ILFRACOMBE

I am a big fan of the Ward Lock Red Guides, a series of vintage guidebooks which give a fascinating insight into what tourism was like in Britain in past decades.  Looking at the entry for Ilfracombe in the 1966 edition of the North West Devon guide, I was astonished at the range of ‘steamer’ services available in those days.  The guide lists the following: “Steamer services and excursions to Lynmouth, Clovelly, Minehead, Bristol, Cardiff, Barry and Swansea etc., also channel cruises and trips to Lundy, Mumbles, Tenby, etc.”  Today, the only regular crossing still available is to Lundy during the summer months, and Ilfracombe is also one of the departure points for trips on the Waverley paddle steamer.  Ilfracombe also had a railway station in 1966, and there was a rail booking office in the High Street.  Those were the days.

The first thing that strikes the visitor to Ilfracombe is the stunning coastal scenery all around it.  Seen from an elevated position the harbour area of the town looks a lot like St Ives, complete with a little chapel on a crag at the harbour entrance.  St Nicholas Chapel, dating from 1321, once housed a lighthouse keeper and his family including 14 children, but fell into neglect.  It was restored in 1962 by the local Rotary Club, who still look after it today, welcoming visitors who want to have a look around  inside where there is a small local history museum – free to enter though donations are welcome.  Another feature of Ilfracombe which makes an interesting, and quite unique, destination for visitors is Tunnels Beaches, where there are two large tide-filled pools originally built in Victorian times for single-sex bathing.  As the name suggests, the pools are accessible via tunnels for an entrance fee; nowadays there are many more additions to the original attraction, such as a cafe bar, a shop and a play hut. 

During recent years, the controversial artist Damian Hurst has started to make his mark in  Ilfracombe.  First he opened a restaurant there, but this has since closed.  What does still remain, though is a sculpture named Verity, depicting a naked pregnant woman brandishing a sword while carrying the scales of justice.  Not surprisingly, the sculpture has split the local populace right down the middle, with many decrying the grotesque nature of the sculpture.  The official webpage for the sculpture claims that Verity is an”allegory for truth and justice”. Back on more normal ground, the Ilfracombe Museum on the promenade is in Runnymede Gardens, and offers displays for all the family, and there is an Aquarium on the Harbourside.  The Landmark Theatre occupies a cliff-top position, making its cafe bar a lively lunchtime venue during rough seas.   For diving enthusiasts, Ilfracombe-based Easy Divers offers courses and diving trips, including opportunities for seal encounters off Lundy Island.

For a list of events in Ilfracombe, follow this link.

Live streaming webcam view of Ilfracombe Bay.

Map of the area. 

Boats in the harbour at low tide

Beacon Point Ilfracombe, from Capstone - geograph.org.uk - 1495423.  Photo by Barrie Cann, via Wikimedia Commons.

WATERMOUTH AND HELE BAY

Driving along the main road from Lynton towards Ilfracombe, a drive my husband and I have made several times over the years, one of the most arresting sights along the route is the beautiful, sheltered inlet at Watermouth.  The inlet, with its small boats taking advantage of the tranquillity of the spot, is surrounded by striking coastal scenery, with two lush green headlands guarding the entrance to the harbour.  Set among all this loveliness is Watermouth Castle, a relatively new one, built in 1825.  It looks like any other castle from the outside, but is actually a family attraction, with delights such as Gnome Land, Dungeon Labyrinths and Merry-go Land.  Not my cup of tea admittedly, but it seems to have got the thumbs-up from TripAdvisor.

A short walk along the coastal path from Watermouth leads to Hele Bay, with a beach overlooked by grassy cliffs and with rock pools exposed at low tide.  There is a 16^th century corn mill with a restored water wheel which is open to visitors, who can take a look around the mill.  Between Hele Bay and the much larger Ilfracombe there is a high promontory called Hillsborough, which used to be an Iron Age hill fort, but is now a nature reserve.

Map of the area. 

Widmouth Head and Watermouth Bay - geograph.org.uk - 1534392. Photo by John Rostron, via Wikimedia Commons.

COMBE MARTIN

The first thing you notice when passing through Combe Martin for the first time is that its main street, strung out along a valley, seems to go on forever, wending its way alongside the River Umber.  In fact, the street lays claim to being Britain’s longest village street, although that claim has been disputed.  Probably the most striking building you will pass on the way down is an inn called the Pack O’ Cards.  This inn, classed as a Grade II Ancient Monument, and reputedly built in 1690 by a local resident who was fond of a game of cards, was constructed to resemble a deck of cards, with four floors representing the suits, 13 doors on each floor and 13 fireplaces.  The total number of panes of glass in the windows used to be equivalent to the quantity of numbered cards in a pack, but the window tax which was imposed for 156 years until 1851 put paid to that, since a lot of property owners blocked off some of their windows in an effort to cut down on tax.  The house became an inn at some point in the early 19^th century, and it still offers accommodation, meals and drinks to this day.  At the bottom of the main street is a sand and shingle beach with rock pools, and from here the cliff path leads to Little Hangman and Great Hangman, with lovely views.

Combe Martin used to be a lead and silver mining centre, and some of the old mine workings are still visible.  Experts believe this industry started in the 13^th century, with the last mine closing in 1890.  Due to the geology of the silver deposits, there were periods of boom and bust, and during the quiet times the village turned to hemp growing.  Last year it was reported that archaeologists had uncovered the remains of a 12^th century monastic industrial complex including a Hemp Mill and a Hemp Pool.  The history of the silver mines and other aspects of village life are displayed in the Combe Martin Museum.  On the way in to the village is the Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park, with real wildlife and life size animatronic dinosaurs.

Live streaming webcam view of the beach.

Map of the area. 

Lester Point and Newberry Beach, Combe Martin - geograph.org.uk - 1330087. Photo by Pauline Eccles, via Wikimedia Commons.