Devon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>Coast, cottages and unspoilt waterside &#8211; think Cornwall&#8217;s St Ives 50 years ago, before the grockles and second-homers arrived. No wonder that Appledore scooped top spot in the Best Places to Live Reader Vote in 2024. That&#8217;s not the only reason now&#8217;s a good time to buy in Appledore. A whopping £15m government Level Up funding award for the <a href="https://www.torridge.gov.uk/article/21318/What-s-happening">Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre</a> (next to the historic shipyard and due to open in 2025), has elevated this sleepy North Devon village to potential world-leader category when it comes to tech and research. </p>



<p>Enhancing links with both Exeter and Plymouth universities, it&#8217;s great news for the local economy, and likely to attract wealthy academics and experts who&#8217;ll no doubt be as keen as the summer holiday-makers on its quayside position right on the Taw and Torridge estuaries, the village&#8217;s brilliant annual book festival and the ever-expanding eateries and indie shops in the nearby characterful town of <a href="https://discoverbideford.co.uk">Bideford</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/09/yard-appledore.jpg" alt="The Yard Appledore " class="wp-image-59056" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/09/yard-appledore.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/09/yard-appledore-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/09/yard-appledore-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/09/yard-appledore-700x525.jpg 700w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Yard</figcaption></figure>



<p>Four pubs in a population of under 3,000? That&#8217;s our kind of village! For a top notch pub with rooms and truly local food, it&#8217;s hard to beat the waterside location of <a href="https://trgpub.co.uk">The Royal George</a> on Irsha Street, run by a entrepreneurial family who spotted the area&#8217;s potential a few years back. <a href="https://pubchamp.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Champ</a> may not do food, but you&#8217;re welcome to take in your fish and chips, to enjoy a year-round roster of live music, plus there&#8217;s The Beaver and The Seagate. Family-run <a href="https://johnsofinstow.co.uk/locations/appledore/">Johns Deli</a>, who own stores in both Appledore and Instow won a national Muddy Award in 2023 for their produce and amazing cakes. </p>



<p>Take a quayside seat at <a href="https://www.flamefactory.org.uk">Flame Factory</a> for home-cooked pizza and Taw Valley steaks and burgers (plus two modern apartments if you&#8217;re planning a recce); <a href="https://sites.google.com/theyardappledore.co.uk/theyardappledore/home">The Yard</a> is a dog-friendly wine bar for British-Asian tapas fusion dishes loved by Appledorians and holiday-makers, as is <a href="http://www.marketstkitchen.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Market Street Kitchen</a>, a cute café with a courtyard garden tucked behind the Quay. Buying a clotted cream ice-cream from the vintage <a href="http://hockingsicecream.co.uk">Hocking&#8217;s Ice Cream</a> parked on the front is a must, as they&#8217;ve been making it since the 1930s, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecoffeecabin_appledore/?hl=en">The Coffee Cabin</a> are known for their fab crab sandwiches – and they&#8217;ve won a Muddy Award three times.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SHOP</h2>



<p>Appledore is famous for cobbled streets, gift shops and galleries of coast-inspired art, including <a href="https://www.appledoregallery.com">Appledore Art Gallery</a> and artist co-op <a href="https://appledorecraftscompany.co.uk">The Appledore Crafts Company</a>. Locals have a choice of nearby supermarkets, including Morrisons, Tesco, Aldi and Lidl, while for indie stores head to Bideford artisan butchers, <a href="https://artisanbutchers.co.uk">Hiron &amp; Sons </a>, for pantry staples and veg and fruit box supplies at Northam&#8217;s <a href="https://marshford.co.uk">Marshford Organics</a> and the online <a href="https://artisanbutchers.co.uk">Devon and Cornwall Fish Company </a>for local caught fish and shellfish (also at Appledore Dock). Bakers of artisan sourdough, <a href="https://theappledorebakery.co.uk">Appledore Bakery</a> (although in Bideford) also run a daytime café <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the_bread_cafe_/">Bread</a>, offering vegan bagels, local Croyde coffee  and – reputedly – the world&#8217;s greatest cheese on toast.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/EnglandSquash_Play2_14.jpg.jpg" alt="Atlantic Tacquet Centre Squash" class="wp-image-70031" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/EnglandSquash_Play2_14.jpg.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/EnglandSquash_Play2_14.jpg-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/EnglandSquash_Play2_14.jpg-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Atlantic Racquet Centre</figcaption></figure>



<p>If there&#8217;s a downside to living here it&#8217;s that your landlubber friends will descend for the beaches at Westward Ho! (or closer Gray Sands which is walkable) and outdoor activities at <a href="https://www.skernlodge.com">Skern Lodge</a>, which range from archery and abseiling to surfing and kayaking. The 253 acres of marsh, dunes and grassland at nearby Northam Burrows Country Park is an SSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and home to the country&#8217;s oldest golf course, <a href="https://www.royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk">Royal North Devon Golf Club</a>. The <a href="https://www.atlanticracquetcentre.co.uk">Atlantic Racquet Centre </a>at Bideford, which a group of plucky locals raised money to create, is a popular hub for badminton, tennis and table tennis, along with a good gym and fitness classes. For cyclists, the 180-mile <a href="https://tarkatrail.org.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Tarka Trail&nbsp;</a>pass through Instow across the water.</p>



