LUCKETT FARM GUIDE · NORTH DEVON
Our beach: Saunton Sands
Our Exmoor classic: Tarr Steps
Our food & wine pick: Woods, Dulverton
Our local: The Masons Arms, Knowstone
Our advice: Do less and enjoy it more
Updated: October 2026
In this guide
13. Go somewhere just for lunch
If you've only got one day in North Devon
Where would we take friends visiting for the first time?
Five things we think make North Devon special
A few things we've learnt about exploring North Devon
The places we love, where we eat, where we walk and the North Devon we think you should discover while staying at Luckett Farm.
There are plenty of lists telling you the “top 10 things to do in North Devon”.
This isn't really one of them.
We'd rather tell you where we would go.
Where we'd take friends visiting for the weekend. Where we'd walk on a clear autumn morning. Which beach we'd choose when we want miles of sand. Where we'd stop for lunch. And where we'd go when we don't particularly want to do very much at all.
That's the North Devon we want you to discover from Luckett Farm.
North Devon works because of its variety. The official tourism guide describes a landscape that runs from the sandy beaches of Saunton, Croyde and Woolacombe to the estuary villages of Appledore and Instow, with countryside, coastal paths and Exmoor all within the wider area. Visit Devon
You don't need to see everything.
In fact, we'd recommend that you don't try.
Pick a direction.
Take your time.
And leave something for next time.
1. Start with Exmoor
Best for: Walking · Wildlife · Big landscapes · Villages · Pubs
Our advice: Don't try to “do Exmoor” in one day.
We're fortunate at Luckett Farm to have one of Britain's most beautiful landscapes on our doorstep.
But Exmoor isn't a single attraction.
It's moorland, rivers, ancient woodland, farms, tiny villages, dramatic coastline and huge skies.
You can take a short stroll, spend an entire day walking or simply drive across the moor and stop whenever somewhere catches your eye. Exmoor National Park has specifically developed shorter Explorer walks and accessible Strolls alongside its longer routes. Exmoor National Park
Luckett Farm says
Don't arrive on Exmoor with a checklist of twelve places you need to photograph before lunch.
Choose one or two things.
Walk.
Find a pub.
Stop when you see something beautiful.
That's Exmoor.
2. Tarr Steps
Best for: First Exmoor visit · Woodland · River · Walking
Combine with: Tarr Farm Inn
Tarr Steps is one of those places we'd happily take somebody on their first visit to North Devon and Exmoor.
The famous stone clapper bridge crosses the River Barle in beautiful woodland. At around 54 metres and 17 spans, it's the longest surviving bridge of its type in Britain. Exmoor National Park
But don't simply walk down, photograph the bridge and leave.
Follow the river.
Explore the woods.
Then find lunch.
Luckett Farm says
Tarr Steps → River Barle → Tarr Farm Inn.
Simple.
One current point worth knowing: the usual short circular route remains affected by the closure of the Hinds Pitt bridge upstream, although Tarr Steps itself and out-and-back walks beside the river remain open. Exmoor National Park
3. Saunton Sands
Best for: Beach walking · Dogs · Surfing · Space · Sunset
Our beach pick: ★★★★★
If friends came to stay and asked us which North Devon beach they should see first, we'd probably say Saunton.
It's the scale of the place.
Miles of sand.
Huge skies.
Braunton Burrows behind you.
Atlantic in front.
And enough room that if the area around the entrance feels busy, you simply keep walking.
Luckett Farm says
Don't arrive, walk 200 yards and turn around.
Go for a proper walk.
And if the weather cooperates, stay for sunset.
This is North Devon at its best.
4. Croyde & Baggy Point
Best for: Coast · Walking · Surfing · Lunch · Sunset
Croyde is one of North Devon's best-known villages, but we'd rarely visit just to sit on the beach.
We'd make a day of it.
Walk towards Baggy Point, spend some time around Croyde, find something to eat and perhaps finish with a drink at The Thatch.
If the weather is good, carry on towards Saunton.
Luckett Farm says
One of our favourite combinations is:
Baggy Point → Croyde → something to eat → Saunton at sunset.
That's a proper North Devon day.
5. Lynton & Lynmouth
Best for: Scenery · Walking · Cafés · Coast · First-time visitors
These neighbouring towns are somewhere we'd definitely take first-time visitors.
Lynmouth sits down beside the harbour while Lynton is high above it. The two are connected by the historic cliff railway, with the Valley of Rocks, East Lyn River, Watersmeet and South West Coast Path all nearby. Visit Devon
It's one of those places where Exmoor and the coast come together particularly dramatically.
Luckett Farm says
Don't rush this one.
Explore Lynmouth.
Take the cliff railway.
Walk.
Have lunch.
Then head towards the Valley of Rocks.
You'll easily fill a day.
6. Valley of Rocks
Best for: Dramatic scenery · Coastal walking · Photography
Just outside Lynton, the Valley of Rocks is one of the most distinctive landscapes on the Exmoor coast.
