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At Newberry Valley, we aim to help you as much as possible, so we've taken the guesswork out of your family trip with this useful itinerary to keep the whole family happy. Day One Arrive at Newberry Valley Park and set up camp for the week. If the kids are more of a hindrance than a help during the setup process, send them off to the play park to make new friends, and then later walk to Combe Martin for an afternoon of beach fun.   Day Two Head to Hele Beach or Ilfracombe Watersports Hub for pre-booked coasteering / SUP / kayaking activities, and then spend the late afternoon in Ilfracombe Town, browsing the shops, arcades, and enjoying crazy golf, bouncy castles and play areas.   Day Three Get up and out for a full theme park day. Choose The Milky Way, enjoying shows, rides, play and indoor & outdoor activities (collect a return voucher for your next visit.) For a closer alternative option, visit the Wildlife and Dinosaur Park for animals galore and soft play too.   Day Four Explore the Valley of the Rocks for a while, then park up in Lynton and take the coast path down to Lynmouth for a wander, then catch the Cliff Railway back up again. Make the most of the scenic route home and stop off for a cream tea at the National Trust cafe at Watersmeet.   Day Five Today is a beach day at Woolacombe for sun, sand and sea, with options for surf hire or lessons, or horse riding. On a Wednesday evening, you can even stop for the sheepdog & falconry show on the way home   Day Six Get your adrenaline fix at Keypitts Off Road Adventures in the morning. Recover your energies with an afternoon boat trip departing from Ilfracombe - there's a variety of options available from the harbour. Then finish the day with fun at the slip 'n' slide   Day Seven Get your animal fix today at The Big Sheep with plenty to entertain, then go for some retail therapy at Affinity shopping centre close by, or choose to finish your holiday with water fun at the Ultimate Adventure Centre.   Day Eight Pack up after an action-packed week, and if time allows, take the scenic route home with a drive or even a walk over Exmoor. To make the most of your holidays, it's a good idea to book at least a couple of days in advance for each activity. Before you do, many of these activity providers offer discounts to Newberry Valley Park customers! Once you've booked your pitch or hut, we'll send you the access details to our site app, where you will find the discount details. Happy memories are what our business is all about at Newberry Valley. And the most important part of our day is creating the ideal environment for you and your family to enjoy those special holiday moments together. And if you made use of this itinerary on your holiday, let us know how you got on! We’d love to hear about what worked for you, as well as what you’d include next time!

