Things to do in Barnstaple and North Devon

John Ward offers guided walking breaks and tailor-made adventures within the wild beauty of the coastline and moors of North Devon and Exmoor.  Walk the stunning coast and country of North Devon and Exmoor with a knowledgeable and friendly local guide and visit the 'hidden gems' of the area - from the old-world charm of remote hamlets to expansive moors and secluded coves. 

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10% off when you stay with us 

Race World Go-Karting track is Exeter's very best indoor racing track! With a 400m circuit, flyover bridge, state-of-the-art equipment, conference room and 4000sq ft viewing area, it has something for everyone!

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10% off surfboards, paddleboards & bodyboard hire when you stay with us

Your choice of surf equipment next to world-class waves at Croyde Bay. Croyde Bay Surf Hire stocks a selection of surfboards, bodyboards and stand up paddle boards for all levels of surfer, from first-timers to seasoned pros and will even deliver equipment straight to you. 

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10% discount on all lessons

First Wave sessions are designed to get you off the beach, in the water, and having fun as quickly as possible. We meet up, get to know each other and jump into our “guaranteed to keep you warm” winter wetsuits. It’s only 100m to the beach (although if the tide’s out it can be a bit further to the sea) where we’ll go through the safety drill and give you a chance to practice before we get wet. Then it’s off to the sea to get some real experience with the help of the Walking-on-waves team.

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10% off when you stay with us

Watersports centre in Combe Martin offering all types of kayak and stand up paddle board activities including hire and guided kayak tours.

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10% off when you stay with us

Ensure you don’t miss out on one of Devon's top things to do and take a trip with Stuart Line Cruises. Sailing all year round, you can set sail and explore the rich wildlife and breathtaking views of the River Exe or set sail back 250 million years exploring the Jurassic Coast Line.

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10% off when you stay with us

A fantastic activity centre near Ilfracombe, offering Quad Biking, Axe Throwing and 4×4 Land Rover Experience. 

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10% off when you stay with us

H20 Outdoor specialise in providing unforgettable experiences by combining high-quality activities with the outstanding natural beauty of this area. Coasteering, Kayaking, Surfing, Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Wild Swimming are just some of the activities that can be enjoyed with them either on a single session basis or combined to form an exhilarating adventure package. 

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10% off when you stay with us

EasiGlide offers Segway tours around North Devon and other areas of the South West. Rolling hills, ocean views, muddy fields, sand dunes as well as plenty of obstacle courses and games provide the ultimate thrill of riding a Segway.

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10% off when you stay with us

No visit to Devon would be complete without a visit to Dartmoor's iconic landmark. Come and breathe some of the purest air in England, explore 50 acres of stunning woodlands and enjoy a very, very warm welcome!

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10% off when you stay with us

Air extreme offers you a wide range of bouncing activities! Go and have fun in their massive indoor trampoline park in Barnstaple, North Devon, filled wall to wall with trampolines and much more. They advise customers to book online in advance to ensure you don't miss out. 

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Fantastic shopping with over 30 stores from famous national brands, offering a fantastic variety of offers on normal retail prices. Clothes, food and drink, children's play area and regular events - what more could you want from a shopping trip? Open seven days a week.

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The Market trades every day of the week on butchers row and hosts regular food festivals. A great place to browse for local produce.

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Devon's premier fly fishing venue, with lakes stretching over five acres. There is also a great range of activities for youngsters.

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Explore the brilliant displays and collections at Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

Among the many things to see are the Tarka Gallery, the Story of North Devon, and the Regimental Collection of the North Devon Yeomanry.

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Arlington Court is a beautiful family estate, which has been held by the Chichester family for over 500 years, with an impressive house, excellent gardens and unique carriage museum.

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The Barnstaple Hotel is conveniently located for many local bowls clubs including Bideford Bowling Club, Bideford Victoria Park Bowls Club, Torrington Bowling Club, South Molton Bowling Club, and Kingsley Indoor Bowls Club at Westward Ho!

10% off sculpture park entry when you stay with us

Broomhill Sculpture Gardens are where art and culture meet in magical surroundings. This was created in 1997 and has now become one of the largest permanent collections of contemporary sculpture in the South West.