Towering rock formations, steep coastal scenery and the famous feral goats make it unlike almost anywhere else in the area; the National Park itself highlights the valley for its cliffs, paths and goats. Exmoor National Park
Luckett Farm says
We wouldn't necessarily make this a separate day.
Combine it with Lynton and Lynmouth.
And if you can, go when it's a little quieter.
7. Dulverton
Best for: Food · Independent shops · Southern Exmoor · Slower days
Our food stop: Woods ★★★★★
We have a particular soft spot for Dulverton.
It's one of the gateways to Exmoor and makes a lovely destination when you want a gentler day rather than another major attraction.
Wander around.
Have coffee.
Look in the shops.
And then there's Woods.
We've already put Woods in our top three pubs and places for food and drink, and we'd happily make the journey to Dulverton specifically for lunch or dinner there.
Luckett Farm says
Exmoor → Dulverton → Woods.
Not complicated.
Very enjoyable.
For serious walkers, the National Park also has a longer Dulverton–Tarr Steps route of about 12.5 miles following hills, moorland and the wooded River Barle valley. Exmoor National Park
8. Appledore
Best for: Wandering · Waterfront · Food · A slower afternoon
Appledore is somewhere we'd choose when we don't want a big itinerary.
It's an old fishing and shipbuilding village on the estuary with narrow streets, colourful houses, galleries and waterfront views.
This isn't somewhere you need a list of attractions.
That's precisely why we like it.
Walk.
Look around.
Have coffee.
Find lunch.
Look at the boats.
Luckett Farm says
Combine Appledore and Instow.
It's a completely different North Devon experience from Croyde or Woolacombe and a good reminder that the coast isn't all about surfing beaches.
9. Instow
Best for: Estuary · Walking · Food · Sunset
Combine with: Appledore
Across the water from Appledore, Instow has a much more relaxed estuary feel.
This is somewhere we'd go for a walk and something to eat rather than for an action-packed day.
The combination of Appledore and Instow works particularly well when the weather is decent but nobody wants to climb a mountain.
Luckett Farm says
Some holiday days should be deliberately easy.
This is one of them.
10. Woolacombe & Putsborough
Best for: Big beach · Surfing · Families · Long walks
Woolacombe is one of North Devon's famous beaches for a reason.
It's enormous.
But if we're heading in that direction, we'd also consider Putsborough, at the southern end of the same sweep of coastline.
It can feel a little more about the landscape and a little less about the resort.
Luckett Farm says
If you want shops, cafés and a classic beach-day atmosphere, choose Woolacombe.
If you mainly want the beach and a long walk, we'd lean towards Putsborough.
11. Horner Woods
Best for: Woodland · Autumn · Dogs · Walking
North Devon isn't all beaches and open moorland.
Horner Woods gives you another side of Exmoor entirely.
Ancient woodland.
Running water.
Shade.
Wildlife.
And in autumn, some beautiful colour.
The National Park includes Horner among its selected shorter Explorer routes, while also providing more accessible short-walk options across Exmoor. Exmoor National Park
Luckett Farm says
If the coast is windy and the open moor isn't appealing, consider woodland.
And bring decent shoes.
12. Heddon's Mouth
Best for: River · Woodland · Sea · Walking
Another favourite.
Follow the River Heddon down through its wooded valley and eventually the landscape opens towards the sea.
It's a relatively compact walk but feels like a proper little adventure.
Luckett Farm says
This is one we'd recommend to people who say:
“We'd like a good walk, but we don't want to spend six hours doing it.”
Perfect.
13. Go somewhere just for lunch
Not every outing needs a landmark attached to it.
Sometimes we'd happily drive somewhere because we know we're going to eat well.
Our current shortlist would include:
Woods, Dulverton — one of our favourites for food, wine and atmosphere.
Exmoor Forest Inn, Simonsbath — when you want a food-led Exmoor experience.
Pyne Arms, East Down — for a destination country-pub meal.
Tarr Farm Inn — when lunch follows a walk around Tarr Steps.
And, closest to home:
The Masons Arms, Knowstone — our local.
Luckett Farm says
Food is an activity.
We're quite comfortable with that.
14. Find a proper village pub
There's a difference between a restaurant in the countryside and a proper village pub.
We like both.
But North Devon's village pubs are part of the experience.
Find one.
Sit at the bar.
Have a local beer.
Stay for lunch.
Talk to somebody.
Don't spend the entire time looking at Google reviews.
15. See Exmoor after dark
This is something visitors often overlook.
Exmoor isn't finished when the sun goes down.
It's internationally recognised for its dark skies, making a clear night an opportunity to see a completely different side of the landscape.
We've created a separate Luckett Farm Guide to Stargazing on Exmoor, including the Dark Sky Discovery Trail and places to experience the night sky.
Luckett Farm says
Go out for dinner.
