The Area

The cottage is set in the North Devon Area of Outstanding Beauty and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve . A variety of walks are available from the cottage including the dramatic coastal path, Marsland Nature Reserve, woodland and stunning Devon rolling countryside. Welcombe is on the county border so Cornwall is just a ten minute walk away for those who like jam on their scones first! 

Welcombe has two beaches. Welcombe Mouth is the most popular and has a car park. It is has a sandy area at low tide and a waterfall to the north. The rock formations around Welcombe Mouth are breath taking and provide numerous rock pools to explore. It is popular with surfers but it is not recommended for beginners. Body boarding is fine but, like all Atlantic facing beaches, not a place to use inflatables. 

Marsland Mouth sits on the southern end of the village and forms the border with Cornwall. It is trickier to get to as it involves walking down quite a steep hill. This means the beach tends to be quieter. At low tide you can walk between the two beaches or if you feel up to it, head over the headland and past Ronald Duncan's hut. This is where the poet used to sit and compose his poetry. The Marsland Valley Nature Reserve runs inland from Marsland Mouth with a range of beautiful flora and fauna.

Both beaches are just over a mile's walk from the Cottage. The walk to the beach is all downhill but do be aware that around here, what goes down has to come up! For those less intrepid or energetic, Welcombe Mouth is a short drive from the Cottage (see the map below for the best route). There is a car park at the top of the path leading to the beach. The car park is at the end of a track which is a little bumpy and the vegetation can be overgrown, some may prefer to park at the tack entrance and walk down the track which is around 400m.

Do be aware that all local beaches can have rip tides, click this link to find out more. No beaches in Welcombe have lifeguards or toilets. If you would like a beach with lifeguards, the nearest are Crooklets and Summerleaze in Bude or Westward Ho!

Additional advice on the beaches

Our coastline is ruled by the majestic Atlantic Ocean and our beaches are governed by its tide. The best time to go to the beach is between three hours before and three hours after low tide. During this time you are most likely to be able access the sandy areas. Click here to view today's tide times. To help you plan, as a rule of thumb, tomorrow's tide times are an hour later than today's.

Access to the beaches involves a short rough path at the cliff and then pebbles until you reach the sand. This may be difficult for those who find it challenging over non-smooth ground.

An alternative walk to either beach is to head across the fields to the headland. This is shown on the map below (the footpath that forms part of both the 3 and 4 mile walks). From the headland, turn right to head down to Welcombe Mouth and left to Marsland Mouth. 

Welcombe borders the Atlantic Ocean and Cornwall. It is formed from a number of hamlets, one of which is Darracott in which the cottage sits. Darracott is also the location of the village pub, The Old Smithy, where Murrough, Grainne and the team will be happy to serve you with a range of local beers, drinks and scrumptious food. Welcombe Pottery is also next door, where you can find beautiful pottery, ceramic and glass creations by David and Alice. 

A short walk away is 'Town', where you will find the local Anglican Church, St Nectan's. On the outskirts of Town, you will find the village hall where there is a new playground with a zip wire. On the road out of the village, towards the A39 is a small shop with a range of provisions. It is open 7 days a week in high season. Closer to the A39 you will find Little Hollacombe Farm where you can buy fresh eggs from the stall at the entrance - just remember to take coins!

More village information can be found on the village website: https://www.welcombe.org.uk/

There is an incredible range of attractions in the local area to satisfy everyone. Close to Welcombe you will find Docton Mill and Rectory Tea Rooms where you can relax and enjoy a real Devon (Docton Mill) or Cornish (Rectory Tea Rooms) cream tea. So whichever way you like your cream and jam you will find perfection round the corner!

To the north is the village of Hartland where you will find Hartland Abbey and Gardens. Heading east from Hartland is the stunningly picturesque village of Clovelly with cobbled streets descending down to the historic quay. This village is featured in many TV programmes and films and a must-visit. Choose a day when it is dry as the cobbles can be slippery. 

Looking north from Hartland and Clovelly you will see Lundy (which means Puffin Island). A day trip to Lundy on MS Oldenburg will provide you with the opportunity to walk around the small island seeing the wildlife and monuments that abound there. Choose a day when the wind is low to avoid a rough crossing, also plan to go from Bideford which is much closer than Ilfracombe.

