Clovelly ~ a unique place

What other village has no cars and no individually-owned houses? Clovelly, on the North coast of Devon, is owned by one family (one of only three since the Norman Conquest). Here you can discover a timeless village where the steep, cobbled street tumbles down past pretty cottages to the tiny, deep blue harbor.

The street is too steep for motor vehicles, so for centuries donkeys were the main form of transport. I remember riding a donkey here when visiting as a child. Although they are no longer used for heavy loads, Clovelly still has its resident donkeys, and children can enjoy rides in the Summer. All goods are now transported by sleds - from groceries to furniture and building materials.

Visitors such as us, and we were a group of eleven, slowly made our way down the hill...............................

..............viewing galleries, small gift shops, and cottages of note including one where author Charles Kingsley resided while writing 'Westward Ho!'. The village also inspired him to write 'The Water Babies'. He lived in the village as a child and often returned as an adult.

Clovelly was once a bustling fishing port, famed for herring and mackerel. Although fishing has declined, it's still a part of village life......this was a delicious prawn and crab sandwich made as I watched, the seafood caught early that morning!

In past centuries this coastline was rife with smuggling, wrecking and piracy.

Clovelly's impressive quay dates back to the 14th century, as do many of the cottages.

The oldest village cottage, built right on the beach, is 'Crazy Kate's' named after a fisherman's widow.

The large white building on the quay is a hotel. Several cottages along the famous cobbled street do B&B. The street, known as 'Up-along' or 'Down-along', depending in which direction you're headed, was built from pebbles hauled from the beach.

Caring for this amazing village is a costly business, especially as all the buildings are repaired with traditional materials, therefore the admission fees help with the maintenance of the village and play a vital role in keeping Clovelly so special.

A beautiful spot to visit if you get to North Devon. By the way, if you can't make it back up the long, very steep cobbled hillside on foot, there is a Land Rover service which, for a small fee, will drive you up a cliffside road to the top. Can you guess what I did?