Can you visit Clovelly Deveon for free?

steadynerve

Hi
Just wondered if anyone could help.

We just returned from a great holiday staying near Clovelly in Devon. One day we drove into Clovelly but it appeared assess to the village was via the visitors centre which was charging £6 per adult. Bit pricey as theere was four of us and it was 4pm. I asked the guy at the visitors centre if we coujld just walk into the town but he seemed to indicate not as he said it was a private village. We decided not to visit and went to Westward Ho instead! but afterwards was thinking coujld we have walked in the villlage via the costal footpath or just via the main road or jsut cycled into the village. Is the vistors centre open 24x7 if not how to people gain access to the village as well? Are all the roads and pavements in lower clovelly owned privately. remember visiting clovelly years ago then i think i just payed for the parking.

newlywed

Looks like the whole village is privately owned:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A876846


Some tips here on how to get into the village - as long as the visitor center don't catch you by the looks
http://www.devonlink.co.uk/devon-directory/views/reviews.php?tid=46&tn=Clovelly

dipsy

can someone explain what is clovelly famous for - i have never heard of it until reading this - am going to Devon in July for a week and would like to know a little more

thanks

newlywed

It's a steep cobbled road through a small fishing village with lots of cute cottages and a tea room, and leads down to a fishing harbour. Cars are banned and sometimes you can get a donkey ride (if I remember rightly from about 20 years ago).

littlemrtinkle

i didn;t find much worth seeing when i visited there 3 years ago.

newlywed

Yeah I think it lost a lot of it's character after the visitor center got put there

It's a nice place, really sweet, but not really a life changing thing - if you know what I mean

mrfrostie

I think more people have driven away from Clovelly when discovering the charge than actually visted this village!
We went there about 2 years ago and did'nt pay really can't remember why or how we got past the gate! although pretty it certainly is'nt worth £6 a head!
I think it was winter and no one else was about

mrfrostie

From the official website
VISITOR CENTRE
It is here that visitors start their unique experience of the private Clovelly estate. Modelled on a traditional Devon long barn, the award-winning Visitor Centre houses a cafe and souvenir shops so that the village remains uncommercialised.

To make the most of your visit, start with the audio visual film (20 mins) which tells the fascinating story of Clovelly and features interviews with current residents. Visitors keep telling us that seeing the audio-visual film at the Visitor Centre added hugely to their enjoyment of Clovelly.
There is an entrance fee payable to the village that covers not only admission to the audio-visual programme and two museums but also your parking. A substantial part of the fee contributes to the ongoing maintenance programme at Clovelly which, by ensuring that slate is replaced with slate, and oak with oak, the village retains its original charm and magic.

Admission charges for 2009 from 1st April until 31st March 2010:

Adult: £5.75
Child: £3.65 (7-16)
Family: £15.50 (2 adults, 2 children)

- Under 7s go free

newlywed

Here's some piccies:
http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/devon/az/Clovelly-Photos.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/panoramas/clovelly_harbour_360.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/image_galleries/clovelly_gallery.shtml?3

Funny how none of the pictures show it packed with tourists on a summer day

dipsy

well I don't think I will be going at £15 for a family thanks for all the info, does anyone have any good places to visit in Devon?

Raspberry_Swirl

I went there about 18 years ago with my parents and I was on crutches I walked down but me and my mum got a landrover ride back up an alternative route!!