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Continue reading →: The CottageOyster Shell Cottage is located in the heart of the popular holiday village of Appledore on the North Devon coast. It is a 2 bedroom cottage in the heart of the Appledore conservation area and just 50 metres from the Quay.
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Continue reading →: Appledore BandAppledore Band – Each Monday evening during the summer the village brass band plays on the Quay outside the Seagate. It’s really popular and people get drinks, sit out on the quay, have fish and chips and listen to them play a selection of popular tunes. It lasts about an hour and half,…
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Continue reading →: All change for the Appledore lifeboatsAppledore was home to the very first lifeboat in 1825 – appropriately known as Lifeboat Number 1. It was established because there were many shipwrecks due to the dangerous Bideford Bar, a sandbank, at the mouth of the estuary. There has been a lifeboat stationed in the village ever since.…
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Continue reading →: Appledore Book FestivalEach September, Appledore hosts a prestigious two-week book festival featuring numerous well known authors. Jeremy Vine is a patron of the Festival and usually interviews one or two of the writers. The Festival reaches beyond the world of books, into arts and nature. Martin Unwin’s Walks on the Wild Side…
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Continue reading →: Hartland Point walkA good flat-ish walk along the South West Coastal Path can be done around Hartland Point. There are stunning views out to sea, and you may spot seals in the water (albeit from a distance from the cliff…). There is a choice of two parking places, either Hartland Lighthouse car…
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Continue reading →: MS Oldenburg tripThere is a transport boat, the MS Oldenburg, that goes either from Bideford, or Ilfracombe to Lundy Island (schedule depends on tide times). Occasionally, they move the boat from Bideford (15 mins from the cottage) to Ilfracombe as a one way trip. We did this trip recently, and it is a…
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Continue reading →: The Salt PathWe went to see The Salt Path film recently and there are quite a few familiar locations that feature in it (although they don’t always feature in the correct sequence for travelling the coastal path east to west across North Devon and Cornwall). The Salt Path is an adaptation of the bestselling…
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Continue reading →: E-bikingIf you’re looking for something a bit different for a day out, then we’d recommend you try an e-bike tour. We went on great trip with David Myers, who offers a variety of e-bike tours around the border of Devon and Cornwall. His base is around a half hour drive…
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Continue reading →: PaddleboardingThere are a number of paddle boarding options around Appledore, and beyond. If you don’t have your own equipment, or just want to try paddle boarding, you can have lessons locally , or book, with Amy who is very good: https://adventureboardsports.co.uk/pages/sup . Where she does sessions is quite tide dependent. She…
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Continue reading →: Peregrine FalconThere is a pair of peregrine falcons that live on the cliffs near Westward Ho! We walked from the the lifeboat station towards Northam Burrows along the Coastal Path and were lucky enough to see one of them sat on a post. It stayed there for over half an hour…
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Continue reading →: Appledore Farmers’ MarketOn the first Saturday of every month a Farmers’ Market is held on the quay at Appledore. It is a good place to pick up local produce including meat, bread and cakes. There are also several stalls selling take away food. I can recommend the halloumi wraps, which are delicious.
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Continue reading →: Gardens to VisitThere are a number of beautiful gardens to visit within a half-hour drive of Appledore, whatever the season. We would recommend: Rosemoor, Marwood Hill, Hartland Abbey Gardens, Tapeley Park and Gardens and Castle Hill Gardens. RHS Rosemoor Great Torrington, Devon, EX38 8PH, rhs.org.uk/rosemoor, ample parking, dogs not allowed Rosemoor is…
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Continue reading →: View from The Boathouse, InstowThis time-lapse video was taken from the first floor of The Boathouse in Instow, North Devon. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset.
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Continue reading →: Bird watching around AppledoreThere is a multitude of birdlife around Appledore, particularly on the shoreline. If you walk along Irsha St, past the Lifeboat Station to Skern and around to Northam Burrows, you are sure to see many species of resident and visiting birds. Northam Burrows can be a favourite arrival and departure…
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Continue reading →: SOS (see our station) Lifeboat StationA couple of times a year the Lifeboat Station at Appledore opens its doors to visitors. Today, 1st Feb 2020, was one of those days. The two lifeboats that are housed in the boathouse were on display. The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat (ILB) was very popular with children queuing up to…
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Continue reading →: Appledore from the airAerial footage of Appledore, showing the meeting of the rivers Torridge and Taw, and views out to sea at Bideford Bay. This was recorded in February, so the weather wasn’t great, but it gives a good idea of the location. The copyright of this video belongs to A. Pritchard. No…
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Continue reading →: ActivitiesCycling – the Tarka Trail is just the other side of the Torridge river to Appledore. It provides a safe traffic-free cycle and walking route over many miles of North Devon. For more details take a look at these links: https://www.tarkatrail.org.uk and, https://www.tarkatrailguide.co.uk/tarka-trail-map.html?srsltid=AfmBOornSxWZbkj4pMW-7oDaSqXwNA5V1OPyBRUgpjo0UpoUGNJUNv8v Devon County Council also have a good…
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Continue reading →: Local places of interestThe Big Sheep – fun, with a sheep theme. Probably more of interest to those with children. https://www.thebigsheep.co.uk/ The Milky Way – Another child friendly day out. https://www.themilkyway.co.uk/ Clovelly – Quaint and very picturesque. https://www.clovelly.co.uk/ Adults £7.75. Family tickets £21.00 Lundy Island – Day trips from either Bideford or Ilfracombe – depending on date and tides. https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/day-trips/ Appledore Maritime Museum– http://www.northdevonmaritimemuseum.co.uk/ Appledore…
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Continue reading →: WalksWe have a couple of walking guides at the house that visitors are free to use: “Circular Walks in North Devon” and “Exmoor and North Devon Coastal Path – Minehead to Bude”. We also have O/S maps covering the local area that you can borrow during your stay. WALKS ON THE…
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Continue reading →: BeachesAppledore does not have a sandy beach but there is access to rockpools. The main family beaches nearby are The Burrows, Instow and Westward Ho! The Burrows – head towards Westward Ho! and there are two access roads – the first for the Appledore facing side, the second gives you access…
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Continue reading →: Appledore food – pubs, restaurants, cafesAppledore is a maritime village on the north Devon coast. It is at the meeting point of the Torridge and Taw rivers. The village is two miles from Westwood Ho! Shops Johns (the Quay)– good range of food and drinks, Post Office, and Delicatessen next door Food and drink The…
Hello,
We’re Vanessa and Andrew
Welcome to the Oyster Shell Cottage website. You’ll find information here about the cottage, which is situated in the pretty North Devon village of Appledore, and the surrounding area.
Oyster Shell Cottage 