Local Area

Easter is a moveable feast, quite literally, but this year at least we all benefit from it being later rather than sooner. Spring will be more advanced and that is great news for anyone planning Easter holiday activitiesin North Devon, even if it doesn’t answer the eternal question ‘why can’t Easter be fixed’!

For North Devon, Easter is the time of year when the region emerges from its winter hibernation and becomes the go to holiday destination. It has been a favourite seaside stop since the early days of the Victorian era, when the railways opened up the possibility of travel for millions and a dip in the ‘old briny’ first became a holiday ritual.

Times have changed dramatically, but funnily enough Ilfracombe still retains much of the original Victorian charm, as evidenced in the architecture of one the West Country’s most picturesque seaside towns with its narrow streets, unfussy harbour, town cove beaches and coastal views.

Making the Most of the Seaside

Nevertheless, Easter holiday activitiesin the region have progressed significantly since the days when men and women were obliged to bathe on different Tunnelsbeaches – women strictly covered and men in the altogether. The Twenty First century staple of British seaside bathing – the wetsuit – means that even in April a dip in the Atlantic can be a fun and enjoyable experience!

For vacationing visitors this Easter, any What’s on in North Devonguide to activities can’t ignore smorgasbord of sea based activities available. These range from surfing the waves at nearby Woolacombe (10 minutes by car), which was recently voted one of the best beaches in the world by Trip Advisortravellers, orcoasteering with H2Outdoorto get a seal’s view of the beautiful North Devon coastline.

For some, even a warm layer of neoprene and the exaltation of “it’s not too bad once you’re in!” is still not enough to be coaxed off the beach and there’s no harm in that either. There are few simpler pleasures in life than beachcombing for shells, rock pooling for crabs or joining one of the region’s regular beach cleansto get a sense of well being. North Devon is blessed with many beaches – from wide expanses of golden sand to intimate secret covesstraight out of a Famous Five adventure.

Nature on the North Devon Doorstep

Of course seals are very much a part of the local scenery and are often sighted from the craggy cliff tops around which the coastal path weaves its way with impressive stretches either side of Ilfracombe town. Aside from advertised ‘What’s on in North Devon’ activities over the Easter break, nature puts on its own show, ranging from the Spring flowers  which are beginning to bloom on Braunton Burrowsin the heart of the UNESCO biosphere, to sightings of deer on the hoof and buzzards in flight over the dramatic landscapes of the Exmoor National Park. 

Around the Town Of Ilfracombe
For most visitors, a sudden exposure to copious amounts of North Devon fresh air can lead to a sudden unwillingness to want to venture too far afield! Luckily, this town has many treasures to reveal , and all within walking distance of the Carlton Hotel. A great guide to what’s happening in the town is provided by the very informativeVisit Ilfracombewebsite. 

The Tunnels Beachesand Ilfracombe Museum  give a wonderful glimpse of Ilfracombe’s Victorian past while the Aquariumand boat trips from the harbour give an insight into what makes the North Devon coast so special as a marine habitat. There’s no pier’s end entertainment in Ilfracombe (other than the locals enjoying a spot of crabbing!), but The Landmark Theatrehas a full programme of events this Easter, with old favourite Sooty coming to town as well as grown up comedy in the form of the play Rotterdam.

A stroll around the harbour invites pause for thought at the sight of Damien Hirst’s Verity statue – a bit of a Marmite piece of art – and any appetite raised can be sated with traditional fish + chips and ice cream, pub grub or upmarket fayre from the Michelin starred Olive Roomrestaurant. 

Base Camp Luxury – The Carlton Hotel

The Carlton Hotel is the perfect base to explore Ilfracombe’s charms with its combination of old fashioned character and high standard modernroomsfollowing its recent and extensive refurbishment. With high end bathrooms, super comfy beds and speedy Wi-Fi access as standard, the hotel brings a welcome slice of luxury to the seaside experience. 

Kitted out to make your stay as relaxing as you hoped it would be, fresh locally sourced foodcan be enjoyed in the brasserie while the relaxed environment of the bar makes for a perfect end to the day. For more information about booking a stay at the Carlton Hotel this Easter you can emailus or telephone (01271 862446). 

