Top Things to do in Devon
The 10 Best Biking Trails in Devon, England
From the wilds of Dartmoor to the wooded hillsides of the Lyn Valley, Devon is undoubtedly one of England's most beautiful counties. Its overwhelmingly rural landscape means that catered accommodation is restricted to over-subscribed Bed and Breakfasts and hotels which are mostly concentrated in towns like Exeter and Barnstaple.
Devon is a great location for a family holiday in the great outdoors, with everything from beach resorts at Ilfracombe to rambling in the hills of Exmoor and tors of Dartmoor. It is a large county, but whether you want to follow the Tarka Trail, or walk down the Doone Valley, you can be sure there will be cottages open for holiday rentals nearby.
Most of Devon's holiday rental cottages started as farm buildings of some sort, and planning restrictions mean that many of them retain their rural charm on the outside. However, the cottages are generally renovated to 21st Century standards inside, with double glazing, TV, washing machines and fully-equipped kitchens. Families are well catered for in the higher end properties with games rooms, sometimes including full-size pool tables and large gardens for children to explore.
Despite the unpredictability of Devon's weather even during the summer months, the comfort of these properties gives great peace of mind. Moreover, a week's holiday rental of a cottage in Devon can cost as little as £300 - £400. During the peak season you can spend as much as £900 a month for one of the larger or more luxurious cottages, which still works out to be cheaper than a lot of hotels, especially if you have to book several rooms to accommodate a family of four or five.
To get the best of Devon's startling countryside and its friendly communities, renting a holiday cottage near Lynton and Lynmouth can be a good start. It is a useful base from which to explore North Devon, and is within walking distance of several beauty spots, such as Watersmeet (complete with a small but impressive waterfall) and the Valley of the Rocks. Separated by a steep cliff, you can travel up a funicular railway from coastal Lynmouth to clifftop Lynton, with plenty of stunning walks, shopping opportunities and several beaches and boat trips to nearby coastal attractions.
The twin villages also boast a concentration of well-equipped holiday cottages, from modest fisherman's cottages on the path to Watersmeet to grander hillside houses on the way to the Valley of the Rocks. Whatever your budget, Lynton and Lynmouth can provide some tempting accommodation options for your first Devon holiday.
Restaurants in Devon
1. Exe Trail
2. National Cycle Route 27
3. Trail Unknown
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 21 reviews
All inclusive mountain bike adventures showcasing the UK's most unpublicized and best riding locations in the finest areas of natural beauty.
Reviewed By 632pierrek
I've been on multiple trips lead by Tom and Hugo and have had an absolute blast every time. Genuinely couldn't recommend Trail Unknown enough to anyone, from those just looking to get into mountain biking all the way to highly experienced mountain bikers! 5* experience!
4. Exeter Eagles BMX
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
Exeter Eagles BMX track has had a major revamp and welcomes everyone to ride. We have all necessary equipment available to hire and your first ride is even free. Exeter Eagles is a BMX club for people of all ages who enjoy taking part in a sport, the club competes in regional and national BMX events. Please see our website exetereagles.co.uk for more information.
5. Tarka Trail (Braunton to Meeth)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 239 reviews
The Tarka Trail is a pedestrian and cycle way within the North Devon Biosphere Reserve. This page is for the 48km, shared-use section between Braunton and Meeth which runs along the line of an old railway. It is part of the National Cycle Network and totally traffic free. Along this stretch, interpretation boards and other information help you discover the heritage, culture and natural features you can see. Horses are also welcome between Torrington (Servis bridleway) and Meeth. Further detailed information, including maps can be found in the Tarka Trail Guide available online from the website and in local bookshops, museums and Tourist Information Centres.
Reviewed By N1625YYsarahf
We hired bikes from Barnstaple station and cycled to bideford with a lunch stop at Instow. We had a fantastic time, lovely scenery and lots of things to look at along the way. instow was a lovely place we had a nice lunch there at the boat house. Fremington was nice too there is a nice cafe in the old railway station where we stopped for tea and cake on way back and a kids pirate ship play area which my nephew would have loved as he’s mad on pirates! Can’t wait to cycle more of the trail starting at the other end next time.
6. Plym Valley Cycle Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 200 reviews
Reviewed By Louetta - Georgetown, United States
Very nice trail, well groomed mostly, a little mud but it was only February. We got our bikes at the Plymouth Bike Hire. It's fairly level but generally going uphill away from the city and downhill coming back. There's one section of a pretty long tunnel and at one point a train went by (not in the tunnel, though). There are some deer and other smaller animals about and horses.
7. The Granite Way
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 229 reviews
Reviewed By CTQO - Okehampton, United Kingdom
Great bike ride, wonderful views (especially at Meldon), and topped off perfectly with a sandwich and drink at the Castle Inn Lydford.
8. Drakes Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 49 reviews
Reviewed By 734amik
A gorgeous, traffic-free cycle route from Tavistock to Plymouth - very "doable" as a steady day's biking - picturesque Devon scenes unfold as you ride through forest canopies, across bridges over viaducts, into tunnels with stalactites and with views across moors and open fields. Well worth ending up at one of the lovely tea rooms for a spot of cream tea!
9. Decoy Country Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 179 reviews
Reviewed By kathandherb - Newton Abbot, United Kingdom
Took granddaughter for morning play. Great park plenty to do feed the ducks plenty of area for football. Lovely park ...swings spiny logs . Shop with tea coffee icecream .clean toilets.. great time was had
10. Stover Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By britholidayfans - Plymouth, United Kingdom
We've been here twice now, once after work riding from Stover to Bovey Tracey and back after work one evening on a week day. We arrived at about 1630 and were leaving by 1800hrs. There weren't many other people on the trail so it was a very peaceful way to wind down after a busy day. We returned on bank holiday Sunday and rode from Stover to Newton Abbot then to Bovey Tracey before returning to Stover. The trail was very busy, particularly heading to Newton Abbot with lots of groups of cyclists and families with young children learning to ride. Everyone was extremely polite and courteous, which meant it didn't matter that it was busy. When we got to Bovey Tracey we found the recreation ground and sat on a picnic table in the sun enjoying our lunch and people watching. The ride itself isn't the longest, we rode for about 1hour 30mins but lots of that was slow riding exploring little turn offs on the trail, so if you were just cycling without looking around the ride would be over much quicker. The time and distance was perfect for our day though. The trail will certainly be one to return to in the future when we only have a couple of hours. The trail was clean and overall litter free too which is always nice.
