The School House, Countisbury

In Countisbury

The Blue Ball Inn -- A 13th-century coaching inn at the top of Countisbury Hill, with low ceilings, blackened beams, stone fireplaces, and genuine olde-worlde character. Serves real ales, hearty pub food, and has a beer garden with staggering views down the valley and across to the coast. Under new management and well worth a visit. Dog-friendly, with rooms available and a large car park that doubles as a starting point for walks. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

In Lynmouth (2 miles)

The Rising Sun -- A well-known harbourside pub in Lynmouth with character and history, serving pub food and local ales in a lovely setting overlooking the water.

The Ancient Mariner -- A Lynmouth favourite. On Thursday evenings you can hear the Lynmouth Shanty Crew singing sea shanties outside -- a wonderful atmosphere.

Esplanade Fish Bar -- A popular fish and chip shop on the harbourfront between the harbour and the cliff railway. Large menu, some seating inside, and takeaway available.

In Lynton (2 miles)

The Oak Room -- A delicious tapas bar and restaurant on Lynton High Street, opposite the Town Hall. Gets very busy, so booking ahead is recommended.

The Vanilla Pod -- A bistro-style restaurant in Lynton with a Turkish flair, serving interesting and well-prepared dishes.

Cliff Top Cafe -- At the top of the cliff railway, this cafe is perched 500 feet above Lynmouth Bay and offers perhaps the finest cream tea setting in the West Country, with panoramic views across the coast.

At Watersmeet (1.5 miles walk)

Watersmeet Tea Room -- A National Trust tea room in a former Victorian fishing lodge, set at the bottom of a deep wooded gorge where two rivers meet. Famous for cream teas, and serving since 1900. Open daily April to October, 10:30am to 4pm.

Walk to Foreland Point Lighthouse -- A lovely 3-mile circular walk from Countisbury via Butter Hill to Devon's most northerly point. The lighthouse, built in 1900, sits on a dramatic headland 67 metres above the sea. The grass paths are well defined and the views are outstanding.

Explore the Iron Age hill fort -- Wind Hill, often called Countisbury Castle, is a 2,500-year-old Iron Age promontory fort just above the village. It is thought to be the site of the Battle of Cynuit (AD 878), where Saxon forces defeated the Viking leader Ubba. The ramparts survive remarkably well.

Visit St John the Evangelist Church -- The parish church dates from the 18th and 19th centuries, rebuilt on an older site. It contains a medieval bench end carved as a crowned chained swan, thought to date from the late 15th century, and a post-Reformation chancel screen with a late 17th-century classical pediment.

Ride the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway -- The highest and steepest water-powered cliff railway in the world, opened in 1890. It connects the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth using gravity and water alone -- 862 feet of track rising 500 feet at a gradient of 57%.

Walk to Watersmeet -- A beautiful 1.5-mile walk down through woodland along the East Lyn River to Watersmeet House, a National Trust property where two rivers meet in a deep wooded gorge. The tea room has been serving cream teas since 1900.

Explore the Valley of Rocks -- A spectacular dry valley west of Lynton, formed during the last Ice Age, with dramatic rock formations named Castle Rock and Rugged Jack. A herd of wild feral goats roam the crags. Free access and easy walking on the valley floor.

Stargazing -- Exmoor is an International Dark Sky Reserve, one of only a handful in the world. With minimal light pollution, Countisbury's elevated position offers exceptional conditions for viewing the night sky.

Visit Woody Bay Station -- A lovingly restored narrow-gauge heritage railway approximately 3 miles from Lynton, operated by enthusiastic volunteers. A charming piece of railway history.

Walks from Countisbury

South West Coast Path -- The famous long-distance trail passes directly through Countisbury. Head west down to Lynmouth and on towards the Valley of Rocks, or east along the dramatic Glenthorne Cliffs towards County Gate and Porlock. The section from Countisbury is among the most spectacular on the entire 630-mile trail, with views across the Bristol Channel to Wales.

Foreland Point Lighthouse -- A gentle 3-mile circular walk from Countisbury via Butter Hill to Devon's most northerly headland and its working lighthouse. Well-defined grass paths with moderate ascents and descents.

Watersmeet via Countisbury Hill -- Descend from Countisbury through ancient sessile oak woodland to the National Trust's Watersmeet House, where the East Lyn River and Hoar Oak Water converge. The return can be made via the Iron Age hill fort for a varied circular route of approximately 5 miles.

Countisbury to Valley of Rocks -- A superb linear walk (approximately 5 miles) descending to Lynmouth, climbing to Lynton, and continuing along the coast to the Valley of Rocks. Can be done as a point-to-point using the cliff railway between Lynton and Lynmouth to shorten the return.

Butter Hill and Countisbury Common -- A shorter moorland walk climbing to 302 metres (virtually 1,000 feet) at Butter Hill, with panoramic views across Exmoor, the coast, and on clear days, across to Wales. Heather-clad and peaceful.

The Coleridge Way -- Lynmouth marks the end of the 50-mile Coleridge Way trail. The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge visited the Valley of Rocks with William Wordsworth in 1797 and was inspired to write here.

Beaches

Lynmouth -- A small pebble beach and attractive harbour at the foot of Countisbury Hill. The harbour is a lovely spot, though sea swimming is not recommended due to strong currents in the Bristol Channel.

Lee Abbey Beach -- A secluded beach west of Lynton, reached via the coast path. A peaceful spot surrounded by woodland and cliffs.

Woody Bay -- A secluded pebble beach approximately 6 miles west of Countisbury, with a restored Victorian bathing pool. A beautiful hidden cove below dramatic cliffs.

North Devon surf beaches -- The golden sand beaches at Woolacombe, Croyde, and Saunton Sands are within reach for a day trip, approximately 1 hour by car.