The Carlton we have sought to work with a range of local quality suppliers, since August 2015. And to be fair we’ve got an amazing choice being based in the South West.

Being surrounded by over 230 miles of coastline means we get to choose from a huge variety of fish and seafood. Plenty of boats land in the south of the county, but in North Devon we have a thriving market at Appledore where Ilfracombe based S&P boats land their daily catch. Other smaller boats land in our own harbour. Species such as plaice, sole, cod, haddock and of course skate are all harvested. The quality of the fish is superb, and the sustainability is wonderful. The smaller day boats means the catch is fresher and caught in a more sympathetic less damaging manner.

We are equally proud to work with Phoebe Chope who supplies us tidal mussels and oysters from the Torridge estuary. The plump mussels are usually available all year round except when the weather is truly hot. Oysters make an occasional welcome on the menu too!

You can be sure that fish and seafood is a big feature of our brasserie and event food offer.

We tap into the main fruit and veg market in Bristol from time to time, with more exotic options. Equally we shop locally for vegetables, and our menu serves plenty of produce grown and picked locally. All year-round staples like cabbage, cauliflower and brassicas are regularly included. Seasonal delights such as asparagus from Braunton, samphire from the River Taw feature when the time is right.

Another true local merchant is Tony The Butcher. Tony works out of his shop in Muddiford, just a short 8-mile drive from our kitchen. Despite the size of his business Tony manages to bring us some fantastic West Country meats including most of our beef, pork and chicken. In one of our most popular menu items alone, the marriage of his pork sausagemeat, mixed with our recipe of herbs and seasoning, together with (another local) Farmer Bobs free range egg really makes our Scotch Egg. You’ll find this and other hand made dishes on our Club brasserie menu.

Tapping in to the knowledge and passion of our local merchants is really inspiring. Ensuring our own team of kitchen pro’s stay in tune with what’s best on the market and therefore best for our guests.

Here are just a few of our favourite dog walks in North Devon. We are proud to welcome well-behaved dogs at here The Carlton Hotel.

Morte Point, Mortehoe Village

Enjoy a challenging walk through a rare spot of coastal heathland which provides the wonderful backdrop for a wealth of wildflowers and wildlife.  You might even be lucky enough to spot some of our infamous sealife including dolphins and seals.

This wonderful dog walk will take you out into the fresh country air and really give you an opportunity to get the blood pumping with steep ascents, steps and descents to challenge you along the way.  Adventurers will be rewarded with the discovery of some hidden beaches along the way and for those who enjoy a bit of history, discover why Morte Point has been responsible for many a shipwreck throughout the centuries.

Saunton Sands

A short drive or long walk along the South West Coast Path and you arrive at stunning Saunton Sands. This particular beach is a favourite for dog walks as it welcomes dogs year round.

Saunton Sands employs easy to follow zoning sections where just the car park and first 5 minutes of your stroll requires that your dog is kept on the lead.  From here you have the next 3.5 miles of golden sands to explore and enjoy with your four legged friend.

Hillsborough Nature Reserve

Known to the locals as ‘the sleeping elephant’, Hillsborough Nature Reserve offers a short but testing walk for you and your dog.  This dog walk takes you past beaches which are also dog friendly so offers plenty of opportunity for a run and a dip in the sea for both of you – especially welcome during those warm summer months!

The views provided by this dog walk are glorious – a bird’s eye view of Ilfracombe, out to Lundy Island and even as far as the South Wales coast.  There is so much for nature lovers to enjoy along the way too with an array of wildlife and their habitats to be seen.

Baggy Point

As well as providing a dog friendly route, Baggy Point is also an easy access route which is especially important in opening up our beautiful countryside walks to as many people as possible.  Considered an easy route, Baggy Point lends itself to those pups who cannot manage a challenging route but still enjoy the great outdoors.  It is also considered equally good for young children.

Baggy Point might be a shorter, easier dog walk than others on our list, but nonetheless it delivers in breathtaking sights.  The views along the way extend along the coast and out to sea and you can also enjoy sightings of our diverse wildlife and sealife – there’s plenty to keep everyone captivated along the way.

