Rachel’s guidebook
Food scene
Fullam Restaurant
18 Tuly StExcellent Chinese food in the centre of Barnstaple
Tea By The Taw
The StrandA lovely café in Barnstaple next to the river - highly recommended
Award winning restaurant - fine dining in Bideford.
Booking definitely recommended
19 locals recommend
Number Eight
49 Allhalland StAward winning restaurant - fine dining in Bideford.
Booking definitely recommended
Really good food and friendly service.
Only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday and really popular so booking is essential.
8 locals recommend
Memories Restaurant
8 Fore StReally good food and friendly service.
Only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday and really popular so booking is essential.
A perfect little café on a boat with outdoor seating too.
18 locals recommend
STORM IN A TEACUP * BOAT CAFE * ILFRACOMBE
A perfect little café on a boat with outdoor seating too.
Gurkha Barnstaple
2&3 market StreetNepalese / Indian food - highly recommended
Also do takeaways
One of my favourite cafes - lovely food and good service
20 locals recommend
Wild Thyme Cafe - Event & Hog Roast Catering
Caen FieldOne of my favourite cafes - lovely food and good service
Chichester Arms
East StreetA pub with good pub food - excellent Sunday roast!
Excellent, homemade pub food and great service. Booking is advisable
Car park is a bit tight to get into!
39 locals recommend
The New Inn
West RoadExcellent, homemade pub food and great service. Booking is advisable
Car park is a bit tight to get into!
A good stop off point if you're walking or cycling the Tarka Trail
37 locals recommend
Fremington Quay
A good stop off point if you're walking or cycling the Tarka Trail
Puffing Billy Trading Co.
A great café on the Tarka Trail at Torrington
Claytons & The Glasshouse
2 Cross StGood restaurant in the centre of Barnstaple
Squires
1 Exeter RdGreat fish and chips - eat in or take-away
The Pelican
1 Oakland Park SReally good fish and chips - eat in or take-away
Roots Braunton
1 Exeter RdA new vegetarian café in Braunton
62 The Bank & Bar 62
62 Boutport StGood British food in the centre of Barnstaple
Giovanni's
35 Boutport StEasygoing Italian restaurant in the centre of Barnstaple
Meraki Pizza Co.
Exeter RoadLovely pizzas - eat in or take away.
The Siam Bistro
4 Caen StGood Thai food - eat in or take away.
A laid back café/bar/restaurant, open 7 days a week and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
44 locals recommend
Blue Groove
2 Hobb's HillA laid back café/bar/restaurant, open 7 days a week and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Fabulous daily carvery plus a good pub menu - booking is recommended
23 locals recommend
Williams Arms
Fabulous daily carvery plus a good pub menu - booking is recommended
Heanton Court
A361A good pub with food about a mile walk away on the Tarka Trail
Sightseeing
A National Trust regency house that has an amazing collection of house drawn 'vehicles'. It's set in beautiful gardens so is lovely for a walk too.
75 locals recommend
Arlington Court
A National Trust regency house that has an amazing collection of house drawn 'vehicles'. It's set in beautiful gardens so is lovely for a walk too.
Really interesting Victorian gothic house and 300 acres of garden and parkland.
88 locals recommend
Knightshayes Gardens National Trust
Really interesting Victorian gothic house and 300 acres of garden and parkland.
This is one of my favourite places. Try to book a tour of the kitchens and the attics - there’s limited numbers so get there early. Plenty of places for a picnic too!
161 locals recommend
Dunster Castle
This is one of my favourite places. Try to book a tour of the kitchens and the attics - there’s limited numbers so get there early. Plenty of places for a picnic too!
A beautiful fishing village. During the summer there’s a passenger ferry going from Instow across to Appledore - you need to check the tide times though. If it’s not running it’s a short drive round.
147 locals recommend
Appledore
A beautiful fishing village. During the summer there’s a passenger ferry going from Instow across to Appledore - you need to check the tide times though. If it’s not running it’s a short drive round.
