haven for birds, insects and wild flowers. The South West Coastal Path and the Tarka Trail are close by – a must for cyclists and walkers.

Kids Ahoy!Kids Ahoy!Kids Ahoy!Kids Ahoy!

Kids Ahoy!

You can happily spend your holiday playing and relaxing on the beaches and in the fishing villages of the North Devon coast. Digging sandcastles, hunting in rock pools, catching crabs. This is what the British seaside holiday is all about.

For a trip out, pick your way through the Mystery Maze or hop aboard the Pirate Galleon at the Discovery Island Adventure Park. Or spend an afternoon at The Big Sheep, enjoying sheep racing, lamb feeding sessions, pets corner, twister, tractor, train and piggy rides, mountain boarding and much more.

Or head inland and enjoy a day hunting with North Devon Falconry. You can learn a little about how to handle this magnificent bird of prey, under the safe and watchful eye of one of the expert falconers.

For the Grown Ups

Taw Valley House is set in an incredible location just a few miles from the spectacular beaches of the Atlantic coast.  There are beaches galore to choose from and pretty villages to explore. And plenty of great pubs a short drive from the house.

Lathwells in Bideford offers a private dining room for celebration groups. They pride themselves on using the freshest, local produce – every dish is hand-made from scratch, many of their vegetables are grown by local gardeners and they serve fish caught by local fishermen wherever possible.

Play a round of golf at Saunton Sands Golf Club. It is widely regarded as one of the top links courses in the country.  The magnificent course follows the dramatic UNESCO protected Burrows site along the shoreline.

If you would like to indulge in some beauty and health pampering our expert beauty therapists offer a full range of treatments. Get all the luxury of a visit to a five star spa in the comfort of your own seaside escape.