<p>Three local doctors&#8217; and surgeries are based in nearby Northam, with the nearest dentists at Bideford 10 mins away. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>Locals tell us the community vibe is strong, with far less second homes than nearby Instow and Croyde. There&#8217;s always lots going on, from live sessions at The Champ and with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/appledorevillage/?locale=en_GB">Appledore Devon Village Facebook</a> the place to keep up. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/app.pirates?locale=en_GB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Appledore Pirates</a>, who raise money for local good causes are very active, organising well-supported local events, including crabbing contests and the popular Appledore Carnival. <a href="https://www.appledoreinstowregatta.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regatta</a> is a big day every August when families rowing clubs come from across the South West for sailing, gig racing and crabbing contest off the quay – how many can you catch in an hour? (and put back in again, of course).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<p>When the tide is in during the summer months you can catch the little <a href="https://www.appledoreinstowferry.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Appledore-Instow Ferry</a> (very Captain Pugwash) across to the beach, pubs and John&#8217;s Deli at Instow, Kids are positively spoilt for choice with big theme parks including <a href="https://www.themilkyway.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Milky Way</a>, <a href="https://www.thebigsheep.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Big Sheep</a> and <a href="https://www.northdevonwakepark.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Devon Wake Park</a> on your doorstep. <a href="https://northdevonmaritimemuseum.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The North Devon Maritime Museum</a> is full of fascinating facts and memorabilia of the village&#8217;s nautical past. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1592" height="1052" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/The-Burton-at-Bideford.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-70036" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/The-Burton-at-Bideford.jpg 1592w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/The-Burton-at-Bideford-800x529.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/The-Burton-at-Bideford-1000x661.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/The-Burton-at-Bideford-768x507.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/The-Burton-at-Bideford-1536x1015.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1592px) 100vw, 1592px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Burton at Bideford</figcaption></figure>



<p>The biggie is the word-famous <a href="https://www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Appledore Book Festival </a>every September which boast Jeremy Vine as its patron and attracts topnotch authors from all over. The <a href="https://www.burtonartgallery.co.uk">Burton at Bideford</a> punches above its size for attracting great exhibitors to its museum and gallery, with a footfall to rival that of Tate St Ives, and is home to an excellent French eatery, Café du Parc. Local theme park, <a href="https://www.thebigsheep.co.uk">The Big Sheep</a>, host music gigs, family festivals, and year-round seasonal events. </p>



<p>For more live music, cinema, comedy and theatre, look to Barnstaple and <a href="https://www.queenstheatre-barnstaple.com">Queen&#8217;s Theatre</a><a href="https://palladiumclub.uk">, The Palladium</a> in Bideford and <a href="https://www.theploughartscentre.org.uk">The Plough Arts Centre</a> at Great Torrington. The latter also runs a very good outdoor theatre programme at local venues. Nearby in the Torridge Valley is <a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor/garden-highlights">RHS Garden Rosemoor</a>, known for its long borders, regular workshops and events, including their popular annual flower show and brilliant Christmas light show, Glow.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Expect to pay an average price of £385,420. Terraces go for £378,406 and detached homes £485,625, down on 2024 by 7%. Look for homes in Appledore and Northam for waterside living, and Abbotsham for countryside and the indie Thatched Inn pub. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2024/03/appledore-new-1000x667.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-64582" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2024/03/appledore-new-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2024/03/appledore-new-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2024/03/appledore-new-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2024/03/appledore-new.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Does this colourful Irsha Street 3-bed cottage with views over to the estuary&nbsp;fit the bill? <a href="https://www.webbers.co.uk/property-for-sale/3-bedroom-house-for-sale-in-irsha-street-appledore-bideford-devon-ex39/6716/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market for £575,000</a>.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NURSERIES</h2>



<p>Early Years Foundation Stage at <a href="https://www.kingsleydevon.com/prep-school/early-years/welcome-to-early-years">Kingsley School </a>takes children from the age of 2 yrs. <a href="https://www.muddybootsdevon.co.uk">Muddy Boots </a>(too soon for stilettos) is a woodland-based Forest School with a focus on outdoor learning and after-school club for ages 2 – 8 yrs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>Forward-thinking primary, <a href="https://www.appledore-primary.devon.sch.uk">Appledore School</a>, is rated Good by Oftsed, and is investing heavily in maritime tech and STEM so kids can access great jobs locally in the future. For secondary school age kids, <a href="https://www.bidefordcollege.uk">Bideford College</a> has been upgraded to Good, with a brilliant educator for a head and a Sixth Form sending pupils to some good unis. For private, <a href="https://www.kingsleydevon.com">Kingsley School </a>comprises a prep, senior school and Sixth Form for day pupils and boarders from Y7.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>The Appledore Book Festival was founded by the award-winning <em>Horrible Science</em> author Nick Arnold (after saving the local library from closure and helping to lead a campaign to save five other libraries). It&#8217;s not uncommon to spot presenter Jeremy Vine, the Festival&#8217;s patron, in the local pubs, and we hear, he has been known to generously treat the locals to a round or two.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>When London-bound, most locals drive for an hour to Tiverton Parkway train station (39 miles way) to hop on direct trains to London (2 hrs 30 mins), or Exeter 15 mins in the other direction. Road links to Exeter are good and around an hour&#8217;s drive. </p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live">Top 300 Best Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Appledore

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