Ilfracombe Harbour
10A The QuayWalking and cycling
A beautiful traffic free cycle/walking path from Braunton to Meeth. Most of the trail is riverside with lovely views and wildlife. tarkatrail.org.uk
67 locals recommend
Tarka Trail
A beautiful traffic free cycle/walking path from Braunton to Meeth. Most of the trail is riverside with lovely views and wildlife. tarkatrail.org.uk
South West Coast Path
South West Coast PathWalks along the Devon coast with incredible views.
A great place to walk or cycle to for a picnic on the beach or the sand dunes.
43 locals recommend
Crow Point
A great place to walk or cycle to for a picnic on the beach or the sand dunes.
Part of the South West coastal path - good parking and a lovely National Trust café.
51 locals recommend
National Trust - Baggy Point
Moor LanePart of the South West coastal path - good parking and a lovely National Trust café.
Tourist attraction
All things Bee related. A working honey farm with daily activities for all ages in all weathers.
51 locals recommend
Quince Honey Farm
All things Bee related. A working honey farm with daily activities for all ages in all weathers.
A museum of curiosities - started as a private collection in 1932 by Mervyn G Palmer following his explorations in South America.
22 locals recommend
Ilfracombe Museum
Wilder RoadA museum of curiosities - started as a private collection in 1932 by Mervyn G Palmer following his explorations in South America.
Verity
I love Verity but she divides opinion. Will you love her or hate her?
This museum is dedicated to 5000 years of people living on Dartmoor
16 locals recommend
Museum of Dartmoor Life
3 West StThis museum is dedicated to 5000 years of people living on Dartmoor
Enjoy the peace and quiet and watch the wildlife from a horse drawn barge.
13 locals recommend
Tiverton Canal Co
Canal HillEnjoy the peace and quiet and watch the wildlife from a horse drawn barge.
A museum to preserve the heritage of the old sea port of Appledore.
15 locals recommend
North Devon Maritime Museum
5 Odun RdA museum to preserve the heritage of the old sea port of Appledore.
A really interesting museum at the place them at inspired Michael Morpurgo to write War Horse.
8 locals recommend
War Horse Valley Country Farm Park
A really interesting museum at the place them at inspired Michael Morpurgo to write War Horse.
Water powered cliff railway taking you from Lynton down to Lynmouth and back.
52 locals recommend
Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway (Top station)
Lee RoadWater powered cliff railway taking you from Lynton down to Lynmouth and back.
Appledore is a lovely fishing village. In summer you can get a ‘ferry’ across from Instow - check tide times.
There’s a great Farmers market on the first Saturday of each month - definitely worth a visit.
147 locals recommend
Appledore
Appledore is a lovely fishing village. In summer you can get a ‘ferry’ across from Instow - check tide times.
There’s a great Farmers market on the first Saturday of each month - definitely worth a visit.
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
The SquareGardens
A beautiful RHS garden that is worth a visit any time of the year. They often have events on, from their 'Wool fest' and Apple day celebrations to concerts in the garden room.
193 locals recommend
RHS Garden Rosemoor
A beautiful RHS garden that is worth a visit any time of the year. They often have events on, from their 'Wool fest' and Apple day celebrations to concerts in the garden room.
Marwood Hill Gardens
A beautiful, local garden and tea room. Well worth a visit.
Beaches
Beautiful white sand as far as you can see running into sand dunes in the distance. Perfect for surfing or a walk.
195 locals recommend
Saunton Sands
Beautiful white sand as far as you can see running into sand dunes in the distance. Perfect for surfing or a walk.
Croyde Beach
Great for surfing, walking and rock-pooling.
A lovely beach that has an amazing curry cafe in the evenings. You can buy your curry and take it down onto the beach to eat while you watch the sunset - beautiful!
74 locals recommend
Barricane Beach
A lovely beach that has an amazing curry cafe in the evenings. You can buy your curry and take it down onto the beach to eat while you watch the sunset - beautiful!
Alpaca walking
Take beautiful alpacas out for a walk in the Devon countryside, meet Levi the llama, rare breed sheep and mischievous goats. A unique experience - highly recommended.
7 locals recommend
Woolley Animals
Take beautiful alpacas out for a walk in the Devon countryside, meet Levi the llama, rare breed sheep and mischievous goats. A unique experience - highly recommended.