Devon, oh so picturesque! I was born and bred in North Devon, and bar from four years at university, have lived here my whole life. In the Winter, it’s pretty boring, with not a lot to do. But in the Summer, it’s one of the best places to be. With a hundred different walks and various beaches to visit; I can’t get enough of spending time in the Devon fresh air.
Have a curry at Barricane Beach
Although I’m a bit scared of eating on the beach, due to the large number of seagulls! Barricane Beach is known for its curries, but instead of eating out of takeaway containers, you get given a plate and proper cutlery. Bring a bottle of bubbly or a few cans of cider, take in the beautiful views with a yummy curry! This is still on my to-do list as I’ve heard good things, and hopefully within the next few weeks I’ll tick this off my list!
Visit Westward Ho!
Westward Ho! is an absolute gem. Colourful houses, tick. Pebble beach, tick. Arcades, tick. Westward Ho! has it all; it’s not the best beach in North Devon but the town is very cute. There are some lovely little café’s and if you’re not from Devon, you have to try a Hocking’s ice cream, which in my opinion is the best ice cream you can ever have! If the weather is just a bit shit, like it is usually in the UK then pop into the arcade, have a go on the 2p machines or play a game of air hockey.
Tuck into some homemade cakes at Tea on the Green
Leading on from Westward Ho! is Tea on the Green, which is one of the cute little café’s in the town but it’s that good, it needs its own heading. Whenever I was home from uni, I would make a trip to get one of their weekend special cakes; usually opting for the cheesecake as I’m obsessed with cheesecake! Every weekend they change their specials, but always have a three-tiered cake, brownies and a cheesecake of some sort along with a few other specials. It’s a very small café, so if you’re lucky you can get a space to sit down but they also do takeaway. So, if the weather is on our side, take your triple chocolate brownie to sit on the pebbles, take in the views and try to avoid the seagulls.
Visit one of the beautiful beaches
In North Devon, you are only a short drive away from a number of beautiful beaches. Saunton Sands, Woolacombe, Instow, Croyde.. the list goes on! My favourite beach is Saunton Sands, with miles of golden sandy beach, sand dunes and rock pools, I’ve been going here since I was young and have fond memories. I’ve had some lovely evening walks along the coast, taking in the views and feeling very lucky to live a stones throw away from some of the most breath-taking places in the UK.
Cycle along the Tarka Trail
I love being outdoors and what better way to take in the views, than on the Tarka Trail. I hadn’t ridden a bike for about ten years until a few months ago, and I’m slightly scared about riding on a road, so the Tarka Trail is perfect for me. Long stretches of straight track, with pub stops on route! You can do a five-mile round trip or take on the more challenging routes. It doesn’t even feel like exercise! Just this week I did a twelve-mile round trip to Instow beach, it took a lot longer than expected but I like to make the most of the summer we’re having and spending as much time outside as I can.
Visit Instow
Instow is a cute little village near the seaside, the beach isn’t the best North Devon has to offer but it’s a lot smaller and good for dog walks. It’s also a lot quieter and if you get a car parking space right on the sea front, you’re only a stones throw away from the golden sand. There are two lovely restaurants on the seafront; Instow Arms and The Boat House. I’ve visited Instow Arms various times, their seafood spaghetti is to die for, along with the creamy mushrooms with sourdough bread finished with the waffles! Reasonably priced and if you get seated on the top level of the restaurant, it overlooks the beach. I’ve not been to The Boathouse since it’s been renovated, but it looks good and I’ve heard good things about the menu, so aiming to try this out soon!
Head for a National Trust walk
National Trust is a charity that help to preserve the beauty of special places all over the country. There are a number of walks in Devon to enjoy, my favourites are all by the sea because I prefer to be by the sea, if you can’t already tell! Just the other week my sister and I did the five and half mile walk from Hunter’s Inn to Woody Bay, it took us just over two hours to do. It was a challenging trek, steep climbs and I almost fell over the wet rocks when trying to get a picture of the waterfall, but the views were spectacular!
There are plenty of things to do in North Devon. If the sun is shining, I ensure I’m out and about making the most of the little sunshine we actually get in the UK. These are only a handful of things I enjoy doing in the summer. If you’re from Devon or have visited, I’d be interested to know what your favourite things are to do when the sun is shining, leave a comment below!
