A39 Trail

• Clovelly: the famously steep street of Down-along or Up-along depending on which way you are walking!

Villages like Buckland Brewer, Parkham, Monkleigh, Littleham and Frithelstock are all worth a visit. So are their many friendly pubs and restaurants. An example is the Crealock Arms at Littleham which offers good home cooking, real ales and a beer garden with stunning views of the Yeo Valley.

The small villages and hamlets to the west of Bideford must not be missed either. Just follow the A39 heading for Cornwall and discover them for yourself. At Horns Cross, a little further along the main A39, a lane darts off and takes you to the beautiful wooded valley of Peppercombe.

Back on the main road heading south is The Hoops Inn. This thatched 13th century hostelry no doubt saw famous seafarers like Sir Richard Grenville, who was born just a few miles away.

Bucks Mills is a seaside hamlet which time has indeed left untouched. A leafy lane leads down to a car park from where the village is but a short walk. A cliff path leads to a rocky but safe and secluded beach.

Further along the coast is the jewel in Torridgeside’s crown — the quaint village of Clovelly, which you must pay an admission charge to visit.

Travelling along the A39 at Bucks Cross, you will see a signpost pointing in the direction of Woolfardisworthy. Beneath this word in brackets is Woolsery. This is the shortened name by which the village is known today. It also distinguishes it from another Woolfardisworthy, which is many miles away, near Crediton.

Woolsery can offer pubs which specialise in good food, a post office, garage and a primary school. You can dine out at the Moor Head Farm Restaurant which serves a variety of food to delight all tastes.

Just outside the village is the attractive Merry Harriers Nursery, a place with something to interest every keen gardener, it has a tea room too.

Also nearby is the Milky Way Adventure Park which welcomes thousands of visitors a year to its many outstanding features. These include regular birds of prey demonstrations, the Clone Zone interactive ride and Time Warp indoor adventure centre. Don’t miss the ferret display and look out for the “cuddling corner” where you can get close to baby lambs.

If you like what you see, why not consider owning your own holiday home at Park Resorts’ Bideford Bay Holiday Park at Bucks Cross?

Set in 300 acres of coastal woodland, the park has super on-site entertainment and facilities, including heated indoor and outdoor pools.

You could also pay a very worthwhile visit to Brocklands Adventure Park which is the largest all weather attraction in the area. Runner up in the England For Excellence award 2001 and Quality Assured, Brocklands is a fun-packed value day out, whatever the weather.

Clovelly

No list of ‘places to go’ would be complete without Clovelly – the North Devon village with a unique and ageless charm that draws visitors from around the world.

Flower-strewn white cottages cling like limpets to the cobbled main street as it tumbles down towards the blue waters of the small harbour and 14th Century quay, once busy with trawlers landing fine herring and mackerel.

The famous street called Down-along or Up-along (depending on which way you're walking!) is built of pebbles from the beach and is so steep that for hundreds of years donkeys were the only form of transport.

The author Charles Kingsley lived in Clovelly as a child and it is here that he returned to write ‘Westward Ho!’ and find inspiration for ‘The Water Babies’.
You feel, somehow, that time has passed by without noticing the tiny fishing village tucked into the folds of the thickly-wooded cliffs along a dramatic coastline.

But if Clovelly's heart remains unchanged, its visitor amenities are very much geared to the needs of today's holidaymaker. It has an award-winning centre with shops and refreshments, an audio-visual show all about the village's history, a picnic area, craft workshops and much more to see and do. It also has two hotel/inns.

There are coastal walks (wander along Hobby Drive with glimpses of the harbour and Bideford Bay through the trees), fishing trips and cruises. There is also a Land Rover service to bring you back to the top of the village from the bottom (up-along, you might say!).

Donkeys are still there, but they lead a gentler life giving pleasure rides to young visitors. Clovelly's villagers these days have their goods delivered in a far more modern way – by sledge!

A trip to North Devon cannot be complete without a visit to Lundy Island from Clovelly. See the abundant wildlife and swim with friendly seals. Phone for detals. Admission charge is £3.50 (free to National Trust members) Bring your membership card.

For more information and bookings contact 01237 431042 or log on to www.clovelly-charters.ukf.net