Discover Hartland: Coast, Trails and Culture

Hartland combines a rugged coastal landscape with rural paths, historic buildings and unique insights into the history of the region. Those who want to combine nature, activity and culture during their holiday will find a range of options for planning their days here. The connection to the A39 makes Hartland accessible by car from Devon and the South West.

Gardens, architecture and local history

Hartland Abbey and Gardens is open to visitors from Sunday to Thursday in 2026. The estate brings together architecture and furnishing details from the Middle Ages, as well as from the Queen Anne, Georgian, Regency and Victorian periods. The gardens, walking paths and parkland offer extensive areas to explore. The valley leads down to the rugged Atlantic cove and the cottage at Blackpool Mill. The Old Kitchens Tea Room serves homemade light lunches and cream teas.

There are also notable religious buildings in the area around Hartland. The main fabric of the Church of St Nectan dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. Its 128-foot-high tower is considered the highest in Devon. The church also preserves an ornate 15th-century rood screen extending across the full width of the building. The Chapel of St John on The Square in Hartland is a Grade II listed building. It was built in 1839 as a Church of England chapel.

Walking, cycling and wildlife watching

The landscape around Hartland is criss-crossed by footpaths and quiet country lanes, making it suitable for walking. The rural roads also offer opportunities for cycling. For a more relaxed walking experience, the short East Titchberry farm walk can be found in the area. It is step-free and has numerous benches. The route offers views across the coast to Lundy Island; there are opportunities to watch seals at Shipload Bay.

The Hartland coast is also suitable for wildlife watching. Seals, dolphins and various seabirds can be spotted there. This allows active days and nature watching to be planned in different ways: you can schedule walks and cycling tours or focus on a shorter route with views and breaks. Which holiday let or holiday cottage is suitable as a base therefore depends primarily on whether you choose Hartland for its coastal landscape, paths, cultural sites or a combination of these experiences.

Living traditions and maritime heritage

Hartland hosts various community events throughout the year, including art trails, food festivals and music festivals. The Shipwreck and Smuggling Museum in the surrounding area offers another way to explore the local history. Its colourful exhibitions tell the story of four centuries of shipwrecks, the local heroic lifeboat services, and the men and ships that traded from Hartland Quay over the centuries.

When searching for accommodation, you can therefore choose Hartland according to your preferred travel theme: coastal observation and walking, cycling on rural roads, historic architecture, maritime history or events in the village. A holiday let in Hartland is a suitable search direction if you want to plan your trip around the local and landscape experiences mentioned above, without limiting yourself to just one type of holiday.

If you would like to compare more places, you can find Buckland Brewer, Abbotskerswell, Colebrooke, Bideford, Lynton, Dalwood, Dawlish and Milton Abbot here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Devon.