Berrynarbor
Close to Combe Martin is the picturesque
village of Berrynarbor. Situated at the coastal end of the beautiful
Sterridge Valley, the village is the ideal place for a relaxing stay.
Having won many awards in both "Britain in Bloom" and "Best Kept
Village in Devon" competitions, the attractive well kept gardens
and floral displays are outstanding. We have won the
Best Kept Village award for the whole of the south west which is
a wonderful achievement for such a small community. Having also won the local Britain in bloom award,
we were in the finals of the Royal Horticultural Society national
awards. These awards cover the whole spectrum from small villages to
large cities. Berrynarbor won one of only four gold awards for the whole
country and also won an additional discretionary award for contributing
most in the country towards the keep Britain tidy campaign. Probably
because of the profile that our village has received from the various
awards we had a visit to our own garden in 2003 by a research team
for 'Gardeners World'.
Quaint
cottages and narrow streets, together with the 15th Century Manor
Hall, and 12th Century Church, add to the rural charm of the village
and the traditional pub is a popular place for eating out. There
is ample free car parking and easy access from the A399.
Each Spring Bank Holiday the village
of Combe Martin holds the " Hunting of the Earl of Rone Festival",
a re-enactment of an ancient legend. Today locals dressed as grenadiers,
drummers and musicians form a parade led by a Hobby Horse to hunt
out the Earl, who rides backwards on a donkey. The Earl is shot by
the grenadiers, revived by the Hobby Horse, remounted on his donkey,
before being eventually thrown into the sea.
Another annual event is the "Strawberry
Fair", held at the end of June, to celebrate the strawberry season.
Strawberries have been grown in the region for centuries and today
there are a number of "pick your own" farms which allow
visitors to collect their own fruit.
On the coast at Berrynarbor lies
the pretty cove of Watermouth, with its gently shelving shoreline
and many rock pools. This naturally sheltered harbour provides
moorings for pleasure craft and forms part of the Voluntary Marine
Nature Reserve, which runs along the length of coastline from Ilfracombe
to Combe Martin. Watermouth's other main attraction is Watermouth
Castle, one of the largest family tourist attractions in North
Devon. Based in and around a castle, there are displays, exhibits
and attractions for all age ranges.
