Guide to local Attractions and Shopping
Philham Water Cottage is a fantastic base from which to explore either Cornwall to the south, or Devon to the north.
NB: the times given below may vary according to the season.
The Hartland Peninsula Together with wonderful walks, this is delightful countryside for riding and cycling. There is fishing on the Taw and Torridge and excellent sailing where the two rivers converge at Instow and Appledore. Bude and Westward Ho! have golf courses.
Come to the beach anywhere in the South West of England, turn left or right and you’ll be on the South West Coast Path and on the edge of an amazing experience. Where else can you walk along 630 miles of such superb coastline which makes up the longest National Trail in the UK? The heritage, wildlife, geology and scenery along the way are truly inspirational and every day walking it brings stunning new experiences.
https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/53/# Hartland Quay Car Park – EX39 6DU
The sound of bubbling water follows you almost all the way around this beautiful circular walk. The route takes you along the Coast Path past streams banked with yellow flag irises, foxgloves and campion in the summer, along wooded inland paths carpeted with bluebells and wild garlic in the spring, and quiet farm lanes dotted with primroses. A good walk in autumn, when flocks of migrant seabirds can be seen passing offshore and the stubble of the fields is full of small birds feeding on the fallen seeds. Visitors will be fascinated by the rock formations and the spectacular plunging waterfalls.
Clovelly 6 miles / 15 mins
Clinging to the steep cliffs with cobbled paths tumbling down to the harbor at the bottom, Clovelly is an ancient fishing village and is one of the most famous villages in the world, notable for its donkeys and views over the Bristol Channel. Visitors have to park at the top of the hill next to the Heritage Centre as traffic is banned from the high street. Wear comfortable shoe for the steep cobbled hill down.
There is a Land Rover service which ferries visitors up and down via a back road, for those not wishing to negotiate the steep hill on foot. This service takes visitors as far as the Red Lion, pub and restaurant, seen as the white building on the right in the above photograph See more about tea rooms and pubs. http://www.clovelly.co.uk/
When you walk back up to the top, don’t miss the chance to visit The Clovelly Soap Company, where you’ll be able to purchase the hand-made, beautifully perfumed and packaged soaps, like those we provide at Philham Water Cottage.
Food Shopping:
The Post Office and Pop In in Hartland sell most basic foods and necessities.
Furze Stores opposite Morwenstowe Community Hall on the way to Morwenstowe sells good supplies.
Kilkhampton has a butcher and a couple of grocery stores including a small CoOp. The Farm Shop just south of Kilkhampton is called the Little Pig Farm Shop & Cafe. There is just a sign saying Little Pig by the side of the road so you wouldn’t know it was a farm shop and cafe until you turn in. It seems to have a good reputation and they stock sourdough bread. http://littlepigfarmshop.co.uk/ and FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/littlepigfarmshop/
Bude – a larger town – has Sainsbury’s, Lidls, plus lots of pasty shops and tourist shops.
Going north from Hartland, the Merry Harriers (on the way to Woolsfardisworthy) – is a garden centre as well as a shop selling just about everything including books and gift items but not basic foodstuffs. https://www.facebook.com/merryharriersgardencentre/
In Appledore: there is an award-winning cafe/deli that stocks good produce as well as sourdough bread from Appledore bakery. https://www.johnsofinstow.co.uk/
Bideford is a large town with large shops; the nearest supermarkets being Asda, Aldi and Lidls, if you take the right turn off the first roundabout as you approach Bideford.
Dan the Fish Man sells nice fresh fish and he has a stall on Bideford main street on a Friday. He does other towns on other days so worth looking at his website. https://clovellyfish.com/market-stalls/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Shopping—Retail/Dan-the-fish-man-478954478802525/
Barnstaple has a Sainsbury superstore just a quarter of a mile from the Roundswell roundabout (the roundabout is located on the south extension of the Barnstaple Bypass at the junction of the A39.) https://stores.sainsburys.co.uk/0674/barnstaple.
Tintagel Castle approx 30 miles / 50 mins (south on the A39)
Immerse yourself in history, myths and stunning scenery at Tintagel Castle, set high on Cornwall’s rugged north coast between Padstow and Bude. Inextricably linked with the legend of King Arthur, (and reputed to be his birthplace) for centuries this dramatic castle and coastline has fired the imaginations of writers, artists and poets. Now it’s your turn to be inspired.
Hartland Abbey 2.5 miles / 8 mins
Historic home of the Stukeleys for generations; gardens open to the public with tea-rooms and open-air theatre in the summer.
2019 Opening: Daffodil Sunday 18th March; Sunday 25th March to September 30th: Sunday to Thursday & Bank Holidays (normally closed Friday & Saturday). Gardens, Grounds, Beach Walk, Exhibitions & Tearoom: 11.00 a.m. – 5 p.m. House: 2pm to 5 pm, last admission 4.15pm.
Hartland Point Lighthouse 5 miles / 20 mins
From the Point, you can enjoy fantastic views south to Cornwall and north to Bristol Bay and Lundy Island beyond. There is a great kiosk down by the Hartland Point Lighthouse car park, serving delicious coffee, breakfast and light lunches/snacks.
