Barn Cottage

Best beaches

Find out when low tide is and head to the National Trust-owned beach, Northcott Mouth, and let little ones explore the rock pools and admire the surfers making the most of the excellent breakers. Make sure you seek out Margaret for a cuppa and cake, too; see cafés, below. Then burn off the calories with a quick hike to the top of the cliff and a lungful of that sea air.

Best walks

There is no shortage of coast or countryside crying out for rambling around here. You’ll find a list of some of the loveliest places to go at the cottage, but our favourites include Duckpool which has a delightful, sandy beach begging for you to while away lazy afternoons on it. Or if you’ve got a pushchair or fancy an easier terrain to trot along, park up in Bude, then start on foot at the canal for an easy 20-minute amble. (If you’re a kite flyer, you couldn’t find a better spot than here.) Hug the coastal path past the Hartland Hotel ending up at Summerleaze, where you’ll find that the café there does a decent coffee.

Shopping

There’s a Morrisons in Bude, ten minutes away, but even better, Waitrose has recently opened in Holsworthy allowing you to enjoy some finer ingredients for whatever you choose to whip up back at the cottage. Lizzie's Larder is the best farm shop for the whole gamut of local produce. Head to Blackberry Farm, Milton Damerel, Holsworthy (01409 261440; www.lizzyslarder.freeuk.com).

Activities

Join the joggers, dog-walkers and bird-watchers wending their way through some of Cornwall’s most camera-worthy scenery by cycling along the Camel Trail. It’s an old railway track, so you’re guaranteed a relatively non-bumpy ride, perfect for kids and active adults alike. The route stretches from Wadebridge to Padstow, with glimpses of the River Camel glimmering away, cooling you down as you sally forth. After all this exertion, you’ll more than deserve a languid lunch at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant (www.rickstein.com). The Camel Trail, Wadebridge Cornwall PL27 7AL. Alternatively, make like Henry Williamson’s literary hero, Tarka the Otter and take the Tarka Trail (www.devon.gov.uk/tarkatrail.htm). This 32-mile foray along the old railways of North Devon is an exhilarating way to experience the breathtaking countryside. Book your wheeled-steed through Bridge Bike Hire (+44 (0)1208 813050; www.bridgebikehire.co.uk) or Padstow Cycle Hire (+44 (0)1841 533533; www.padstowcyclehire.com).

Cafes

Margaret's Rustic Tea Room

Who would think a caravan could be capable of the cream teas that the affable Margaret serves up at an idyllic spot behind Northcott Mouth? Park up, and then follow the gravely drive inland where you’ll spot her little green camper-cum-kitchen and cute seats and tables dotted about on the grass across a stream. The van has been there since the Forties, when Margaret's mum run her tea room on the very same spot.
Northcott Mouth, near Bude, Cornwall

Pubs

The Bush Inn

+44 (0)1288 331242

Formerly the drinking den of smugglers, shipwrecked sailors and their buxom wenches, the Bush Inn is a beautiful 13th-century pub with hearty food, homely rustic charm and some highly gluggable ales. The location is postcard-perfect; perched in a dramatic and rugged stretch of the North Cornish coast, surrounded by Tidna Valley’s emerald rolling hills and across to the Atlantic Ocean. There’s a huge wooden climbing frame suitable for older children with energy to burn. In the winter, the log fire crackles and sparks in the tiny traditional inn, providing warmth and comfort to match that delivered by the enticing edibles – popular choices include red wine and blue cheese risotto, venison stew and Cornish sausage and mash with lashings of onion gravy. Come summer time, sit out at picnic benches on that grassy hill with a cold beer and enjoy some fresh fish-feasting, watching your little ‘uns playing in the garden.
Morwenstow, Cornwall, EX23 9SR

Old Smithy Inn

+44 (0)1288 331305

Just a mile from the sea and a stone’s throw from the Cornish border sits the Old Smithy Inn. Its menu champions local produce; mainly succulent seafood pilfered from the nearby waters. There are fishy starters like pan fried scallops with brandy cream or Bideford bay squid with chorizo, along with mains to match: Bude monkfish with dry cured ham, julienne veg and Pernod cream with new potatoes or grilled Welcombe half lobster with garlic cream and parmesan sauce.
Welcombe, Bideford, Devon, EX39 6HG

Restaurants

The Seafood Restaurant

+44 (0)1841 532700

No seafood lover worth their salt would miss a trip to a Rick Stein’s eatery, so be sure to feast on shellfish at his famous Seafood Restaurant while you’re here. The culinary king has three other Cornwall outposts; St Petroc's Bistro, Rick Stein's Café and Stein’s Fish & Chips, along with a pub in St Merryn called The Cornish Arms. To impress the folks back home, treat each other to a course at the chef’s cookery school. www.rickstein.com
Riverside, Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8BY

For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Devon, check out our Devon restaurant guide

For a full list of recommended activities in Devon, check out our Devon destination guide

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