Places To Visit

North Devon Biosphere Reserve

North Devon is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve because of its blend of special landscapes and wildlife areas, rich cultural heritage and communities that care about it and want to sustain it into the future. More

North Devon's Biosphere Reserve is the first of only two 'new style' Biosphere Reserve in the UK. These have core functions of conservation, learning and research, and sustainable development and three different management zones. What makes North Devon a Biosphere Reserve?

Bideford

Some 3 miles to the North East of Littleham and nestling alongside the River Torridge, Bideford is more than a resort. It is a market town and a port, too, with an active fishing industry. Cargo ships call in to load and unload and the MS Oldenburg, which plies between Bideford and Lundy Island, is often to be seen tied up by the quayside.

The Quay was first mentioned in the history books in 1619 when there were beaches at the river's edge. As the ship-building trade boomed, the Quay was developed and there are still marker stones in the pavement as a testament to that reconstruction. Sir Walter Raleigh is believed to have brought his first cargo of tobacco to Bideford and the town soon became one of the largest tobacco trading centres of that period.

Local merchants also imported vast quantities of wool during the reign of Charles 1 and had so great a share of the trade with Newfoundland that, in 1699, they sent out more ships than any other in England apart from London and Topsham.

http://www.bidefordtown.co.uk/

Tarka Trail – Braunton to Meeth

Over 30 miles of the Tarka Trail is available to cyclists between Braunton and Meeth, using the old railways of North Devon. Passing through the largely unspoilt countryside as it was described by Henry Williamson in his classic novel ‘Tarka the Otter’ first published in 1927.

NEW TARKA TRAIL AUDIO TRAIL

NEW TARKA TRAIL LEAFLET Front (820KB - pdf help)

NEW TARKA TRAIL LEAFLET Back (793KB - pdf help)

This off road cycle link (excluding the Meeth link) forms part of Devon’s Cycling Coast to Coast Route between Ilfracombe and Plymouth. The length from Barnstaple to Petrockstowe also forms part of the West Country Way Cycle Route between Bristol and Padstow.

The Braunton-Meeth section of the Tarka Trail is accessible from the North Devon Link Road (A39), also the B3233 and A386 between Bideford and Hatherleigh.  There is also a rail link from Exeter to Barnstaple (the Tarka Line).

http://www.devon.gov.uk/tarkatrail

Great Torrington

Great Torrington is a friendly, welcoming town, approximately 6 miles South of Littleham and Landcross. It is set in the midst of rolling, unspoilt green countryside. An ancient settlement extraordinarily sited on an inland cliff top with steep drops down to the River Torridge below. This impressive situation offers spectacular views. In the very heart of Tarka Country, the wonderful landscape has remained practically unchanged since Henry Williamson wrote his classic novel "Tarka the Otter" in the 1920's.

http://www.great-torrington.com/

Activities

The Milky Way

The Milky Way Adventure Park in North Devon lies just off the A39 about 5 miles west of Littleham. With adventure, live entertainment, education and even an alien encounter, it's a great day out for the whole family whatever the weather!

http://www.themilkyway.co.uk/

RHS Garden, Rosemoor

Set deep in the lovely North Devon countryside just south of Great Torrington, RHS Garden Rosemoor is a garden of national importance. Lady Anne Berry gifted Rosemoor to the RHS in 1988, since then, the original eight acres have been greatly developed into 65 acres of enchanting garden and woodlands.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rosemoor/

The BIG Sheep - All Weather Attraction - North Devon

Visitors to the The Big Sheep at Abbotsham (2 miles North of Littleham) can learn breeds of sheep, shearing processes, watch sheep dog trials and laugh out loud at the exciting sheep races. Children and adults can cuddle baby animals including puppies and rabbits and bottle feed the lambs.

http://www.thebigsheep.co.uk/