Days Out
There are so many lovely ways to spend your days while staying at Southcliffe Hall. These are some of our favourites:
Enjoying the wide variety of beaches – from a few minutes’ walk away
Walk down our garden steps and a few minutes’ down the path to the sea to scour the rock pools of Lee Bay for crabs, anemones and prawns; You can surf in the some of Britain’s best waves at Woolacombe and Croyde (take lessons, whatever your age!), or simply stroll along the miles of white sand; sit on Barricane Beach eating fresh ciabatta sandwiches or watching the sunset eating a Sri Lankan curry; or discover the many secluded and private coves.
The circular walk from Lee to Mortehoe
This six to eight mile walk along the National Trust’s South West Coastal Path, starts at our doorstep and takes you on some of the most spectacular coastline in the country. Sharp cliffs abundant with wild flowers such as orchids, steps down to secluded beaches, and the chance sighting of dolphins, basking sharks and seals. Enjoy a lovely seafood lunch before returning inland to Lee, through open pastures and ancient woodland. Be back home in time for afternoon tea on the lawns.
Touring the local gardens
Garden lovers hop from garden to garden for several days. The RHS gardens at Rosemoor has all-year interest, but the vegetable and herb patches are especially good! Marwood is especially impressive for its camellias, rhododendrons, astilbes but also has a beautifully tranquil lake and bog garden. At Tapeley Park gardens, the Italian terraces and walled kitchen garden are lovely, and at Arlington Court (NT) the spring azaleas are stunning.
Scenic drives Lee to Dunster (east), and Lee to Clovelly (west)
The coastal drives both the west and east of Lee are delightful, and provide ideal day excursions for those wanting to get a feel of the coast but over greater distance than a walk allows. To the east, the road to Lynton goes through the spellbinding Valley of the Rocks, with its stone formations trampled over by wild goats (and the perfect sunset spot with a bench in just the right place!), then on and up, as Exmoor joins the cliffline, affording a rare expansive view over the Moor, then on to Porlock Weir, Cleeve Abbey (EH) and Dunster Castle (NT).
Boat trips
Enjoying the coast without the exercise or map reading! Boats leave Ilfracombe three times a week to Lundy Island. Not only does this give passengers a marvellous view of the North Devon coast (including Southcliffe Hall!), it is also the only way to get to this small island owned by the National Trust and managed by the Landmark Trust. The island is an offshore haven for birdlife such as puffins, and wild ponies and seals. Shorter boat trips leave Ilfracombe along the coast, in summer months on the old paddle steamer, the Waverley.
