Devon may be one of the top UK holiday destinations in summer, but it also offers plenty of things to do in January if you visit for a New Year break. The only thing missing are the crowds!
January in Devon enjoys a mild climate with the chance of a dusting of snow if you’re hiking on Dartmoor. On New Year’s Day you can take a dip in the sea, attend the Exeter Races or see a working steam engine at historic Coldharbour Mill.
Many villages in Devon host ancient wassailing ceremonies in mid-January. Other things to see and do include bird-spotting cruises on the River Exe, seeing the Exmoor Beast or enjoying a pie and a pint in the pub in front of a roaring log fire. Why stay home when there’s so much to see and do in Devon in January?
- Have a flutter at Exeter New Year’s Day Races
- Keep warm with the New Year Steam Up at Coldharbour Mill
- Enjoy a New Year trip with Stuart Line Cruises from Topsham
- Celebrate Mother Earth at the Stoke Gabriel Wassail
- Laugh out loud at the Exeter Comedy Store
- Enjoy a pie and a pint in front of the fire
- Float away for an hour
- Visit the Exmoor Beast
- Munch hot chips on Appledore Quay
- Dive in for a New Year dip
Have a flutter at Exeter New Year’s Day Races
Exeter Race Course is located just outside the city, at Kennford. The New Year’s Day Racing is an annual tradition for many racing enthusiasts and those who fancy doing something a little bit different. There are usually seven races with the first race under starter’s orders around 12:40pm.
Entry fee is £20 on the day (half price for 18 to 24 year olds) and considerably cheaper if you book online. Have a little flutter so you’ve got some skin in the game and hopefully you’ll at least win back your admission. With food and drink available, it will be a New Year’s Day to remember!
Keep warm with the New Year Steam Up at Coldharbour Mill
Coldharbour Mill in Uffculme celebrates the Age of Steam at this fully restored water-powered mill. Explore the factory floor and steam complex and learn all about textile production during the Industrial Revolution. The 10-acre estate has beautiful gardens, a WW2 Air Raid Shelter and an impressive steam chimney.
It welcomes visitors every year on 1st January and is a top place to visit in Devon. The staff will be on hand spinning, weaving and running the mill engines and the cafe does a brisk trade in mulled wine, hot drinks and warming snacks to keep the cold at bay while welcoming in the New Year.
Enjoy a New Year trip with Stuart Line Cruises from Exmouth
Believe it or not, January is a great month for cruises around the Exe Estuary in East Devon as it hosts thousands of migratory birds during the winter. These three-hour cruises from Exmouth are just £12.50 for adults and include an onboard ornithologist to identify the birds, their habitats and behaviour.
To keep out the cold, you can purchase a tasty pastie and hot organic soup. Check the dates and book online. Things to do in Devon in January don’t come better than this!
Celebrate Mother Earth at the Stoke Gabriel Wassail
The Stoke Gabriel Wassail is an ancient winter festival in Devon combining cider, culture and cheer! Join the procession led by the organically dressed Wassail King with his leafy hat and head down to the nearby Aish Cross Orchard for this ceremony of blessing the forthcoming crop.
There will be singing, Morris dancing, food stalls and lots of noise to drive away the spirits. Bring a torch and a pan, wooden spoon and a glass of cider to throw on the tree roots as a blessing. You’ll find other Wassails at Littlehempson, Whimple, Okehampton and Gray’s Cider Farm in Tedburn St Mary. Dates are announced closer to the time and are usually in mid-January.
Laugh out loud at the Exeter Comedy Store
With over 40 years experience in the business of making people laugh, the Comedy Store offers regular stand-up comedy nights at the Barnfield Theatre. It’s a launch pad for new comedy talent and is the place to see tomorrow’s stars first-hand.
The likes of Eddie Izzard, John Bishop, Jimmy Carr, Rhod Gilbert and Sarah Millican have all debuted here so get ready for a laugh-till-you-cry night out in Exeter, Devon. Tickets are £16.50 and the new season starts in late January.
Enjoy a pie and a pint in front of the fire
There are loads of ancient country pubs in the Westcountry that offer a very warm welcome if you’re visiting Devon in January. The whitewashed Warren Inn at Postbridge is right at the heart of Dartmoor.
They always have a fire burning – and they say it has never gone out since 1845. It stands at a chilly elevation of 434m between Princetown and Moretonhampstead and once quenched the thirst of local miners. Food is served all day and meat-lovers should order the special “Warrenders Pie” for a delicious meaty pie only found here!
Float away for an hour
One place you’re guaranteed to stay cosy and warm is at the County Chiropractic and Wellness Centre in Exeter. Lay back and float in a pool filled with Epson salt-saturated water, a bit like floating on the Dead Sea but without the air miles!
Freed from gravity, your body floats naturally in the 25cm deep pool that is heated to a blissful 35½ °C. Said to boost endorphins and promote physical and emotional well-being, this treat is great value at just £40 per hour. It’s a great place to stay warm on your January visit to Devon!
Visit the Exmoor Beast
The only zoo in Devon to have a black leopard in captivity is Exmoor Zoo at Bratton Fleming near Barnstaple. A big cat terrorised farming communities for centuries with regular sightings and photo evidence of a large black cat stalking sheep and livestock. The Exmoor Beast myth has been around since mediaeval times and this could be the culprit!
Open daily excluding Christmas, this small zoo is big on wildlife conservation and has some unusual residents including mammals, birds and reptiles that you can get up-close and see.
Munch hot chips on Appledore Quay
January in Devon is hardly the season for an ice cream, but freshly cooked battered cod and chips is a different matter! Sylvester’s Fish and Chips in Appledore has an excellent reputation for tasty Devon fare to take-away. It’s only open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 5 until 8pm in the winter season so time your visit accordingly.
If you don’t fancy cod and chips try their pasties, scampi, quarter chicken, sausages and burgers washed down with a cup of hot tea.
Dive in for a New Year dip
Loads of coastal resorts in Devon host a New Year dip on 1st January. If you’re staying near Westward Ho! You’ll be one of hundreds of bathers who don fancy dress and race into the sea (and out again pretty fast) at noon. Organised by the local Business Association, many bathers also suffer the chilly water to raise funds for their favourite charity.
What better way to start off the New Year than a charity swim on one of Devon’s top beaches. It’s a fun thing to do in Devon in January and will definitely be a talking point when you return to work!
So, that’s our round-up of things to do in January in Devon so get your cottage booked today and join the fun!
What about next month? Here’s our guide to the top 10 things to do in Devon in February.
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.