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Castle Hill house and gardens are steeped in history and are, and have been for centuries, a home to the Fortescue family. Today it is loved and cherished by the Earl and Countess of Arran and is a wonderful visitor attraction. Visit castle hill’s open gardens and stay to enjoy refreshments at their new tearoom.

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World famous for its cobbled, traffic-free street, donkeys, sledges and historic harbour. The stunning views, peaceful tranquillity and cobbled, traffic-free, high street of this fishing village, built into a cleft in a 400' high cliff, tumbles its way down past whitewashed cottages festooned with flowers to the tiny working port.

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We can organise a day of coasteering in Croyde with local specialist, Rock and Rapid Adventures. They will provide all the equipment and training you need for an amazing experience, as you swim, climb and jump your way along the dramatic North Devon coast.

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At Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, you can see some wonderful wildlife including wolves, sea lions, meerkats and African Lions. Also featured are impressive dinosaur models and some unusual attractions, such as swimming with sea lions and experiencing birds of prey at close hand.

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Exmoor adventures provides a range of award winning outdoor activities including coasteering, kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, raft building, archery, stand-up paddle boarding, tree climbing, orienteering and team building activities across north devon, west somerset, exmoor and the quantock hills.

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See the world famous range of Dartington Crystal and try your hand at glass blowing. From the Visitor Centre, you'll learn all about the glassmaker's history, see their famous creations and shop to you drop for homeware and gift items. Then it's time for a tour of the factory to see the glassmakers at work, blowing and shaping glass to create pieces you may have at home. We take a look at this via our Dartington Crystal News piece.

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15% off entry when you stay with us

An enjoyable day trip for all ages, the zoos treats visitors to a close-up view within excellent animal exhibits. The closest local zoos are Exmoor Zoo, which is home to the only pair of black leopards (or Exmoor beasts if you believe the legends) on exhibit in the UK, and Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, a prehistoric park that features a variety of exotic animals alongside plenty of dinosaur animatronics.

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There are tubes slides, bumpy slides, crawl tubes, ball cannons, rope bridges, spider webs, dangly snakes, gliders, scramble nets, ball pools, log ramps, punch bags, edu blocks and so much more including a specially dedicated area for the under 3’s to enjoy. Even the grown ups can join in the fun as the play frame is designed for adults to enjoy to.

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10% off when you stay with us

A day out at Hartland Abbey, a stately home and popular film location in a stunning valley a mile from Hartland Quay on the N W Devon coast. The award-winning house, with its fascinating interiors and decoration, beautiful woodland walks, walled gardens and parkland, has been in the same family ownership for generations and provides a warm welcome to visitors.

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Haynes International Motor Museum at Sparkford near Yeovil in Somerset, England, contains over 400 cars and motorcycles and a collection of other automobilia.

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The famous Heddon Valley has exceptional walks and stunning views. Starting from the National Trust Visitor Centre, there is a selection of beautiful walks to choose from. The picturesque cobbled beach at Heddon's Mouth is only accessible by footpath.

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This exciting award winning, all weather, fun, educational attraction provides a fascinating insight into the watery world of North Devon... The aquarium offers Local Aquatic Exhibits and showcases a diverse collection of animals displayed within beautifully recreated natural habitats.

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Right next door to the Barnstaple Hotel, Let's Go! is great fun for the whole family to enjoy.

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In a place of wide spaces and big skies, without roads, cars or pollution, simply walking is a profound pleasure. Lundy has a milder climate than the mainland, with more sunshine and less rain. Book a day trip on the MS Oldenburg to Lundy from Bideford quay.

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The famous Lynton and Lynmouth funicular Cliff Railway is the highest and the steepest totally water powered railway in the world! The Cliff Railway connects the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth providing stunning coastal views that will be the highlight of any visit. 

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Only 4 miles from Barnstaple, Marwood Hill Gardens is an excellent 20 acre private garden and lakes, with a Garden Tea Room and wonderful views.

