Old Barn

In Combe Martin

The Pack o' Cards -- One of North Devon's most famous pubs, built in the 17th century to resemble a deck of playing cards, with 52 windows and 13 rooms on four floors. The Pack o' Cards serves a varied menu of pub classics and seasonal specials, with a popular Sunday carvery. Real ales and a good wine list. The beer garden has lovely views up the valley. Food served daily for lunch and dinner.

The Fo'c'sle Inn -- A traditional harbourside pub at the bottom of the village near the beach. The Fo'c'sle is popular with locals and visitors alike, serving real ales, ciders, and straightforward pub food in a relaxed atmosphere. Live music at weekends during the summer. Dogs welcome.

The Dolphin Inn -- A welcoming village pub with home-cooked food, real ales, and a friendly atmosphere. Good value meals and regular quiz nights.

The Galleon Cafe -- A popular seaside cafe near the beach serving breakfasts, lunches, cream teas, and homemade cakes. A great spot for a cup of tea after a walk along the coast path.

Nearby

The Pyne Arms, East Down -- Approximately 5 miles from Combe Martin. A well-regarded gastropub in the village of East Down, serving locally sourced food with a seasonal menu. Known for its excellent Sunday roasts and warm welcome. Booking recommended.

Kentisbury Grange, Kentisbury -- Approximately 5 miles from Combe Martin. A boutique country house hotel with an award-winning restaurant serving refined modern British cuisine using locally sourced ingredients. The Coach House Brasserie offers a more relaxed dining option. Booking recommended.

Ilfracombe -- Just 4 miles away, Ilfracombe has a wide selection of restaurants, cafes, and pubs around the harbour, including Thomas Carr at The Olive Room (Michelin Plate, contemporary seafood) and The Quay for fish and chips by the water.

Combe Martin Beach -- The village's own sheltered bay has a sandy beach at low tide with some of the best rock pools on the North Devon coast. Excellent for crabbing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. Dogs are welcome on the beach outside the main summer season, and neighbouring Newberry Beach allows dogs year-round.

Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park -- A popular family attraction set in subtropical gardens above the village, home to wolves, sea lions, meerkats, penguins, and a collection of animatronic dinosaurs. Open from spring to autumn, with daily animal feeds and keeper talks.

The Pack o' Cards -- This remarkable 17th-century inn is worth visiting in its own right. Built by a local man, George Ley, reputedly with his card-game winnings, the building has four floors (for the four suits), 13 rooms (for the cards in each suit), and originally 52 windows. A Grade II listed curiosity and one of North Devon's most photographed buildings.

Watermouth Castle -- A Victorian castle approximately 2 miles from Combe Martin with themed indoor attractions, mechanical music displays, water gardens, and adventure playgrounds. A fun family day out, open from Easter to autumn.

South West Coast Path -- The coast path runs through Combe Martin and offers some of the most dramatic cliff scenery in England. Walk east to Great Hangman -- at 318 metres, the highest point on the entire South West Coast Path -- and its smaller companion Little Hangman. Walk west towards Ilfracombe via the dramatic Rillage Point and Hele Bay.

Coasteering and sea kayaking -- Several local operators run coasteering sessions (cliff jumping, scrambling, and swimming along the rocky shoreline), guided sea kayak tours, and stand-up paddleboard hire from Combe Martin Beach.

Ilfracombe -- The Victorian harbour town is approximately 4 miles to the west and well worth a visit. Walk along the harbour past Damien Hirst's Verity statue, take a boat trip to Lundy Island, explore the 14th-century St Nicholas's Chapel on Lantern Hill, or swim at the Tunnels Beaches -- hand-carved tidal bathing pools from the 1820s.

Woolacombe and Croyde -- The award-winning golden sand beaches of Woolacombe, Croyde, and Saunton Sands are within a 20 to 30 minute drive. Excellent surfing, bodyboarding, and family beach days.

Exmoor National Park -- Combe Martin sits at the western gateway to Exmoor. Explore the dramatic Valley of Rocks near Lynton, ride the Lynton and Lynmouth cliff railway, or walk to Tarr Steps. The moor is home to wild red deer, Exmoor ponies, and some of the darkest skies in England for stargazing.

Arlington Court -- A National Trust Regency house approximately 8 miles from Combe Martin, set in beautiful parkland with a Victorian carriage collection, formal gardens, and a bat colony. The Shetland pony herd and nature walks make it a lovely family outing.

Walks from the Doorstep

Great Hangman and Little Hangman -- A superb circular walk from Combe Martin climbing to Great Hangman at 318 metres -- the highest sea cliff in England and the highest point on the entire South West Coast Path. The views from the summit stretch along the coast to Lundy Island and across the Bristol Channel to Wales. Continue to Little Hangman before descending back to the village. Approximately 4.5 miles, allow 3 to 4 hours. Graded moderate to strenuous.

Combe Martin to Ilfracombe (Coast Path) -- A dramatic section of the South West Coast Path heading west from Combe Martin via Rillage Point, Lester Point, and Hele Bay to Ilfracombe harbour. Approximately 5 miles one way, with steep ascents and descents and magnificent cliff scenery throughout. Allow 3 to 4 hours one way. Return by bus or arrange a lift.

Combe Martin to Heddon's Mouth (Coast Path East) -- Walk east along the coast path via the Hangman cliffs, through Holdstone Down, and down the steep wooded valley to Heddon's Mouth -- a dramatic boulder beach where the River Heddon meets the sea. The Hunter's Inn pub is a short walk upstream for refreshments. Approximately 7 miles one way.

Combe Martin Village Walk -- Stroll the length of the famously long village street from the hills to the harbour, passing the Pack o' Cards, St Peter ad Vincula Church, and the old silver-lead mines. A gentle walk of approximately 2 miles each way, ideal for an afternoon stroll.

Wild Pear Beach and Sandy Cove -- Accessed from the coast path between Combe Martin and Ilfracombe, these secluded beaches are hidden beneath the cliffs. The walk down is steep but rewarding -- beautiful pebble coves that feel wonderfully remote.

Berrynarbor -- A pretty village approximately 1.5 miles inland from Combe Martin, reached by footpath through the valley. Visit the medieval church with its fine tower, the Ye Olde Globe Inn for a drink, and the Sawmill tea room. A lovely short circular walk.

Beaches

Combe Martin Beach -- The village's own sheltered bay, a short walk from the bottom of the high street. Sandy at low tide with excellent rock pools. Good for kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming. Lifeguarded during summer holidays.

Woolacombe Beach -- One of Britain's finest beaches, approximately 10 miles from Combe Martin (20 minutes by car). Three miles of golden sand backed by dunes, with excellent surfing, bodyboarding, and family swimming. Lifeguarded from Easter to October.

Croyde Beach -- A popular surfing beach approximately 14 miles from Combe Martin, set in a beautiful bay with a lively village atmosphere, surf hire shops, and beachside cafes.

Saunton Sands -- A vast three-mile stretch of golden sand backed by the Braunton Burrows dune system (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve), approximately 16 miles from Combe Martin. Excellent for long walks, kite flying, and surfing.

Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe -- A unique tidal bathing beach accessed through hand-carved Victorian tunnels, approximately 4 miles from Combe Martin. A sheltered swimming pool at low tide and a dramatic setting beneath the cliffs.

Hele Bay -- A small sheltered cove approximately 3 miles from Combe Martin, just east of Ilfracombe. Sandy at low tide with rock pools and a seasonal cafe.