Appledore

Appledore is the kind of village that rewards unhurried exploration. At the confluence of the Taw and Torridge rivers, this ancient fishing and shipbuilding settlement has one of the finest concentrations of Georgian and Victorian architecture in the South West, wound along medieval lanes that twist and turn above the estuary in a way that feels genuinely organic rather than preserved.

The quay at Appledore is still a working space, and the Appledore Shipyard, once one of the largest in Britain, maintained a proud tradition of ship and vessel building right into the 21st century. The North Devon Maritime Museum on Odun Road tells this story well, covering shipbuilding heritage, Viking raids on the estuary, the D-Day connections, and the lives of the fishermen and sailors who made the village what it is.

Independent art galleries line the main street, and the standard of work here is genuinely high. Appledore has attracted artists for decades, and the annual Appledore Book Festival and Visual Arts Festival both have real national standing. On a summer afternoon, browsing the galleries before settling in at one of the quayside restaurants is a thoroughly agreeable way to spend a few hours.

A seasonal pedestrian ferry connects Appledore to Instow across the estuary, a lovely way to link the two villages in summer. The Tarka Trail passes through Instow on the opposite bank.

Appledore is about 15 miles from Woolacombe, a comfortable 25-minute drive. Dogs are welcome almost everywhere.

The North Devon Appledore Book Festival, held annually in late September, brings authors and literary events to the village in a programme that has grown considerably in stature over recent years. The Visual Arts Festival in August fills the galleries with work from artists across the region. Both events give the village a particularly lively atmosphere and attract you from well beyond the immediate area. If your stay coincides with either festival, it is well worth planning a visit to Appledore around them.