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Located in the stunning landscape of North Devon and only 10 minutes away from the coast, North Devon Wake Park boasts the best of both worlds. The WakePark has a variety of outdoor activities for all ages which include wakeboarding, Paddleboarding, slacklining and their unique aquapark. 

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Take a guided tour around the interesting displays and exhibits and learn fun facts about the honeybee before you take a closer look inside the working hives. Nowhere in the world can you get so close to live bees without needing protective equipment! The Happy Bee play hive is a large indoor soft play area, this is where you will also find the café offering homemade food and our special Devonshire cream tea with honey! 

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Receive £8 entry instead of £12.65 when you stay with us

At Rosemoor gardens, you can enjoy 65-acres of beautifully planted flower beds, set within a pretty wooded valley. Around every corner there's a lovely surprise. The gardens are home to plants from around the world. Events take place through the year, there's lots of shopping to be done and children's activities keep little green-fingers amused.

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Only a short drive from The Barnstaple Hotel, Scott cinemas has 4 screens showing today's best blockbusters.

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Try an amazing range of sports delivered by trained staff. Activities include climbing, zip wire, archery, surfing, bodyboarding, and kayaking.

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Our North Devon surfing beaches and surf schools are the closest in the southwest to London, the Midlands and the north of England. Travel time from London to Croyde, Devon is 3-4 hours by car and we are only 45 to 60 minutes from the M5, much closer than surf beaches in Cornwall. Croyde Bay in North Devon is renowned as one of the best and most consistent surf beaches in the UK

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2 for 1 entry when you stay with us

Tapeley Park situated between Instow and Bideford is one of North Devon’s best-kept secrets. Take in the magnificent views over the Torridge Estuary to the sea beyond. Their grounds are renowned for their beautiful gardens, especially the Italian terraces where visitors can sit back and relax and make the most of the peace and tranquillity.

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10% off when you stay with us

Tarka Pottery is a pottery painting studio offering an exciting range of fun creative activities for kids, teens and adults alike! It's a great chance to get creative and relax in the pottery studio where plenty of help is on hand. You can choose from making a bowl on the potter’s wheel, painting a pot or joining a clay workshop or pottery class.

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There are 6 indoor courts and 4 outdoor courts at this ‘Pay and Play’ tennis centre in Barnstaple.

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Ewe will love this family day out, with live shows, farmyard animals, rides and entertainment. From tractor driving to feeding the baby animals, there's a little bit of everything to keep children and adults amused. Make the most of the sheep racing, duck herding, shearing displays and donkey rides. All between playing in the indoor and outdoor play areas. You'd be BAAArmy to miss it. 

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Receive 10% off entry when you stay with us [term time only]

An all-weather theme park with something for everyone. From the Cosmic Typhoon roller coaster, gravity rider donut slide, maze, fantastic outdoor displays from the North Devon Bird of Prey Centre, Droid Destroyer Dodgems, and the Milky Way Railway - we can guarantee you won't be bored when spending a day here.

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At The Queens Theatre in Barnstaple, there is something for everyone, whether that’s a play, musical, ballet, opera, band or comedian. It’s fun and exciting, which makes it a fabulous venue to bring somebody you want to impress.

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The much-loved book Tarka The Otter was the inspiration for this famous series of footpaths and cycle paths around North Devon . Experience the wonderful variety of the local countryside, including rugged moorland, gorgeous wooded valleys, cliff top views and beautiful sandy beaches. Bikes can be hired locally at Tarka Trail Cycle Hire in Barnstaple.

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Based at Abbotsham, near Bideford, this centre offers a host of exciting activities, including coasteering, mountain boarding, high ropes and climbing wall.

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Walking on Waves offer surf lessons to all abilities on Saunton beach. As we all know, North Devon is a surfers paradise and no trip to the area would be complete without giving it a go too! Based within meters of the beach, you can get 30% off your surf lesson with boards included. An opportunity not to be missed. 

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On the outside, this is a Victorian Castle. But behind the walls lie a family theme park with rides, a maze, dungeons, play areas and beautifully landscaped gardens. Little ones will enjoy the castle treasure, the water show and the toboggan run whilst adults will enjoy learning about the history of the castle and will secretly love the rides too! 

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