North of Bideford, you will find Appledore which is a delightful fishing village with picturesque fisherman's cottages. It is also the best place for fish and chips at either Sylvesters or The Royal Plaice. From Appledore you can take the Instow Ferry across to the eastern side of the Torridge river and the coastal village of Instow. Appledore is home to the nationally famous book festival in September and Appledore & Instow Regatta on 1st August.

Heading south from Welcombe you leave what was the furthest reach of the Saxon kingdom in medieval times and enter the Celtic land of Cornwall. The seaside town of Bude (see Beaches and Eat and Be Merry below). South of Bude you will find the family run Rebel Cinema where you can enjoy a friendly welcome and enjoy a film when the weather isn't the best (it does happen occasionally!). Heading down the coast, you will find Tintagel, steeped in the legend of King Arthur you can visit Tintagel Castle  and walk across the new bridge with a gap in the middle!

A few miles further south you will come to the coastal towns of Port Isaac (home of 'Doc Martin'), Rock and Padstow. The Padstow Sealife Safari will provide you with an exhilarating trip around the local coast and is particularly interesting in Spring when Puffins and other sea birds return to the islands offshore to raise their young.

Further south, about an hour from Welcombe, you will find the world famous Eden Project and its sister attraction The Lost Gardens of Heligan, both are well worth a visit.

The local area has a wide variety of restaurants and some take away options.

The nearest restaurant is The Old Smithy Inn which is just across the road from the Cottage. The Inn has a new chef who is introducing new menus developing delightful dishes using local ingredients.

The Bush Inn is just across the border in Morwenstow. This is an old Inn with a restaurant serving a range of traditional and modern dishes. To the north in Hartland you will find four pubs. The Rectory Tea Rooms in Morwenstow also serve lunches and excellent cream teas, as does Docton Mill to the north of Welcombe. The Hartland Quay is down beside the Atlantic and offers a range of traditional food. The Anchor Inn has recently come into new management with very good reports on the quality of their food. The Hart Inn is a friendly pub with a traditional pub menu. Finally the The Kings Arms provides Sky TV and a more casual menu.

Two upmarket restaurants in the local area are The Farmers Arms and Pattard Restaurant. The Farmers Arms is in Woolsery and has a head chef from Gidleigh Park and a superb menu created from local ingredients, many grown at The Farmers Arms. Sunday lunch is a particular treat but you will need to book ahead. Pattard Restaurant  is just outside Hartland and offers a range of dishes "inspired by the nature that surrounds us and a passion for the local area".

On the coast between Hartland and Bideford you will find a range of Inns and restaurants. The Red Lion in Clovelly at the harbour has a good reputation for meals. Further up the cobbles in Clovelly you find the New Inn serving traditional pub food. The Merry Harriers Nursery at Bucks Cross is popular locally for its generous and good value food. The Hoops Inn at Horns Cross has a restaurant and also serves in the bar. The Thatched Inn at Abbotsham is popular and serves a wide range of food in the pub and restaurant area. The Pig on the Hill, just outside Abbotsham, is very popular and has a range of classic and modern dishes using local ingredients.

South of Welcombe, Kilkhampton has a pub offering traditional, good value pub food- The New Inn. Just outside Kilkhampton is The Little Pig Farm Shop that serves lunches and afternoon tea. The Bank is Bude is worth mentioning, here you will find a lively, bustling restaurant serving a range of excellent tapas dishes. Other restaurants in Bude can be viewed using this TripAdvisor link. The towns of Bideford and Northam have a range of restaurants, see this TripAdvisor link for more information.

If you would prefer a take away, the three close enough to get home with them still warm are The Shamrock in Hartland which is a fish and chip shop, Wayside in Kilkhampton that serves Chinese food, also in Kilkhampton is Gillets Chippy.

The local area has a range of attractions to excite younger travellers on any day, but certainly when you are looking for a change from the beach.

The Milky Way is the closest attraction. This wonderful, family run, adventure park is a firm favourite. It offers a wide range of activities to satisfy young children to early teens. Most of the attractions are indoors making this the perfect place is the weather takes a turn. 

Next door to The Milky Way is the North Devon Wake Park where you can go wakeboarding, have fun on the Aqua Park as well as a range of other fun activities.

Closer to Bideford is The Big Sheep. Another local favourite with lots of rides and activities, including a daily sheep race. Adults will also find a brewery onsite which may provide an additional bonus!

