Appledore
Characterised by its winding narrow streets and colourful houses, the charming village of Appledore sits at the confluence of the Taw and Torridge rivers with lovely views across to Instow. Tourists and travellers will love the chance to explore by taking the seasonal ferry over to the neighbouring Instow for a day trip.
Appledore is a favourite location with locals and visitors alike, with it being a popular location since Victorian times. In fact, like many of the coastal areas of North Devon, it gained fame after being featured in a novel by Charles Kinglsey, who lived in Bideford. He described it as a “little white fishing village” and that description still stands today with the many pastel-coloured buildings, the jumble of cottages and the harbour lined with white terraces.Appledore Book Festival
Because of its artistic merits, Appledore is home to a number of popular annual events. The Appledore Book Festival draws visitors from across the country and features talks and activities with a range of acclaimed international authors. If you’re looking for family fun, try the Appledore-Instow Regatta, where you can cheer on the gig boat crews as they race along the quay or try your hand at crabbing and beach tug-of-war competitions!
For those looking for a touch of adventure, Appledore is a great place to launch your own seafaring mission. You can find a range of boat and fishing trips, like the seasonal ferry over to Instow, head to the quay and follow the signs!
Discover Appledore's Maritime History
The village is built on a tradition of fishing and boat building which still continues today. For centuries, Appledore was an important shipbuilding centre for the region and the village’s large indoor shipyard continues to be a source of employment for many of the residents. Because of its long maritime heritage, the village is now home to the North Devon Maritime Museum. The museum, housed in a Grade 2 listed Georgian building, the former home of several of the village’s important ship owners. The museum has a wide range of exhibits detailing Appledore’s history, as well as the wider maritime history of North Devon, which includes Viking raids, WWII beach landings and ship building throughout the years.
Things to do in Appledore
As well as being famous for its maritime history and local seafood, Appledore has always been historically celebrated for its art and creativity. The town holds regular arts festivals and resident craftspeople showcase a wide range of arts and crafts from ceramics, photography, jewellery and furniture among other products which can be picked up at independent stores and regularly held markets.
You can quite easily spend a few hours wandering through the network of historic streets, taking in the traditional fishing cottages museums and independent shops, before indulging in some fine local produce at one of the many cafes, pubs and restaurants.
The village is well known for the quality of the seafood, with salmon, cod, bass, cockles and mussels being popular choices. It isn’t uncommon to pop into an eatery for some refreshments to find fish and seafood that had been brought in only hours before.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Appledore have a beach?
Appledore itself doesn't have a beach but just around the corner is Westward Ho!, where you will find seaside shops, toilets and a range of food outlets, all making it a popular family beach. Made up of a long sandy beach backed by a pebble ridge with Northam Burrows Country Park accessible at one end this beach offers the best of both sand rock pools and nature. RNLI Lifeguard service is available from May to September and the beach is popular with windsurfers surfers and swimmers. Dogs are permitted from October to April on the whole beach and all year round at the Northam Burrows end. There is ample car parking and disabled parking close to the beach.
Learn more about Appledore
Can you walk to Appledore from Westward Ho!?
Yes, there is a waymarked path along the south side of the River Taw estuary using sections of the South West Coast Path that will take you to Westward Ho!
See the routes in North Devon here