The Fernery Devon - Luxury that doesn't cost the earth
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Paddleboarding and Kayaking

​The coast around Ilfracombe features strong tides and big surf but there are also protected bays and coves

Check availability

Kayaks and Paddleboards can be stored in the Fernery garage providing this is arranged in advance.
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Lee Bay

If you turn right out of the Fernery and keep going you will get to Lee Bay after a couple of miles. There is a good sized car park there which is free - but get there early in the day in the summer. Lee is a picturesque village, which lays in a valley between Ilfracombe and Mortehoe in North Devon, with a fantastic local free house, the Grampus Inn,  which brews its own beer and serves amazing food to enjoy after a long day paddling the canoe.
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The jewel of the village is the bay itself. In the height of the summer season, it is still a quiet location to enjoy. You have a couple of options after launching from the bay; firstly, you can potter around the interesting sights near the beach itself; if kayaking we advise paddling a mile and a half left to Rockham bay in Mortehoe passing Bennet’s Mouth, which has a clean, freshwater stream running into it, ideal for topping up the water bottles. If paddleboarding there are nice beaches just around the headlands on either side of the bay - with Sandy Cove (beach) being round to the left. Secondly, you have the chance to head right all the way to Ilfracombe harbour which is a few miles, but makes a great paddle on a flat day - going there on the flooding tide and coming back on the ebb.

Watermouth Cove

 Watermouth Cove is a well established launching site for Kayaks and paddleboards but is privately owned. The launch facilities are still available to use at a charge of £3.50 per kayak. However, during busy periods they cannot offer their launch service to you if you're not staying on the Watermouth Cove park. Please call ahead of time to check availability on 01271 862504. 

Paddleboard and Kayak hire is available at Watermouth Cove from Active Escape


Combe Martin/Broadsands Beach
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Combe Martin is a focus for paddleboards and kayaks locally due to its interesting coastline full of coves, beaches, gullies and caves. It is also possible to see a lot of wildlife with regular sightings of dolphin and porpoise.

Paddleboards and Kayaks can be hired from 2 different places in Combe Martin:

​Surf side kayak hire
OSKC Watersports
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Broadsands Beach, also referred to as Broad Strand Beach, is one of the most beautiful beach settings in the West country and, arguably, the UK. When the sun's out, it looks like a beach in Thailand. Situated below towering and heavily wooded cliffs, it provides fine views of Combe Martin Bay. Broadsands Beach is located on the North Devon coast by the borders of Exmoor National Park and the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The stunning Watermouth Bay and Watermouth Cove are just west. The popular Exmoor gateway village Combe Martin is to the east.

 



Picture

Never underestimate the sea

The seas around Ilfracombe can be pretty wild - Croyde, Woolacombe and Saunton Sands are not renowned surfing beaches without a reason and the Bristol Channel has the world's second largest tidal range so care needs to be taken when paddleboarding or kayaking. If the tide or surf is right though there are many opportunities to explore a wide and intersting variety of rocky shores, sandy beaches and large estuaries nearby. 

The flooding tide will carry you East towards Bristol and the ebbing tide will carry you West towards Cornwall - the hour either side of low or high water has the least tidal movement on a neap tide but on spring tides there is not much slack at all.

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Any questions - please contact Caroline & Chris Mitchell on +44 7912 205690 or email [email protected] 


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