Next door to The Big Sheep is the Ultimate Adventure Centre where you can undertake the 'Ultimate Assault' or 'High Ropes'. The centre also offers off site activities such as coasteering. 

The area is not short of amazing, beautiful sandy beaches. Many are easy to access, some take more effort but are worth it! Surfing and body boarding opportunities abound on local beaches but it pays to ask advice before starting and if you are inexperienced stick to beaches with lifeguards. 

Key to the beaches: (W) - long walk to the beach, (L) - beach normally has lifeguard in summer, click here to check.

Between Welcombe and Westward Ho! are a number of beaches that are mainly pebbly. North of Hartland Quay you will find Abbey River Beach (W), quite similar to Marsland Mouth. Around Hartland Point, the first beach on the north coast is Mouthmill Beach (W) which overlooks the stunning Blackchurch Rock. Further east is Bucks Mills (W) which has a beach at the end of the road in the village. Further towards Bideford is Peppercombe Beach (W) which is beautiful. 

North of Bideford is the wonderful, long sandy beach at Westward Ho! (L) which has acres of sand at low tide. Park in Westward Ho! or Northam Burrows to access the beach. From the eastern edge of Westward Ho! beach you can see across the water to Saunton Sands, a very long sandy beach that has been the site of many films. Although it is only a few hundred metres away at low tide, it is 30 minute drive through Barnstaple away.

Heading South from Welcombe are numerous beaches. The first is just south of the GCHQ base, Duckpool. This beach is the closest to Welcombe that also has toilets but the beach is not easy to access and is mainly pebbles. South from Duckpool is Sandymouth Beach (L) which is the northern end of a stretch of sand that runs all the way to Bude at low tide. Sandymouth has a car park, cafe and toilets. The car park is free to National Trust members, otherwise you will have to pay. Although there is a car park, there is a walk to the beach over rocks which can be tricky.

Before you reach Bude, there is the village of Poughill where you will find Northcott Mouth Beach (L). This also has a car park, again run by the National Trust, and a tea room within walking distance.

Bude has two beaches, Crooklets and Summerleaze. Both are sandy at low tide but only Summerleaze has sand at high tide. Crooklets (L) is quieter but less easy to access. It has a car park (chargeable), toilets and two cafes. Summerleaze (L) has easy access to the beach from the car park (chargeable), toilets, a cafe, sea pool and lifeboat station. A few miles south of Bude is Widemouth Beach (L) that also has a long sandy beach, car park (chargeable), toilets and cafes.

Please also be aware that we live on the coast of an ocean that is beautiful but mighty and strong. Don't take risks on this coast and stay away from cliffs - either the edges on top or underneath as slippages will happen. Also read up on rip currents and know how to act if you are caught in one, it may save your life. All local beaches are affected by the tides, only Summerleaze beach in Bude has sand at both low and high tide. Most beaches have no sand at high tide - check tide times here.

While you can happily relax in the northern Devon and Cornish area, there are wonderful opportunities for physical enjoyment.

The coastal path that runs along the cliffs provides some of the most breath-taking and stunning scenery that you will see anywhere. Looking out to see and along the coast you get a truly awe inspiring view of the mighty Atlantic Ocean and the dramatic cliffs on its edge. Looking inland you get to see the beautiful rolling landscape of the South West. Information on the path can be found on any local OS Map and also the official South West Coast Path website.

The power of the Atlantic Ocean makes the area an ideal place to surf, bodyboard or ocean kayak. In more recent years coasteering and wild swimming has also become popular locally. It is always advisable to get local expert advice if you are new to the area before undertaking any of these activities. If you are starting out you should consider taking lessons with a local, accredited school. The only exception to this is bodyboarding which is relatively safe on a beach where there are lifeguards. Some local surf schools are shown on this link, but always check that they have qualified instructors before booking lessons.

Outside Welcombe, the nearest food store is Furze Stores in Morwenstow. This family run store and cafe has most items you will need during your stay including many from local producers. Further afield Hartland has the Pop In and Kilkhampton has a Co-Op, Spar and Village Stores.  Kilkhampton has a local butchers, Moores, that sells a range of fine local produce. Bude has a Morrisons, Lidl, Sainsburys and Co-Op. Bideford has an Asda, Lidl, Aldi and Tesco. Holsworthy has a Waitrose.

The following supermarkets deliver to Darracott Farm: Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco and Waitrose.