Drive somewhere properly dark.
Turn the phone off.
Look up.
Then come back to Luckett Farm and get in the hot tub.
Hard to improve on that.
16. Don't ignore the weather
North Devon looks magnificent in sunshine.
Obviously.
But we'd argue it also looks pretty good when the weather becomes more dramatic.
Mist across Exmoor.
Huge Atlantic waves.
Rain in woodland.
Clouds rolling across the hills.
You don't necessarily need to abandon the day because there's rain in the forecast.
Change the plan.
Choose woodland.
Find a pub.
Visit a village.
Take a shorter walk.
Then retreat somewhere warm.
Luckett Farm says
There is no bad weather.
There are, however, occasionally very bad clothing decisions.
If you've only got one day in North Devon
That's difficult.
But if somebody forced us to choose, we'd probably create two options.
The Coast Day
Saunton Sands
↓
Croyde
↓
Baggy Point
↓
Lunch
↓
Saunton sunset
Simple and very North Devon.
The Exmoor Day
Tarr Steps
↓
River Barle walk
↓
Lunch
↓
Drive across Exmoor
↓
Dulverton
↓
Woods
You won't have seen all of Exmoor.
That's fine.
If you've got three days
Now we're getting somewhere.
Day One — Exmoor
Tarr Steps, a walk, pub lunch and a scenic drive.
Day Two — Coast
Saunton, Croyde and Baggy Point.
Day Three — Lynton & Lynmouth
Lynmouth, cliff railway, Valley of Rocks and perhaps Watersmeet.
And don't fill every evening.
You are on holiday.
If you've got a week
Excellent.
Now you can stop rushing.
Spend a couple of days exploring Exmoor.
Have a proper beach day.
Visit Appledore and Instow.
Walk.
Go to Dulverton.
Have lunch somewhere just because you fancy it.
Spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing at Luckett Farm.
And leave at least one day unplanned.
We'll cover this properly in our forthcoming 7-Day North Devon & Exmoor Itinerary.
Where would we take friends visiting for the first time?
This is probably the question that best sums up the whole guide.
We'd show them:
Exmoor
Tarr Steps
Saunton Sands
Croyde & Baggy Point
Lynton & Lynmouth
Valley of Rocks
Then we'd take them somewhere good for dinner.
That's enough.
We wouldn't try to show them 28 attractions in three days.
We'd rather they went home thinking:
“We need to come back.”
Our perfect Sunday
No alarm.
Slow breakfast.
Perhaps a walk.
Then Sunday lunch somewhere good.
If the weather is beautiful, maybe drive onto Exmoor afterwards.
If it isn't, stay in the pub a little longer.
Back to Luckett Farm.
Fire on.
Nothing booked.
Nothing else required.
That's a Sunday.
Five things we think make North Devon special
1. The space
You don't have to travel very far before everything opens up.
2. Coast and countryside together
You can walk on Exmoor in the morning and be barefoot on a beach that afternoon.
3. The variety
Moorland. Woodland. Rivers. Beaches. Cliffs. Estuaries. Villages.
4. The food and pubs
Particularly when you know where to look.
5. It still feels like somewhere you can escape
Perhaps most important of all.
There are still places where you can walk for a while without seeing many people.
Places where the phone can stay in your pocket.
And places where doing very little feels entirely appropriate.
A few things we've learnt about exploring North Devon
Don't judge distance purely by miles.
North Devon and Exmoor roads can be narrow and winding.
Allow time.
Don't try to fit three sides of the county into one afternoon.
Check tides before visiting small coves.
Check beach dog restrictions in summer.
Check walking routes before setting out — temporary closures do happen. For example, the Tarr Steps short circuit is currently affected by the Hinds Pitt bridge closure, while Exmoor maintains live path information for visitors. Exmoor National Park
Park responsibly. Exmoor asks visitors not to block farm, resident or emergency access, and maintains official car parks at locations including Tarr Steps, Simonsbath, Haddon Hill and Valley of Rocks. Exmoor National Park
And don't assume the best day is the one where you did the most.
It usually isn't.
The North Devon we want you to discover
North Devon isn't really about ticking off attractions.
It's about combinations.
A walk and a pub.
A beach and sunset.
A village and lunch.
Exmoor and stars.
A cold morning and a hot tub afterwards.
That's why we're building the Luckett Farm Guide.
Not simply to tell you what's here.
But to help you decide what's worth doing, when to do it and what we'd combine it with.
And if you find somewhere brilliant that isn't in this guide?
Tell us.
We'd quite like to know too.
Explore North Devon from Luckett Farm
Luckett Farm sits in the countryside near Exmoor, giving you a base from which to explore both North Devon and the National Park.
Stay in Hawkings Hideaway, The Lost Cabin, Keepers Lodge or Tumbledown Barn.
Go exploring when you want to.
Stay at the farm when you don't.
Because we think a good North Devon holiday should contain a little of both.