Image 1 of 2
Image 2 of 2
Our Recommendations
Bicycle Chain, Taunton · Bike Shed, Barnstaple · Black Lion Bikes, Taunton · eBike Trail Tours / Ebike North Devon · North Devon Cycles · Cycles Scuderia, Bideford · Exmoor Bike Sales · Gordy's Bike Shop, Barnstaple · Instow Bike Hire · Kings Cycles · Kustom Bikes, Minehead · MJ Cycle Works, Taunton · Nationwide eBikes, Taunton · ND Cycles, Taunton · On Your Bike, Taunton · Planet BIKE, Barnstaple · Porlock Pedals · Ridefit, Barnstaple · Sandbanks Cycles · Southfork Cycles, Braunton · Tarka Trail Cycle Hire · Tidal & Trail, Bideford · Torrington Cycle Hire · Tuned Cycles, Minehead · Turners Cycles, Taunton · Waterside Bike Hire · Woolacombe Bike Hire
Eat, Drink, Sleep, Explore:
Yarde Orchard Cafe, Tarka Trail · Duke of York, Iddesleigh · Woods, Dulverton · Clovelly · Damien Hirst's Verity, Ilfracombe · Dunster Castle · Crow Point · Museum of British Surfing, Braunton · Beachside Grill, Saunton Sands · Johns of Instow · Sandleigh Tea Rooms, Croyde · The Thatch, Croyde · Combas Farm, Putsborough · Pickwell Manor · Rock Inn, Georgeham · Adele's Cafe, Ilfracombe · Exmoor National Park · Quantock Hills National Landscape · Tunnels Beaches · Fremington Quay Cafe · The Barn, Woolacombe · The Porthole, Woolacombe · Woolacombe Bay Hotel · Watersmeet Hotel, Mortehoe · Putsborough Beach Cafe · Pyne Arms, East Down · Blue Ball Inn, Countisbury · Museum of Barnstaple · Watersmeet & Fishing Lodge Cafe · Glen Lyn Gorge · Cliff Railway, Lynmouth · Old Rectory Hotel, Martinhoe · Hunter's Inn, Heddon Valley · Arlington Court · Broomhill Sculpture Garden · Luttrell Arms Hotel, Dunster · Locanda On The Weir, Porlock Weir · Porlock Weir Hotel · Holnicote Estate & Selworthy · Tarr Farm Inn · Lorna Doone Farm · Royal Oak Inn, Luxborough · Farmers Arms, Woolsery · Wulfheard Manor, Woolsery · Hartland Abbey
This Map covers the Exmoor National Park and North Devon; an area with a wide variety of coastal and inland scenery, much historic, architectural and leisure interests. The Exmoor National Park is largely in Somerset, with a small portion lying in Devon. At times the climate is harsh with mist, cloud and rain, and is reminiscent of Scotland. When the skies clear, the wild, wide beauty is unsurpassed. The landscape is undulating, full of rolling hills, marshland, bracken, heather and gorse, and divided by swift flowing streams which cut through the steep-sided valleys, known as combes. The rolling moorland provides splendid views seawards across the Bristol Channel to Wales. In places the coast is crowned with high cliffs falling precipitously to the sea. The Exmoor sheep and wild ponies are seen everywhere, as can be found buzzard and raven. The roaming red deer is rarely seen close to, they feed at night and by day lie hidden in the woods or bracken.
North Devon is a rural landscape of small villages, rich pastures, secluded coves and long sandy beaches popular with the surfing fraternity. The two ancient ports of Barnstaple and Bideford have grown beside the wide estuary of the Taw and Torridge rivers. Stretching southwards from these ports is the gentle pastoral countryside known as 'The Land of the Two Rivers' so vividly brought to life in the works of Henry Williamson. The warm equable climate, together with the nature of the countryside provides excellent recreational opportunities, particularly for the cyclist and mountain biker, walker, horseman, fisherman and surfer. The area also contains a sufficient variety of cultural and urban interests to satisfy all tastes.
So, if you seek quiet country lanes, river valleys and routes along flat ridges affording spectacular sea views that swoop down to picturesque villages with tearooms awash with clotted cream, and hospitable country inns. Look no more. It is all here. Happy Cycling, Al Churcher