Newberry Valley ticks all the boxes for your family camping holiday! Here's our family guide to enjoying the best of North Devon while you're here.   1. Brilliant Beach Days No North Devon trip would be complete without 1, 2 or 3 trips to the beach, whether you spend the whole day or just an hour or two there, here are three of our top picks:   Combe Martin & Newberry Beach These 2 beaches combine together when the tide is out, and have a big array of offerings in a relatively small space! Partly sandy & partly stoney Rockpools & caves Swimming & paddling Kayak tours (prebook) Kayaking (hire available) Paddleboarding (hire available) Dogs allowed on certain parts Food & ice cream very close 10-minute walk from site   Hele Bay This regularly overlooked beach extends surprisingly far round the coast and feels like you're tucked away from the rest of the world for a while! Partly sandy & partly stoney Rockpools  Swimming & paddling Coasteering (prebook) Kayaking (prebook hire) Paddleboarding (prebook hire) Cheap car parking very close to beach Dogs allowed 10-minute drive from site   Woolacombe Beach The golden sands of glorious Woolacombe Beach are world renowned for good reason, and no North Devon holiday would be complete without a visit here! Beautiful golden sand Surfing hire & lessons Lots of shops in the village Bodyboarding Swimming & paddling Perfect for sandcastles Dogs allowed on certain parts Lots of food & drink options 30-minute drive from site 2. Lovely Local Towns These picturesque towns each offer something unique to entertain families, and have plenty of options for grabbing traditional cream teas, fish & chips or handmade ice creams: Lynmouth & Lynton   Cliff railway Artisan shops Beautiful beach & gorge Valley of rocks Coast path walk 30-minute drive from site Ilfracombe   Harbour & beach Arcades & shops Seafront play area Statue of Verity Crazy golf & bouncy castles 15-minute drive from site Braunton   Paint-a-pot Burrows walks Surf & artisan shops Play areas & rec field Pump track 30-minute drive from site 3. Terrific Tourist Attractions  We're lucky to have a big range of fun days out in this area, and they all offer discounts to Newberry Valley Park customers. It's hard to narrow it down, but here are three of our favourites:   The Milky Way This small theme park will entertain all ages and leave you with exhausted children at the end of the day. 2 soft play areas Rollercoasters & rides Various daily shows Great for all weathers Birds of prey Big range of activities Age range 0-100 1 hour drive from site    Watermouth Castle This curious attraction is an eclectic mix of historic curiosities and outdoor rides and play areas. New outdoor playground Toboggan Spooky dungeon Ride on attractions Curiosity museum Sand pit play area Age range 2-12 5-minute drive from site   The Big Sheep This is a classic Devon attraction like no other, and there’s lots of fun farm activities packed in.   Sheep racing Animal feeding Indoor soft play Live shows Family rides Outdoor fun Age range 0-100 1 hour drive from site   4. Fabulous Family Walks No family holiday is complete without some time wandering around a new area, and we have so many stunning choices in this area. Here are the easiest options for little legs: Chapel Woods   1 mile circular walk Stream & ruins to play in Woodland to explore Shaded by trees On road parking 25-minute drive from site Heddon Valley   2 mile circular walk Path follows river to sea Stony beach to explore Mainly shaded National trust car park 25-minute drive from site Simonsbath   Up to 5 mile point to point Walk through valley & moor Open without shade Varied terrain to explore Public car park 30-minute drive from site 5. Unique Activities It’s experiences like these which make a trip special. Here are some out-of-the-ordinary adventures, where you’ll make family memories to last a lifetime:   Keypitts Off Road Centre Mini landrovers, age 3-10 4x4 experience, age 6+ Quadbiking, age 6+ Motorbiking, age 10+ Axe throwing, age 10 + 15-minute drive from site Ilfracombe Princess Boat Tours Coast & wildlife tours Sunset cruises 3 trips daily Monthly music sessions Suitable for all ages 15-minute drive from site Woolacombe Riding Stables Riding lessons Countryside rides Beach rides Beginner options, age 4+ Aay at the stables, age7+ 25-minute drive from site The Family Guide Round-Up So whatever it is that takes your fancy, we’ve got you covered with lots of options to keep you busy and entertained. At the end of the day, when you’re all happily exhausted, the best bit is that you get to return to your spacious pitch at Newberry Valley. Any remaining energy the kids have can be run off with friends at the playpark, whilst you sit back and enjoy the stunning views of a campsite: secluded and yet it's so close to the village. A place where you can appreciate the nature all around, but still connect to the wifi, where you can enjoy the woodland walks, but you don’t have to use a compost loo and an outdoor shower! Here at Newberry Valley Park, you’ve got the best of both worlds, to give you the best camping holiday – luxury camping in nature! Come, stay with us, and experience the joys of country and coastal living. Book your getaway now. We can't wait to welcome you!

Spring is in the air! There’s something truly special about spring wildlife in North Devon - from croaking frogs to blooming hedgerows, nature feels wide awake. Although the temperatures here remain fairly fresh, the sun has been a regular feature over the past few weeks, and it’s made such a difference. Much as I love the hibernation that winter offers, the dawning of spring brings with it a sense of freshness, hope, and inspiration. And it's not just us humans who feel brighter and more active at this time of year. The Spring Equinox, when daylight hours are equal to the hours of darkness here in the northern hemisphere, marks the beginning of the breeding season for many species—none more so than our little green friends, the frogs. A few of the frogs in our fishing lake with bellies full of eggs Spring wildlife in North Devon is always a joy to witness, and here at Newberry Valley we’ve been especially excited to see the abundance of frogspawn and frogs around the site. A few years back, our frog population was severely depleted due to a virus, so we’re absolutely delighted to notice loads of mating frogs and frogspawn around the edges of the lake. Although, there's a cautionary note to all this spring fertility activity. As avid nature lovers, we want to do our bit to help protect these fascinating amphibious creatures and the biodiversity they are a part of. When it rains, the frogs often take to the pathways and roads, especially at night. This, of course, makes them vulnerable to injury and death from cars and other vehicles, so we’d like to put out a plea for extra care at these times. Please drive slowly and with care - not just here on site, but wherever you may be. After all, they’re some of the best natural garden pest controllers. They eat slugs, snails, caterpillars, flies, and even mosquitoes, so it’s well worth taking extra care and attention to keep the frog population strong.   It’s not just frogs we care about here at Newberry Valley. We held the David Bellamy Gold Award for Conservation for over 10 years, and we continue to strive to protect and encourage the wildlife around us, doing our bit to support the diversity of nature. Whether you're here for a weekend or a week, spring is the perfect time to unwind and reconnect with nature.

