Complete your ‘Discovering Devon’ collection with this fourth and final volume, which celebrates the county’s magnificent northern region. Join writer and presenter Henry Buckton, as he explores some of the finest coastal scenery in England, and makes the occasional detour inland to uncover places that have helped to shape the history and culture of the area. Your tour begins at South Molton, which is often described as the gateway to Exmoor, and continues to the pretty village of Swimbridge, where one of Britain’s most popular dogs was first officially bred. We reach the coast at the unique Westward Ho!, the only place in England which has an exclamation mark in its name, and which was created because of a book by Charles Kingsley. Nearby is Northam Burrows, on the edge of which is the Royal North Devon Golf Club, the cradle of English golf. Your journey also includes the picturesque village of Appledore, which was rewarded by Elizabeth I for helping to defeat the Spanish Armada, and Bideford, famous for its Long Bridge over the River Torridge, and which was once the third largest port in Britain. Similarly, Fremington Quay, today a peaceful backwater, was once a hive of trading activity. The area’s largest town is Barnstaple, recorded in 917 as one of the famous burhs founded by Alfred the Great, and which boasts its own Long Bridge over the River Taw. Braunton, often referred to as Devon’s largest village, also has a fascinating past, and contains one of only two surviving strip field farming systems in England. Woolacombe is dominated by large villas and fine hotels, but was known as the ‘Valley of the Wolves’ in Domesday; while neighbouring Ilfracombe benefited from passengers arriving on steam packets, and later by rail, to become a grand Victorian holiday resort. Your Devon odyssey concludes at the spectacular twin settlements of Lynton and Lynmouth: separate places joined together by history and a world famous funicular railway. This wonderful journey, which also features many other towns, villages and places of interest, is illustrated by stunning modern film, rare archive images and historic maps, as well as enlightening interviews with a wide variety of contributors.

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