North Devon packs in a host of activities to fill any family holiday in North Devon. Here are our suggested Top 10 things to do in North Devon with children in tow.
1: Woolly Jumpers!
Visit the excellent Big Sheep attraction in Bideford and prepare to have a flutter! The Big Sheep Grand National takes place every day at 3:50pm in the summer. Kids are sure to cheer hard for their chosen runner as they gallop over the fences and down the home straight.
2: Tee Time
Families can have plenty of fun playing on the North Devon Adventure Golf Course at Westward Ho! The Pebble Ridge course has 18 holes of frustration as you navigate around ship's masts, hazards and bridges.
3: Spot the Exmoor Beast
Rumoured to be living wild in North Devon, the Exmoor beast can be seen in its own natural enclosure at Exmoor Zoo. Imagine what your children's friends will say back home when they see your up-close photographs!
4: Exotic Sea Shell Collecting
Spend the day shell collecting at Barricane Beach near Woolacombe, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Tides carry shells from the Caribbean and regularly drop them on the sands of this small inlet. Look for cowries and other unusual shells, particularly after a storm.
5: Railway with a Difference
The Cliff Railway transports visitors from the coastal town of Lynmouth to the clifftop at Lynton the easy way and makes a fun ride for children.
6: Dinosaurs
Animals both living and extinct can be experienced at the Wildlife and Dinosaur Park in Combe Martin. Feed a lemur or watch the birds of prey in flight as part of this fun day out.
7: Krafty Kids
The Krazy Kraft Workshop at Lynmouth has over 30 activities for all ages to enjoy with prices starting at just £5.
8: Cycle for an Ice Cream
Rent bicycles and cycle along the Tarka Trail from Bideford to Fremington Quay. The café on the quay is famous for its award-winning dairy ice-cream made with real clotted cream at Dunstable Farm near Holsworthy. The range of flavours includes raspberry pavlova, chocolate orange and butterscotch crunch among many others.
9: King of the Castle
Visit the National Trust property at Dunster Castle which has plenty to please children as well as older visitors. Children's trails, tree climbing, sheepdog and falconry displays are offered on certain days with a zip wire and log play area always available.
10: Seal Spotting Boat Trips
Go seal spotting aboard the Ilfracombe Princess which regularly departs Ilfracombe Harbour taking visitors past Brandy Cove and Bull Point Lighthouses. Seals, dolphins and seabirds can all be spotted on this exciting voyage.
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.