Barnstaple, anyone know it?
Discussion
Hey 
I know Devon and Somerset quite well, and feel I know my way around the counties and what’s good and bad.
However for some reason I've never really ventured to North Devon and I've certainly never been to Barnstaple area.
I’m off to look at a property in Bishops Tawton on the outskirts of Barnstaple at the weekend and just wondered if I can get a bit of a locals insight?
A lovely picturesque west country town/city with cobble buildings and a farmers market, or a bit of a council house/butlins/caravan park type place?
Good pubs and restaurants?
I’m going to have a good look around at the weekend and get to know the area, but some towns just have a reputation of being tacky and want to avoid at all costs.
Thanks
I know Devon and Somerset quite well, and feel I know my way around the counties and what’s good and bad.
However for some reason I've never really ventured to North Devon and I've certainly never been to Barnstaple area.
I’m off to look at a property in Bishops Tawton on the outskirts of Barnstaple at the weekend and just wondered if I can get a bit of a locals insight?
A lovely picturesque west country town/city with cobble buildings and a farmers market, or a bit of a council house/butlins/caravan park type place?
Good pubs and restaurants?
I’m going to have a good look around at the weekend and get to know the area, but some towns just have a reputation of being tacky and want to avoid at all costs.
Thanks
I live just outside of Barnstaple although about to move away.
Bishops Tawton is a nice area, fairly quiet if that's what you're into. There's a pub there called The Chichester Arms that does good food, the only other thing I know about it is that there's a cow farm on the main road that you have to drive past whilst holding your nose.
Barnstaple is a bit more alive with a few pubs, shops and restaurants. Lillicos is a decent tapas bar with a good belgian beer selection and good food, also Claytons is good for something a bit more spirit based and also has a good menu. Custom house is a good American style burger place and the owner also has a pub called the Bull and Bear which is much of the same but more of a pub than a restaurant.
Lots of good beaches nearby on the coast and some good roads around, Exmoor is close by for a bit of a hoon or a hike.
Other than that lot it's just a small town which tends to die off in the winter and fill with tourists in the summer.
Bishops Tawton is a nice area, fairly quiet if that's what you're into. There's a pub there called The Chichester Arms that does good food, the only other thing I know about it is that there's a cow farm on the main road that you have to drive past whilst holding your nose.
Barnstaple is a bit more alive with a few pubs, shops and restaurants. Lillicos is a decent tapas bar with a good belgian beer selection and good food, also Claytons is good for something a bit more spirit based and also has a good menu. Custom house is a good American style burger place and the owner also has a pub called the Bull and Bear which is much of the same but more of a pub than a restaurant.
Lots of good beaches nearby on the coast and some good roads around, Exmoor is close by for a bit of a hoon or a hike.
Other than that lot it's just a small town which tends to die off in the winter and fill with tourists in the summer.
Thanks Rob, some good recommendations there by the looks of it.
If done as much remote research as possible, google maps/street view etc and it looks like a lovely village and town.
Sometimes its hard to get a "feel" for somewhere until you’ve been a few times though, I cant tell just yet if its a quaint stone cottage type place or a little more built up and industrial. Only time will tell I guess.
If done as much remote research as possible, google maps/street view etc and it looks like a lovely village and town.
Sometimes its hard to get a "feel" for somewhere until you’ve been a few times though, I cant tell just yet if its a quaint stone cottage type place or a little more built up and industrial. Only time will tell I guess.
I'm speaking to you now from near Barnstaple, we are on holiday :-)
It's lovely round here and there are some AMAZING roads. Like, really enjoy a drive amazing. Not much in the way of potholes either.
There's enough around here although I can't personally find a shell nearby on my 2015 Satnav maps. There is a BP, not too bad for my diesel but for those who require 99 it may be more of a struggle.
From what I can see it's quite a nice place which is defo subject to the yearly intflux of summer / decline in winter. Coming at the time we have it's quiet but that's nice. I imagine in the summer it would be boring and dull when it's full.
Haven't ventured into Barnstaple too much, we are staying in a little collection of standalone cottages about 3 miles away. But there's quite a few nice local pubs etc. The Hunters Inn is very good!
It's lovely round here and there are some AMAZING roads. Like, really enjoy a drive amazing. Not much in the way of potholes either.
There's enough around here although I can't personally find a shell nearby on my 2015 Satnav maps. There is a BP, not too bad for my diesel but for those who require 99 it may be more of a struggle.
From what I can see it's quite a nice place which is defo subject to the yearly intflux of summer / decline in winter. Coming at the time we have it's quiet but that's nice. I imagine in the summer it would be boring and dull when it's full.
Haven't ventured into Barnstaple too much, we are staying in a little collection of standalone cottages about 3 miles away. But there's quite a few nice local pubs etc. The Hunters Inn is very good!
Thanks Guys, its great to hear about the driving roads and that you are there on holiday.
