5 days    Monday 17th – Friday 21st September

A thriving market town and port with an active fishing industry, Bideford has been welcoming visitors for centuries and is perfectly located to explore the beautiful rugged coastline, sandy beaches and rolling countryside of North Devon and the wild moorland of Exmoor.

Your holiday itinerary:
Monday: Leaving Essex we make our way to the south west. With suitable stops and time for lunch at the Wilton Shopping Village we aim to be in Bideford late afternoon giving you time to prepare for dinner.

Tuesday: After a leisurely breakfast we drive into Bideford giving you the opportunity to enjoy a stroll along the tree-lined quay where you can watch the world go by or watch a local fishing boat land the day’s catch. As it is Tuesday visit the Pannier Market where you will find plenty of local produce on offer as well as craft stalls. After lunch we drive along the coast and spend the afternoon in the picturesque village of Clovelly, where Charles Kingsley was inspired to write “The Water Babies”.  This unique, historic and unforgettable fishing village is famous the world over. There is no traffic on the cobbled street, which winds its way down a cleft in a 400ft cliff between carefully preserved, flower-festooned cottages, to a tiny working 14th century port. Donkeys were once used to transport people and goods up the steep cobbled streets. (Entrance to the village is included, though the Land Rover transport is not. The road down to the harbour is steep, uneven and can be slippy and is not wheelchair friendly. Sensible footwear is advised.)

Wednesday: Our excursion today involves a drive along the North Devon coast and through the Exmoor National Park. We first visit the popular seaside resort of Ilfracombe, with its natural harbour, unique Tunnels Beaches and stunning coastal scenery. After some time here our drive takes us through the little town of Combe Martin, famous for the Pack O’ Cards, a house built to represent a pack of cards as we make our way to Lynmouth. The magnificent scenery around the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth prompted the Victorians to call it “The Little Switzerland of England”. The twin towns are separated by 500ft high cliffs and are connected by a unique water powered Cliff Railway. Our drive back to Bideford takes us through the western part of Exmoor, the smallest of the National Parks with some stunning wild moorland, home to red deer and the native Exmoor pony. Also known as Lorna Doone country, as it was the base of RD Blackmore’s famous novel of the same name.   

Thursday: This morning we visit RHS Garden Rosemoor. Spanning 65 acres, Rosemoor is set in the beautiful Torridge Valley and has become a garden of national importance. These stunning gardens include Lady Anne’s original garden, the arboretum and the cottage garden plus woodland walks which offer interesting glimpses of local wildlife and wild flowers. After lunch we visit the picturesque little fishing and shipbuilding village of Appledore. This delightful village has a maze of narrow streets leading to the quay which still today is central to life in the village. The delicious Hocking’s Ice Cream is made here in Appledore and is always available from their van on the quay. (RHS members should notify us at time of booking and sensible footwear is advised – the ground can be rough and uneven)

Friday: We leave our hotel after breakfast and start our homeward journey. With suitable stops along the way and lunch in Marlborough we aim to be back in Essex late afternoon to early evening.

Your holiday hotel:
The family run *** Durrant House Hotel is located on the outskirts of the historical old port of Bideford, atop the hill with views over the Torridge estuary and beyond to the sandy beaches of Instow. All rooms are well furnished and tastefully decorated and all offer en-suite Italian marble bathrooms, tea/coffee making facilities, clock radio, television, iron and ironing board and hairdryer. The hotel offers a welcoming bar where you can enjoy a drink before dinner, which is cooked fresh using food sourced from local suppliers. There is entertainment in the hotel’s ballroom on at least 3 nights. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool as well as a sauna and fitness room. The hotel has a lift and ground floor rooms which are accessed by 5 steps.

Price per person:    £399.00 fantastic value at less than £80 per day AND you get all this:-

Executive coach travel.
Welcome drink on arrival.
Porterage on arrival and departure.
En suite rooms.
4 nights dinner, bed and breakfast comprising of a 3 course dinners with a choice of menu; tea and coffee and full English breakfast.
Entertainment as provided by the hotel.
Excursions as outlined above, including visits to Bideford, Clovelly, Ilfracombe, Lynmouth, Appledore, entrance to Rosemoor Gardens and time at the Wilton Shopping Village and in Marlborough.
Travel insurance.