A former river port town near the Bristol Channel, Barnstaple showcases its North Devon traditions in its heritage buildings, museums and cultural venues. Barnstaple is an outdoor lover’s paradise with beaches, surfing, feeding zoos and the immersive Tarka Trail.

Things to do

Get to know the area at Barnstaple Heritage Centre, home to the detailed “Journey Through Time” exhibition. You’ll learn about Saxon life in Barnstaple and can browse the Medieval Market. The kids can even try on period costumes and play old-fashioned games.

Visit the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon for a look at the region’s natural history and civilisation, then stroll through the elegant gardens and art gallery at Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum. Get tickets for opera, dance, jazz or a play at Queen’s Theatre and arrive early for food and drinks at the Gallery Bar.

Drive 20 minutes to the five-hectare Exmoor Zoo, which is filled with around 200 species of animals, such as wallabies, lemurs, cheetahs, meerkats and monkeys. It also houses a rare black leopard known as the “Exmoor beast”. Special activities include meeting alpacas, feeding penguins and interacting with baby zoo animals.

Just outside the city limits, North Devon beckons outdoor enthusiasts with cycling or hiking the Tarka Trail. You can go kite surfing at Westward Ho! Beach, discover tide pools at Woolacombe Sands or explore tunnels and relax in Victorian tidal bathing pools at Tunnels Beach.

Getting around

Buses, taxis and coaches provide transportation in Barnstaple and you can hire a bicycle near Barnstaple Railway Station. Rental cars are available in the city or at Exeter International Airport, about 85 kilometres away.