Bideford is an historic maritime town on the River Torridge in North Devon. There has been a settlement at Bideford for over a thousand years and it has been an important port throughout its history. Today, Bideford is a thriving town with a fine selection of shops (including individual shops), cafes and restaurants, a park and the Atlantic Village Outlet Shopping Centre located on the outskirts of the town. Bideford is in a fantastic location to explore the surrounding area. It is just a few miles from Westward Ho!, which is dominated by two miles of spectacular coastline and proudly retains the prestigious Blue Flag award year upon year. Its sandy beach, backed by a unique pebble ridge, attracts visitors from all over the country and offers fantastic bathing and watersport activities. Just beyond the pebble ridge is Northam Burrows Country Park, which lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has 253 hectares of grassy coastal plain with salt marsh, sand dunes and grasslands. The country park is also home to England’s oldest golf course. The South West Coastal Path and the famous traffic-free Tarka Trail are close by, providing magnificent walking and cycling opportunities. The award-winning Big Sheep all weather family attraction and the Ultimate Adventure Centre are approximately a mile down the road, with the Atlantic Village Outlet Shopping Centre and Supermarket a couple of miles away. The delightful quayside village of Appledore and the pretty beach at Instow are both just over three miles away, whilst the traditional market town of Barnstaple is just ten miles away, and the picturesque fishing village of Clovelly, with its quaint cobbled streets, is eleven miles away. The North Devon coast also boasts numerous outstanding beaches, many within easy reach, including those found at Instow, Saunton Sands, Croyde, Woolacombe and Bude. This is an area of breathtaking beauty, with plenty to see and do for all ages.
