| Great trails: North Devon |
| Flower power |
| Our garden path will dazzle your senses with colour and fragrance |
The start point of our day’s tour of North Devon’s acclaimed gardens is Ashford Gardens and its Butterfly House.
1. Ashford Gardens
• Take the A361 from Barnstaple for two miles. Turn right to Ashford and Marwood. Ashford Gardens is on your left.
Landscaped gardens with a lake stocked with fish, overlook the Taw Estuary. There are tea rooms, rose gardens and an adventure area for the kids. In the Butterfly House, vibrantly-coloured butterflies flit around in the ‘tropical’ climate.
2. Marwood Hill Gardens
• Leaving Ashford Gardens, turn left, then right at 0.6 miles to Marwood. Go straight on at the next junction (0.9 miles). Turn left towards Marwood at the T-junction (1.2 miles), then left again at 2.4 miles, to Marwood Hill. Park at St Michael Church car park. (Note: manoeuvring can be tight here for rigs over 6m long).
In the upper garden, there are many rare trees, shrubs and alpine plants, as well as the smallest conifer in the world. During the summer, the areas around the walled garden are a burst of
colourful blooms. Lower down, there are three lakes with ducks and carp. Here, you’ll find dwarf conifers and rare tree-ferns.
3. Arlington Court
• Return down Marwood Hill to the junction and turn left at three miles, to Muddiford/Ilfracombe. Turn right at 3.2 miles to Muddiford and right again at the T-junction for Barnstaple (B3230). At 6.4 miles, turn left (A39) towards Arlington Court and Lynton. At 12.4 miles, turn right and then park on the left.
Arlington Court is an 1822 stately house with a Victorian garden and 11 hectares of landscaped park. The grounds are grazed by Shetland ponies and Jacob sheep, and there is a nature trail which leads visitors down to the lake – where a hide allows you to watch the waterfowl.
4. Tapeley Park
• Return to the A39. Turn left to Barnstaple. At 20.7 miles, go straight across the next two islands. Follow the road as it skirts the town centre. At the roundabout (21.3 miles) take the third exit. Cross the bridge and follow the B3233. Take the second exit at the roundabout (22.1 miles) to Instow. Turn left to Tapeley Park.
The owner of Tapeley Park, Hector Christie told us: “the beauty of the gardens is their unregimented nature.” Indeed, there is a
profusion of rare plants, shrubs, trees palms, mimosa and hibiscus, which thrive on the attractive,
terraced ground.
The gardens are divided into four, themed areas, including Italian terraces, a walled kitchen garden and an organic, permaculture garden.
The Wild Garden has a children’s play area where the kids can see Highland cattle, rare breeds of pig, and peacocks.
5. Rosemoor Garden (RHS)
• Leave Tapeley Park by the B3233. At 30.7 miles turn right to Torrington and Okehampton, crossing the river, before turning left onto the A386 south to Torrington. Go through Great Torrington (37.6 miles) and at 38.1 miles turn left for Rosemoor Garden, on the right at 39 miles.
Rosemoor Garden spreads across 40 acres of the Torridge Valley. The formal garden has one of the longest herbaceous borders in the country and is connected to the mature planting of Lady Anne’s Garden by a winding, rocky gorge with bamboos beside the stream.
6. Torrington 1646
• Leave Rosemoor Garden and return to the A386. Head north towards Bideford.
Torrington 1646 commemorates the last major conflict of the English Civil War, and does so with more than just plants and flowers. A visit here presents you with the chance to meet costumed 17th-century characters and explore the walled Physic garden, which is brimming with herbal remedies.
7. Clovelly Court Garden
• Return to the A386 and Bideford. At 46.5 miles, turn left onto the A39 (east). At 56.8 miles, turn right on the B3237, to Clovelly Court Garden (57.8 miles).
This is a Victorian kitchen garden, with lean-to greenhouses. Apricots, melons and a fig tree are among the fruit you will find growing here. In addition, the walled garden shelters organically-grown vegetables.
8. Hartland Abbey
• Return to the A39 and turn right on the B3248, through Hartland (62.2 miles) to West St. Follow the signs for Hartland Abbey.
The Abbey (founded in 1157) sits in a sheltered valley by a small trout stream. The paths wind through woodland gardens with azaleas, camelias and hydrangeas. These gardens flourish all year round, showing mixed borders and rare plants in the rediscovered walled gardens and Victorian Fernery.
9. Docton Mill
• Continue into Stoke and Hartland Quay, then turn left to St Leonards. At 64.6 miles, turn right to Wargery. At 65.3 miles turn left for Lymebridge. At 66.7 miles, turn right at the crossroads to Docton Mill. Overhanging trees in the main car park allow only 2m headroom so, you may want to turn right at the crossroads and park alongside the millhouse.
Docton Mill sits in a pretty, secluded valley. There’s a
fully-restored watermill as well as the delightful gardens in which you can enjoy a stroll.
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Distance 94 miles.
Time 9 hours.
Start/finish Ashford Gardens, Ashford.
Suitable for All the family.
Refreshments
Squires Fish and Chip Restaurant Exeter Road, Braunton, Tel 01271 815533. The Old Barn Bickington, Barnstaple.Tel 01271 372195
Attractions
Ashford Gardens.
Tel 01271 342880
Torrington 1646.
Tel 01805 626146
Tapeley Park.
Tel 01271 342371/860528
RHS Garden Rosemoor.
Tel 01805 624067
Clovelly Court Garden.
Tel 01237 431781
Docton Mill.
Tel 01237 441369
Hartland Abbey.
Tel 01237 441264
Marwood Hill Gardens.
Tel 01271 342528
Arlington Court.
Tel 01271 850296
Tip
Photography is not allowed in the historic buildings.
Suggested campsite
Watermouth Cove Holiday Park, Berrynarbor. Tel 01271 862504. Set in 27 acres of coastline. Good facilities, with plenty to do. Book in advance. £7/£18.80 + four adults, £2 extra adult, under-5s free.
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