The South West Coast Path

The Carlton Hotel is delightfully situated in Ilfracombe town centre where you can begin dog walks in any direction to end up on the beautiful South West Coast Path.  Here we have miles and miles of stunning countryside and coastal walks to explore and discover your very own favourite spot.

On the hotel doorstep

There’s so many walks around town and Ilfracombe. To name them all would take far too long. Our local fellow dog walkers will recognise many of these though

Up the Torrs – a gentle ascent (depending on whether you circuit clockwise or anticlockwise) including a dramatic view looking back to the channel over the compact ‘Combe valley. This walk starts on the pavement but quickly moves past the large Victorian houses and into wooded grounds.

The Seafront and harbour – past our lovely museum, onto Wilder beach. Always remembering to pick up a stick or two for Leo. Briskly onwards and around Capstone. Keeping an eye out for playing seals of the rocks, and sometimes hanging on for dear life as we pass Windy Point. A sharp turn left down to the harbour and maybe a rest in one of the bars along the Quay. Not always mind you (okay more often than not). Head back past St James and past the pretty row of shops, or take a little more time out by climbing the ascent to Fore Street and then the High Street.

Whilst we have only covered our top dog walks in this blog, there are of course so many dog walks here to enjoy and far too many to list .  The South West Coast Path website is an excellent place to begin to plan your local dog walks when you visit us here in Ilfracombe.

This dog friendly website is worth a look for more ideas

https://www.doggydevon.co.uk/category/stay/hotels-stay/north-devon-hotels-stay/

The Carlton Hotel is a dog friendly hotel which welcomes well behaved humans and their four legged friends.  Our aim is to make your break as pleasurable for your dog as it is for you.  Inform us when you book and we will endeavour to ensure all your needs are met, including bowls and dog beds in your room.

We look forward to welcoming you and your dog to The Carlton Hotel.

One of the best things about having a hotel in North Devon is sharing our favourite beauty spots with guests and then seeing their faces when they return from a visit. Sometimes we take the beauty of the area for granted, so it’s always a delight to see people’s reaction to the scenery and landscapes that surround us.

Here are some of our current favourite beauty spots – a bucket list of places you must visit in North Devon…

1 Hartland Point

This dramatic coastal spot offers awesome sea views and its staggering cliffs are world famous for their geological features.

2 Heddon’s Mouth

A beautiful, steep sided valley that leads to the sea. Walk through ancient woodlands and meadows which are home to some of our rarest wildlife species, including the High Brown Fritillary butterfly.

3 The Valley of Rocks

Enter this valley on the coastline at Lynton and you feel as if you’re walking into a film set. A sweep of moorland and grass surrounded by huge rock formations and dotted with wild goats – it’s like being in the Swiss Alps!

4 Crow Point

At the far end of Saunton beach, where two river estuaries meet the sea, this is a dramatic and sometimes slightly eerie spot where the sand seems to always be shifting and changing according to tides and weather. Amazing seascapes and great for photographs; behind the beach are incredible sand dunes which are home to a wealth of rare plants.

5 Barle Valley, Exmoor

Head to Simonsbath on Exmoor (technically in Somerset, but so close to our border!) and walk along this fabulous river valley in the heart of the moor to Cow Castle. Majestic beech woods, a crystal-clear stream, archaeological remains and no end of places to stop and picnic.

6 Baggy Point, Croyde

Walk along this dramatic headland with its amazing, high cliffs and views out over the ocean and back across to the sandy surfers’ beach at Croyde.

7 Halsdon Nature Reserve, Dolton

Devon Wildlife Trust has a few reserves in our neck of the woods and our favourite is this one. It has fantastic woods and wide open meadows running alongside the River Torridge. A perfect place to escape the world and you may even catch a glimpse of an otter.

8 Watersmeet

Park the car in Lynmouth and walk up this wooded river gorge. Huge boulders litter the river bed; they were carried down during a disastrous flood in the 1950s but now look as if they’ve always been there. You really sense the power of the water in this beautiful and very dramatic setting.

9 Clovelly

Quite simply, there is nowhere else like this village. It’s clustered down the side of the cliff, pretty little cottages line the steep, cobbled street and at the bottom there’s a picture-perfect harbour. Straight out of a film set, we bet you’ll have to take a photograph!