North Devon / Somerset coastal adventure

We managed to get away for 2 weeks in May and went to explore part of the North Devon/Somerset coast. Our first stay was at the Mill Park Touring Park – a lovely premier parks site in a valley near Berrynarbor and between Combe Martin and Ilfracombe.

We used this as a 7 day base to explore the area – easy to do as the South West Coast Path is nearby as is a very handy bus stop! During the week we walked stretches of the South West Coast Path from Berrynarbour to Ilfracombe, Berrynarbour to Little Hangman (Combe Martin and beyond) and Ilfracombe towards Lee (didn’t finish that leg as we turned back after the Tor Park area as the heavens opened!) Stopping off for coffee and cake at the lovely Storm in a Teacup cafe in Watermouth harbour and cream tea at Sandy Cove Hotel along parts of the path to keep us going! This part of the coastline is very hilly and beautifully dramatic with stunning scenary and gorgeous wild flowers.

Next was 4 nights at the camping & caravan club site at Minehead up on North Hill (beautiful stop but up some tight narrow lanes!). On the way we visited Dunster Castle and village (National Trust) which was lovely; includes a working double watermill still milling their own flour, beautiful gardens and interesting Castle.

Minehead is the start of the South West Coast Path, a 630mile path all the way around to Poole. The town is dominated by its main employer Butlins Holiday Camp but also has a delightful old Quay area and a steam railway. Many shops and businesses have curious “metalhead” characters outside, made by a local man during the pandemic – a rather novel trail to follow around the town.

During our time here we walked from Minehead to Selworthy Beacon and incorporated the “rugged path” which is very hilly and very close to the edge of steep cliffs in places – we even had clear views across the Bristol Channel to South Wales. Being right on the doorstep of Exmoor we also saw some Exmoor ponies and heard cuckoos again.

Our final stop was the Lynton camping & caravan club site, another lovely site on yet another hill with views across to the sea. Here we walked more of the coast path and ventured into the Valley of Rocks with some amazing formations and lots of feral goats! Lynton (down a 1:4 lane!) is a lovely little village on the cliffs looking down to Lynmouth harbour. The Greenhouse cafe has good coffee and yummy scones.

You can walk down to Lynmouth or use the cliff railway – a Victorian tram system powered by water. Lynmouth was nearly swept away in 1952 after a huge deluge of 9 inches of rain in 24 hours on Exmoor – several properties were swept into the sea and sadly 34 people lost their lives. The village was rebuilt and the river diverted.

We loved exploring this coastline, with its dramatic cliffs and lovely towns/villages and would recommend it with the warning that there are a lot of hills!!!