Barnstaple

While much of North Devon's reputation rests on its coastline, Barnstaple sits inland along the River Taw, a proper market town rather than a seaside resort. It's the region's hub rather than its holiday postcard, a place people pass through on the way to the beaches and Exmoor, but with enough of its own character to justify stopping. The pace here is more everyday than touristy, shaped by its role as the area's main town rather than by any single attraction.

Places to stay range from country house comfort to working farm settings. Beachborough Country House and Kentisbury Grange sit at the grander end, while Hollamoor Farm B&B and Holwell Farmstead offer a more rural, agricultural backdrop typical of the countryside around town. Hunters Lodge, Hall Bed and Breakfast, Longstone Bed and Breakfast and Moorlands cover the more straightforward B&B territory in between. For those wanting to camp, Benton View and South Town Farm are the two options, both making the most of the green land surrounding Barnstaple rather than any coastal pitch.

The attractions reflect this inland, family-oriented identity. Marwood Hill Gardens gives a proper dose of Devon countryside, while Exmoor Zoo taps into the moor on Barnstaple's doorstep. Rock Park offers a more traditional slice of town green space, and the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon covers the area's history for anyone curious about how the town fits into the wider region. For families, there's plenty to fill a day regardless of weather: Funderzone Indoor Soft Play Centre and the Tarka Leisure Centre for indoor activity, Survival Laser Tag and the Monster Slip and Slide for something more energetic.

What makes Barnstaple worth including on a North Devon trip is precisely that it isn't trying to be a resort. It's the practical base, the town with the museum and the leisure centre and the farm B&Bs, sitting apart from the cliffs and coves that define the rest of the county's tourist image.