Hartland Quay 3 miles / 10 mins
Hartland Quay with it’s famous pub, Shipwreck Museum and superb cliff scenery is a few minutes by car and popular for swimming at high tide, rock-pooling at low tide and for having an evening cocktail while watching the sun sink into the vast Atlantic.
Hartland Quay: from top of the cliff
Hartland Quay: Great for high tide wild swimming, kayaking, surfing; for picnic lunch and sunset drinks. The pub also serves food and there is a shop selling ice-cream and postcards. You can park your car here and walk along the spectacular coast path in either direction. (The cliff in the background is the vantage point from which the previous photo was taken.)
Hartland 2 miles / 10 minutes
The rural village of Hartland – with 2 potters and a traditional furniture maker, grocery stores, post office, parish hall, three pubs, two restaurants, and a cafe with wifi – is your nearest town and less than two miles away. In summer there is a brass band, plus many other musical activities, a village fete and a flower show. Carnival week is the 1st full week in August (varies each year, see up to date information) and culminates in a grand procession with many amusing and awesome floats on topical themes. Not to be missed!
Springfield Pottery Hartland
A visit to this pottery in Hartland is a MUST!
Philip and Franny Leach – related to renowned Bernard Leach – create beautiful pottery with interesting glazes and sell it on the premises at affordable prices. You will see some examples in the cottage.
Harton Manor, Hartland
Merlyn’s wood-cuts are exhibited worldwide.
Clive Bowen, potter; Hartland
Docton Mill Gardens 2miles / 7 mins
Great cream teas! There’s a wonderful garden open to to public.
www.doctonmill.co.uk/cream-tea-rooms-devon.html
Hawker’s Hut, Morwenstowe. 8.5 miles / 18 mins
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/morwenstow/trails/hawkers-hut-walk
This gentle cliff top walk encompasses breath-taking views of North Cornwall’s coast. You’ll come across a beautiful church, believed to date back to Saxon times, and of course, Hawker’s Hut, the refuge of poet Reverend Robert Hawker. He would reportedly write poetry and compose his sermons from this inspiring location. On a clear day, Lundy Island can be seen in the distance. You will park your car outside Rectory Farm Tea Rooms, famous for its lunches and cream teas, and then walk southwards along the cliffs for half a mile. The Hut is not visible from the cliff top, but there is a sign to direct you down gentle steps to the actual Hut.
Bideford 14 miles / 27 mins
Bideford is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, with an interesting old bridge; each arch is of a different size.
The Burton Art Gallery and Museum, which is a great local art gallery and has a good cafe. Kingsley Road, Bideford, Devon EX39 2QQ
Tel: 01237 471455 Fax: 01237 473813 Web: www.burtonartgallery.co.uk
Barnstaple, the commercial centre of North Devon, is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes drive west from Junction 27 of the M5 motorway, and a 40 minute drive from Hartland and the cottage.
RHS Rosemoor Gardens at Torrington not just for gardening enthusiasts but a beautiful tranquil place to while away a warm sunny day.
Croyde: 32 miles / 57 mins
If you wish to venture further afield, head to Croyde Bay via Barnstaple and Braunton (), and on to the pretty seaside towns of Woolacombe, Mortehoe, Lee and Ilfracombe. There is a lovely old pub in Lee called Grampus that has an open mic night every Friday.
Lundy Island
If you really want to get away, Lundy Island is an idyllic quiet and tranquil place and a dramatic bird watchers paradise off the coast. A day trip is possible in good weather and crossings on MS Oldenburg run from either Bideford or Ilfracombe, depending on the tides.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lundy
how to get there: https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/Timetable/
Local Beaches:
Spekes Mill Beach 1.9 miles / 6 mins (to park; then walk)
Great for walking along the cliffs, swimming and surfing for the more experienced.
Welcombe Mouth Beach 7 miles / 19 mins
The approach is a narrow lane with twists and turns, but when you arrive, great surfing in an idyllic setting with a waterfall
Sandymouth Beach 11 miles / 21 mins
It’s a sandy beach with lifeguards and a cafe and toilet. There’s a surf school too. Great for swimming and surfing!
Westward Ho!. 15 miles / 27 mins
Westward Ho! for miles and miles of Blue Flag sandy beach – excellent for surfing and kite flying. Great spectator sports – that is if you aren’t joining in yourselves. Indoor arcade for rainy days. Good fish and chips. Moran’s Restaurant and Bar. Fabulous Thai food also in Westward Ho!
Bude 13 miles/25 minutes
There are lots of surf shops and bars in Bude. It’s the hotspot for local night life. There are sandy beaches which are also good for surfing and swimming. Bude Surf Cabin (7A Morwenna Terrace) is the best place to hire surfing gear.
Eden Project
Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall, PL24 2SG Tel: 01726 811 911
Web: www.edenproject.com
| Less than 2hr away is the Eden project with its giant bio domes nestled in the Cornish countryside . Here you will find crops, landscapes and wild plants which reflect the amazing diversity of our planet. There’s also internationally famous architecture and art which draw inspiration from nature and a stage on which people working to make our world a better place can tell their stories. From Bulb Mania in Spring, to Summer Den Building or our magical Christmas ice rink, find out how Eden changes through the year. |
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St Nectan’s Church at Stoke.
