Travel review: Clovelly, North Devonshire

The sound from our room was like one of those special relaxation CDs to get you to sleep.

The waves gently lapping against the rocks was the soundtrack to our morning and evening from our base at Clovelly's Red Lion Hotel as we explored the North Devonshire gem.

For our stay we were in the Sail Loft building, a separate building to the hotel but with breathtaking views across the sea.

Our room – Room 19 – was a delight – a huge double bed, pale green decor, glorious wooden beamed ceilings and and grey wicker furniture. While the nautical touches were also a lovely touch – a model of a ship on the windowsill, a fish-shaped bowl on the huge window overlooking the sea, and a shelf housing book after book with a seafaring theme. A visit to Clovelly is like exploring a different world.

There's an admission fee for a start, that covers the upkeep of the village. On our visit tourists were visiting in their droves to check out the steep cobbled streets with their wonderful white cottages, or dip onto one of the wonderful little shops selling sweets and gifts.

A walk through the streets is no easy task, but thankfully you can take advantage of a Land Rover service which will take you back to the top of the village once you've walked down. Handy, especially if you've nipped in to the Red Lion for a cider or two.

There's much to do, from guided tours, a trip to the Cottage Tea Rooms as well as craft workshops and a must-see is a walk along the beach to see the waterfall.

I'd also recommend one of the coastal walks. We took on the Hobby Drive walk, three miles taking you to a viewing point with benches overlooking the harbour and Bideford Bay. A simple, relatively flat walk good for walkers of all abilities.

After working up an appetite with a day exploring, the Red Lion is also a great place to refuel. Our fish and chips were to die for, a huge piece of fish in crispy batter, chips, peas and salad and a tangy tartare sauce.

Add on a couple of ciders and a sea view and you'll never want to leave.

With such a gorgeous base, it's tempting not to want to leave Clovelly, but there's so much to do in North Devon it's imperative you jump in the car and explore.

A real gem of an attraction is Exmoor Zoo. On our visit we were lucky enough to get a great close-up view of all of the animals on site.

From the black leopard – dubbed the 'Exmoor Beast', to the cheetahs and kangaroos, the zoo gives visitors a much more personal visit than your average zoo.

And I'm not sure I've ever seen a cuter sight than the baby wallaby nestling inside it's mother's pouch – worth the trip to the zoo alone.

Whilst we didn't have time to visit all of the attractions on our visit, others that topped the list included the National Trust property, Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum and Dartington Crystal.

• Red Lion Hotel - www.stayatclovelly.co.uk/red-lion

• Exmoor Zoo - www.exmoorzoo.co.uk

• The Devon Association of Tourist Attractions represents over 40 of the Devon’s Top Attractions. Their website is www.devontopattractions.com[/breakout]

Before you visit, you must visit The Complete Guide to Devon website here which will give you a complete run down on all of the attractions.

En route to the zoo we happened upon The Pig on the Hill in Westward Ho!, not far from Clovelly.

The gastro-pub is fantastic, a modern interior with edgy artwork adorning the walls, a bar area with leather and boothed seating, and a light and airy dining area. We tucked into the steak sandwich – beautifully cooked meat, with Devon blue cheese, onions and rocket on sourdough bread – with the juices of the meat dripping into the bread – just divine. While my 'Pig' burger and 8oz Devonshire beef patty loaded with pulled pork and apple jam, was a huge, meaty dream. The accompanying fries were hot and fresh. And the prices, both dishes £12, were astonishingly good value.

As the sun shone on our final morning, we sadly packed the car ready for the journey back to the West Midlands. But with so much of the county unexplored, promised to make a return soon.

By Lisa Wright