Our oak woodland at Newberry Valley Park There are many things I love about living here, far too many to write about but I thought I'd share with you a couple of things that are special to me and many of our guests too. Our wonderful oak woodland walk It’s simple – I just adore trees, especially oak trees, so I am absolutely thrilled that we have a gorgeous ancient oak woodland located at the far end of the site. A pathway winds its way up amidst these old trees to the top of the hill. All around, there are abundant plants and wildlife. It is such a beautiful haven for nature and great for a quiet walk through the dappled sunlight on a bright morning. Seaside Bliss We really are in a great location. Having lived in Worcestershire, pretty much the furthest you can get from the seaside, for the first 35 years of my life, it is such a treat to be so close to the sea. There’s a pathway opposite the site entrance that takes you straight down to Newberry Beach within 5 minutes. A minute or two longer down the hill and you will reach the main beach of Combe Martin and the independent seaside shops, pubs, and cafes. The countryside comes to you! We get lots of wildlife sharing the valley with us, from buzzards soaring in the skies to foxes, rabbits, badgers, and even the occasional deer wandering across the surrounding fields. And, of course, there are our alpacas; Jess, Cocoa, and Tilly. We have minimal light pollution in the valley so on a clear night, you can gaze at the millions of stars sparkling in the dark blue sky. (I just love to listen to the conversation between the owls too.) Our very own little micro-climate The valley is sheltered from the prevailing winds. Too many times I have left without a coat thinking it was plenty warm enough only to find further afield it’s blowing a hooley! Many of our guests simply rest up in the valley enjoying its warmer climate. I could go on and on about how much we love living here. We are truly blessed and grateful to live in such a gorgeous place. But most importantly, we want you to enjoy it as much as we do. Come, stay with us, and experience the joys of country and coastal living. Book your getaway now. We can't wait to welcome you!

North Devon has experienced a 'food renaissance' over the past few years in fact it is fast becoming renowned as the Foodie's destination with a number of gastropubs and top restaurants around the region to choose from. I haven’t yet managed to visit them all, however, in the name of 'market research', I am doing my best to try them one by one! I thought you might like a brief overview of just some of the fine dining options in Devon when you stay here at Newberry Valley. THE PYNE ARMS East Down (15 minutes drive) The Pyne Arms A national award-winning gastro pub with a cosy log fire, and a friendly country pub feel, they use the finest locally sourced produce on their weekly menus. NEW COAST KITCHEN Croyde (30 minutes' drive) The New Coast An ultra-stylish modern British restaurant with all desires covered… whether you are looking for a fine dining 3 course meal, lighter small plates or just some oysters and fizz outside in the sun. THE ROCK INN Georgeham (30 minutes' drive) The Rock Inn This 17th Century Inn offers everything a good gastro Devon country pub should be with five cask real ales, an extensive wine list and fantastic freshly cooked menus served by attentive staff. THE ANTIDOTE Ilfracombe (10 minutes' drive) The Antidote A trendy restaurant that offers great value wholesome food full of personality and flavour amidst a warm and intimate environment making this award-winning restaurant a year-round favourite. THE SEACLIFF Berrynarbor (2 minutes' drive) The Seacliff With some truly magnificent views out over the sea and the rugged North Devon headlands this restaurant has the wow factor. It provides a fine dining experience, along with a tasting menu and wine flight for those diners who looking for something that extra bit special. And there's plenty more options so come and enjoy the flavours of the region! Why not make your culinary adventure even more memorable? Join us at Newberry Valley Park, perfectly nestled in the heart of this food paradise. Book now to secure your spot and immerse yourself in the delights North Devon has to offer you!

