England
Devon

Clovelly

It is rare that an entire village can be a tourist attraction, but that is the case here. It is hard to define a single compelling attraction at Clovelly, but nevertheless a visit is a treat not to be missed! This utterly charming and much-photographed fishing village is built onto cobbled streets so steep that for many years donkeys were the only form of access.

Even today there is no easy motor access to the lovely whitewashed houses that rise up the lanes above the harbour. Donkeys are no longer used for visitor transport, but they can be seen and children can have their photos taken riding on a donkey's back.

Much of the appeal of Clovelly lies in the beauty of the small, whitewashed cottages, festooned with flower baskets, and in the fabulous views that the steep streets give out over Clovelly Bay. Two inns in the village offer food and accommodation to visitors.

There are lovely signposted walks along the coast in both directions, and the South West Coast Path runs along the coast.

Attractions

Mount Pleasant - a memorial to the men of Clovelly who died in the First World War. Mount Pleasant offers superb views out over the Bay.

Queen Victoria Fountain - designed by a cousin of the Queen, this fountain was rected in 1901. Clovelly's famous donkeys often pose for visitors beside the fountain.

Chapel of St Peter - this very small house of worship was built in 1846 for those inhabitants unable to walk up the hill to the parish church.

Fisherman's Cottage - a recreated cottage showing how a fisherman's family would have lived in the 1930s.

Kingsley Museum - small museum and shop dedicated to Victorian author Charles Kingsley, who lived in Clovelly. Kingsleys work Westward Ho! did much to popularize Clovelly as a destination for visitors.

Oberammergau Cottage - this striking cottage is delightfully decorated with wooden carvings brought from Oberammergau in Germany.

Lifeboat - this was oner of only two RNLI lifeboats with a permanent crew. Weather along the North Devon coast could be so bad that a permanent crew was needed to row out to Lundy Island when storms threatened and moor to leaward in case theirrescue services were needed.

Waterfall - A few hundred yards walk east along the shingle from Clovelly Harbour brings you to a lovely waterfall cascading down the cliff face.

Access
You have two choices from the car park. Walk down the steeply cobbled lane that twists down to to the harbour, or use the Land Rover service that drives visitors up and down to a location just west of the harbour, but level with the lower village. You can also choose to walk down and ride up if the thought of the climb is too daunting! The donkeys which made Clovelly famous are no longerused for regular visitor transport.

Details
Clovelly
Clovelly
Devon
England

Location: No vehicle access to the village; park at the visitor centre, signposted from the A39.
Website: Clovelly
Email: visitorcentre@clovelly.co.uk
Phone: 01237 431 781
Fax: 01237 431 644
OS SS317 249

For more on this delightful North Devon village, see our Photos of Clovelly

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© David Ross and Britain Express