Twitchen Farm has a dual identity being both in the Exmoor National Park and in North Devon. This means we have the best of both worlds! A quiet stunning location to live in with easy road access into the farm. On the doorstep, North Devon's fabulous sandy beaches, a selection of family attractions and Barnstaple our regional center.

For detailed information on things to do on Exmoor see www.exmoor.com and for North Devon see www.northdevon.co.uk

Here are a selection of our favourite local things to do - approximate car journey time from Twitchen Farm in brackets.

Food

Black Venus (5 mins or walk) An excellent village pub within walking distance, good beer and good food at a sensible price. 01598 763251

Poltimore Arms (20 minutes) A very Exmoor pub, real ale, good wines, log fires and good food. 01598 710381

The Old Station Inn (8 minutes) A large family pub, offering reasonable food at a very good price. In the winter they often have a promotion two meals for the price of one.

Walking

Please see our own special section

Riding

Brendon Manor Riding Stables (20 minutes) Riding for all, riding on the moor and wooded river valleys. 01598 741246.

Dean Stables (15 minutes) Excellent facilities and first class instruction, riding on very quiet country lanes and some bridle paths. 01598 763565.

Outovercott (20 minutes) Riding for all, superb location, riding through the fields and onto the moor. 01598 753341

Local Attractions

Exmoor Zoological Park (8 minutes), An opportunity to see and learn, keen conservationist, feeding and handling sessions, fantastic 'play field' for the kids. 01598 763352.

Exmoor Forest Birds of Prey (10 mins) Hawk walks and tuition 01643 831458

Arlington Court (15 minutes), National Trust house and grounds including stables and carriage exhibition. 01271 850296.

Chambercombe Manor (30 minutes) on the outskirts of Ilfracombe an 16th Century Old Manor House with an intreging history and amazing ghost story. Owned and run by a local trust. 01271 8662624

Broomhill Sculpture Gardens (20 minutes), 10 acres of wooded valley with 300 sculptures and art exhibition. Open all year except Mondays and Tuesdays - 01271 850262.

Marwood Gardens (30 minutes), privately owned valley that has been painstakingly turned into a wonderful garden, national collection of ……..

Silverdale Nurseries, (20 minutes) Nurseries and tea room , national collection of fuscias.

Lynton Cliff Railway (30 minutes), an engineering feat, water powered railway that connect Lynton and Lynmouth by traveling up and down the cliff.

Lynton Museum (30 minutes) collection of rural memorabilia and tales from the Lynton Flood disaster of 1952.

Beaches

Saunton Sands Beach (40 minutes) miles of golden sand. Ideal for kite flying, swimming, surfing, rock pools on the edges, a good place for good old beach type fun.

Woolacombe Beach (35 minutes) another long sandy beach this time with one end of the beach starting in the town of Woolacombe. Park in Marine Drive car park, it runs behind the length of the beach is cheaper and not so crowded, although you do have to walk through the dunes to get to the beach.

Lynmouth Harbour (30 minutes) small harbour and rocky beach, shops etc. very close.

Combe Martin Beach (20 minutes) a mainly rocky beach (some sand when the tide is out) very pretty cove, easy access and parking.

Lee Bay, (30 minutes) Very pretty, accessed via Valley of the Rocks, usually quiet, mainly rocky small amount of sand, tea shop nearby.

Activities

Barle Valley Safaris (25 minutes) landrover safaris from Wheddon Cross, expert drivers can usually insure sightings of wild Red Deer and Exmoor ponies.

Wistlandpound reservoir (10 minutes), Day permits available for fishing.

Bratton Water (15 minutes) Fly fishing 01271 850642

Cycle Hire, Always Exmoor 01598 763263 or Biketrail at Fremington Quay (on the Tarka Trail) 01271 372586.

Sea Fishing and Boat trips, available from Lynton and Ilfracombe

Golf

Ilfracombe (30 minutes), 18 hole course with spectacular coastal views. 01271 863328.

Saunton (40 minutes) near Braunton, this famous old club has two 18 hole courses. Price around £45 for 18 holes and £65 for 36 holes 01271 812436.

Royal North Devon (50 minutes) near Westwood Ho!, another well known 18 hole course. 01237 473817.

Libbaton (55 minutes) near High Bickington, 18 hole park land course 01769 560269.

Portmore (30 minutes) near Barnstaple, 18 hole, fairly new public course 01271 378378.

Willingcott (40 minutes) Woolacombe, 9 hole with open water hazards. 01271 870173

Taunton and Pickeridge (60 minutes/en-route to Twitchen) 18 hole 01823 421537