In the winter, our three alpacas get spoiled – they are completely free to roam all the fields surrounding the campsite and enjoy the delights of the varied grasses and hedgerows. They even occasionally head over the peak of the hill into the adjoining fields owned by the local farmer, Richard. Thankfully, we have a great relationship with him, and he is most amused when Jess, Cocoa, and Tilly pay him a visit. Our gorgeous Cocoa When I visited Peru back in 2016, I spent some time up in the high Andes. There, I was able to see herds of alpacas living wild, roaming the Ausengate mountains and meadows. They had indigenous Quechua herders, usually women, who would live out on the land with them to shepherd and keep an eye on the general well-being of the herd. I tell you what – it’s not a job for the faint-hearted. Temperatures can get very warm in the day and then below freezing at night. In addition, they can travel significant distances over very rough and challenging terrain, and the alpacas (as well as the humans) are at risk of attack by the Andean Mountain pumas. I’m glad looking after alpacas here in the UK is significantly easier! Alpacas in the High Andes... Brrrrrr! Like all animals, each of our girls has a very different character, likes, and dislikes. Jess is the nervous, hyper-vigilant one of the group who is always on the lookout for danger. She will make a very unusual high-pitched alarm sound if she feels there is a security risk close by. Cocoa is the older of the two brown alpacas and tends to be a bit bossy and serious at times, then Tilly is a soft and gentle girl who regularly gets into trouble with the older two. Alpacas, wherever they live, have to be sheared annually. The fleeces are beautifully thick and soft, and the fibre, once spun, produces a very special and unique wool. The ancient Incas valued the alpaca fibre more highly than silver and even gold. Our girls are not particularly keen on being sheared each year, but Colin, our expert shearer, has it off to a fine art, and it’s over in no time despite their protestations. We now have enough bags collected to send to the mill, so one of my big jobs sometime this year is to sort through all the bags to find the good-quality fibre. I have been procrastinating as it will be quite a mammoth task. However, it would be so lovely to have our own wool to use and sell, so I will prioritise it as a job for a sunny spring day.   Once the season starts again and the campsite reopens in mid-March, the wild alpaca adventures will be put on hold, and they will be brought back down to their large field overlooking the pitches. Given that they are prey animals, they can get a little stressed by dogs getting too close, which is why we don’t allow dogs in the viewing area, but otherwise, they are very inquisitive, and they love to watch all the activity on the site. Do plan a visit sometime and pop up to watch them for a while... it's a very relaxing pastime.

Many years ago Martin and I visited Key West in the USA. It was a quirky place and every evening people gathered at the harbour frontage to watch the sun go down, whilst various circus acts strutted their stuff on the plaza. Well, here at Combe Martin, we don’t have a plaza and we don’t have any circus acts. Still, every Saturday evening from May until the end of July (weather permitting) we have the renowned local DJ Steve Optix sharing a taste of Ibiza on the beach. If you enjoy chilled-out evenings watching the sunset over the sea whilst a soundtrack of Balearic beats plays close by, then Combe Martin village is the place to be! The best bit is you haven’t had to deal with all the hassle of busy airports, security queues, flight delays and cockroaches in your room. From the campsite, it’s just a 5-minute wander down to the seaside anytime between 5 pm and sundown. However if a tranquil night of peaceful relaxation, with stimulating conversation or reading a good book is more your idea of a brilliant Saturday evening… no problem. During the main peak summer season we even have dinner covered so you don’t have to cook. We serve pizzas every Wednesday and Saturday night at Newberry Valley throughout the summer. Join us at Newberry Valley Park, perfectly nestled on the edge of the lovely seaside village of Combe Martin. Book now to secure your spot and immerse yourself in the delights North Devon has to offer you!

