Clovelly, Devon travel guide and Clovelly information

Visit Clovelly

Clovelly is a village on the north Devon coast about 20km from Bideford, and within the north Devon AONB..

Very well established on the local tourist trail, the village is entirely privately owned - and a small entrance charge is payable. The village is not accessible to cars - access is on foot via the steep cobbled street that leads down through the village and to the harbour (a taxi service is also available to the harbour using four-wheeled-drive vehicles).

Visit Clovelly

The houses in the village are of traditional design for a fishing village of the region, although very little fishing is now caried out from the harbour here, and many date from as early as the 16th century. A lot of effort is made to preserve the historical authenticity of Clovelly for visitors and for the future.

There are numerous attractive houses lining the main street - although you might find yourself staring at your feet instead if the cobbles are wet! During the summer an extra burst of colour is provided by the flowers that blossom on many of the houses. Within the picturesque village there are also a sprinkling of shops - predominantly tourist / gift shops - and a pub (by the harbour) and cafe.

At the top of the hill you can learn the history of the village in the visitor centre - and your children can enjoy a donkey ride. You will also see donkeys ambling through the village - the donkeys were the traditional means for carrying goods and people down the steep street into the village (nowadays sledges are used) and have now become a tourist attraction themselves!

A visit to Clovelly is highly recommended (although there is restricted access for those in wheelchairs and with limited mobility, due to the steepness of the village).

What else to do near Clovelly?

The setting of the village and the scenery along the coast are as much a highlight as the village itself - we especially liked seeing the waterfall above the stony beach and following the coastal path a little way. If you are an enthusiastic hiker you can follow the South-West Coast Path that passes through the village for many kilometres...alternatively ask at the Clovelly visitor centre for a leaflet featuring a couple of local walks

The Milky Way amusement park will be high on your list of you are visiting with children. A couple of kilometres south of Clovelly, the theme park features a few roller coasters and rides and many other attractions - see Milky Way amusement park for details.

You can find more local travel ideas in the North Devon guide and the Devon guide.