Lovely Clovelly

Clovelly is a postcard-perfect village clinging to the North Devon coastline, where time seems to have stood still. Its steep cobbled street tumbles dramatically down a 400-foot cliff to a tiny 14th-century harbour, flanked by traditional whitewashed cottages with brightly painted doors and tumbling flower baskets. With no cars allowed on the main street, deliveries and luggage are still carried on wooden sledges, just as they were centuries ago. Donkeys, once used to haul goods up and down the hill, are now more of a symbol of Clovelly’s charm, occasionally seen giving rides to children in summer. The rhythm of life here is slow and peaceful—waves lapping against the harbour walls, seagulls circling above, and the scent of salt and honeysuckle in the air.

Charles Kingsley, who spent part of his childhood in Clovelly and later immortalised it in his novel Westward Ho!, perfectly captured its haunting beauty and enduring character when he wrote: “My spirit walked once more, as often of old, through every dear alley and flowery nook of that quaint mountain village, climbing from the pebbly beach to the topmost garden-crowned crag.” His words remain true today. Though time has passed, Clovelly retains its soul—unchanged, unhurried, and utterly unforgettable.Read more