It's official! We have won the Regional Winner for Devon Award  in the Top 100 Sites 2024  from Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome Magazines. As you can imagine, we are delighted. The best thing about this award is that it is voted for by the people that matter the most - our guests. And that makes it a real honour. Somehow it's even more special to know that it was our customers who took the time and effort to vote for us, to say we do a good job, and that we offer a great service in a lovely location - in fact, the best in the region... it means the world to us. A huge thank you to all who voted for us. Martin, our brilliant teams and I have won various awards over the past 24 years in the business including the Visit Britain National Caravan Park of the Year award in 2009 for another caravan touring park we used to own. We received that national award from comedian Michael McIntyre at the Railway Museum in York. Though I must say, I looked surprisingly glamorous for the occasion with a sparkling slim-fitting long gown that I can sadly no longer squeeze into. It 's wonderful to get recognition for all the long hours and hard work everyone at Newberry Valley puts in and when we receive such praise it spurs us all on to keep doing our very best as we begin this season. Here's the full write-up from Practical Caravan... The park is filling up for this year and this award is likely to improve our popularity so if you fancy a relaxing and beautiful holiday at our multi-award-winning campsite site, don't leave it too long!

I was looking through some old photos of Newberry Valley recently, and it got me thinking about how far we've come since 2006. When we first took over the park, it had a modest AA 3 pennant grading. It wasn't exactly crying out for help, but let's just say it was... basic! For those not familiar with the AA grading scheme, it's rather like hotel stars but for campsites - they inspect everything from facilities to customer service and give a score out of 100. Getting a Feel for the Place After getting to know the park inside and out, we started making improvements. We'd already achieved "National Caravan Park of the Year" with our previous site in 2009, so we knew what was possible with the right focus and investment. Year by year we made upgrades and improvements around the site. From these rather basic facilities... to these luxurious underfloor heated rooms Watching It Evolve Year by year, we watched our grading scores climb: • 2010: Upgraded to 4 pennants (77%) • 2014: Achieved 5 pennants (85%) • 2018: Reached 89% • 2021: Hit 90% and earned our 5-star gold award • 2022-2024: 91% - our highest ever score! The inspector's recent report was particularly encouraging: "This well-managed and maintained park was looking good in the sunshine. The pitches were clean and tidy and the surrounding grounds, trees, shrubs and flowers were all well-tended. The facilities were spotless with good detail paid to the cleaning. The dish wash area and laundry room were equally as clean." From basic non-electric grass pitches to generously-sized grass and paved hardstanding pitches, many fully serviced with water and waste drain and all with a 16amp electric hook-up. And Flourish It feels good to know that we have achieved such a high grading status, but most important to us is that feeling of a job well done as we reflect back over the years, remembering the hundreds of happy customers who hold great holiday memories close to their hearts. Come, stay with us, and experience the joys of our fantastic 5-star facilities and service. Book your getaway now. We can't wait to welcome you!

The sea in Storm Darragh The wild and windy weather that was hitting the Devon coastline before Christmas certainly stirred up the sea into a frothy frenzy even in the usually calm natural harbour of Combe Martin. We've had some pretty big waves rolling in recently that are certainly not conducive to the usual kayaking and paddleboarding activities that have become incredibly popular here over the past few years. The sheltered inlet offers the ideal environment for exploring the bay and the rugged North Devon coastline, which is otherwise inaccessible. A few years ago we even had our own regular visitor to the cove - a dolphin who was named Dave. He was frequently seen swimming close to the kayaks throughout the summer months. Now I have to admit to not having great sea legs myself so I have been a bit of a coward when it comes to getting out on the water to discover the stunning coastal scenery of this area however our friends Gary and Helen Mallinder and their team at Surfside Kayak Hire are experts. Maybe given that this is my 'bucket list' 60th year I really ought to bite the bullet and give it a go.... so watch this space 😜 Surfside is located close to Combe Martin Beach and they offer kayak and SUP hire as well as a selection of fabulous guided tours. (They also have a shop with all sorts of lovely clothing and other great bits and bobs too - ideal for a spot of retail therapy!) So if this 'floats your boat' (dreadful pun, apologies 😂) do take a look at their website . We'd love you to stay with us at Newberry Valley Park and discover for yourself our beautiful village and the wonders of Combe Martin bay.