We are looking at a place with 10 acres with the aim of starting a holiday let business, see the below thread for an indication of what but basiclly adults only top end log cabins, hot tub on the deck, champagne on the table type place.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
So good to hear it seems to be a popular holiday place and busy in the summer
We are looking at a place with 10 acres with the aim of starting a holiday let business, see the below thread for an indication of what but basiclly adults only top end log cabins, hot tub on the deck, champagne on the table type place.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
So good to hear it seems to be a popular holiday place and busy in the summer
The A39 to Bude is also a good road but I would often see someone who had misjudged a corner or overtake resulting in them going off road.
I lived there for 4 years with work and miss the place TBH. It was crap if the wife wanted to go shopping or if we had to go anywhere near the m5 but everything else we wanted was there.
One thing I will say is that its windy as f
k there which is good for the outdoorsy crowd but maybe not for hottubs and champers etc
I lived there for 4 years with work and miss the place TBH. It was crap if the wife wanted to go shopping or if we had to go anywhere near the m5 but everything else we wanted was there.
One thing I will say is that its windy as f
k there which is good for the outdoorsy crowd but maybe not for hottubs and champers etcKnow it! I've lived on the outskirts for 30 years. Well in what was a village, Braunton. Now a parking nightmare and watch out for yet another roundabout, traffic lights and bus stop at the new developement between Chivenor and the "Village" on the A361. Barnstaple is a tired town the high street full of closed shops and the air of abandonment stifled by parking charges. The infamous Barnstaple traffic jam during the tourist season has been easied with the new Taw bridge but has moved the 'glut' of traffic further down the bottle neck Braunton.If shopping is your thing, forget it go to Exeter or Plymouth because the attitude of retailers is,we don't stock it therefore it doesn't exsist! Eating out, pretty poor, better selection in pubs outside the town. People, generally not pleasant,insouciant. Driving,as stated a few interesting roads but blighted by farm or contruction vehicles. Beaches great but not one to park near without paying ever rising charges. Choice to live here? No. J C.
Oh that’s a shame to hear you say that John, me and the wife actually made the trip down last weekend, went for lunch, had a good look around and we were actually pretty surprised how much we liked it.
Don’t forget, not everyone wants designer shops and chain restaurants. for me, a butchers, a greengrocers, some nice shops and a couple of decent pubs and independent restaurants are all I’m after, and as a result of that it seems pretty perfect.
I’m happy to chug into Exeter for a bigger shop every few months.
I’m back again on the 20th having another look at the property and another in East Down, so Ill have another look around.
Don’t forget, not everyone wants designer shops and chain restaurants. for me, a butchers, a greengrocers, some nice shops and a couple of decent pubs and independent restaurants are all I’m after, and as a result of that it seems pretty perfect.
I’m happy to chug into Exeter for a bigger shop every few months.
I’m back again on the 20th having another look at the property and another in East Down, so Ill have another look around.
I thought I would come out of posting hibernation for this topic as I am born and bred in Barnstaple! I now live full time in Bedfordshire but head home every 4-6 weeks to see family and friends. I really want to move back!
As has been said it can be a bit quiet, town has lost a few shops but some new shops and restaurants are planned on the other side of the river in a new development. TK Maxx has just gone into the town centre.
Barnstsple has good pubs and restaurants, as mentioned there are A few nice ones, some more old fashioned boozers and a few late night places.
It is easy for the beaches and the coast, as said Braunton and Croyde is busy in the summer. We tend to use the buses in the summer and go to pubs in Ilfracombe, Croyde, or the other way to Bideford or instow. There are a few cycle routes too.
Plenty of new houses being built which is good and bad, but places like Landkey, fremington and Bishops Tawton are just outside but close enough. Traffic can be a pain, for some reason they don't seem to be able to get it right, they need to reopen some roads to traffic again to keep things moving especially in the summer!
As has been said it can be a bit quiet, town has lost a few shops but some new shops and restaurants are planned on the other side of the river in a new development. TK Maxx has just gone into the town centre.
Barnstsple has good pubs and restaurants, as mentioned there are A few nice ones, some more old fashioned boozers and a few late night places.
It is easy for the beaches and the coast, as said Braunton and Croyde is busy in the summer. We tend to use the buses in the summer and go to pubs in Ilfracombe, Croyde, or the other way to Bideford or instow. There are a few cycle routes too.
Plenty of new houses being built which is good and bad, but places like Landkey, fremington and Bishops Tawton are just outside but close enough. Traffic can be a pain, for some reason they don't seem to be able to get it right, they need to reopen some roads to traffic again to keep things moving especially in the summer!
There's two butchers in Barnstaple owned by the same family beginning with G. Don't use the one on Butchers Row but go to the other one and build up some banter with the younger bloke there. My dogs miss the loads of free off cuts he used to give me and everything else was just right!
dai1983 said:
There's two butchers in Barnstaple owned by the same family beginning with G. Don't use the one on Butchers Row but go to the other one and build up some banter with the younger bloke there. My dogs miss the loads of free off cuts he used to give me and everything else was just right!
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