Peppercombe Valley

Far away from the crowds, this beautiful valley near Horns Cross is rich in wildlife and our secret. Secluded woodland runs down to an attractive rocky beach backed by striking red sandstone cliffs - the perfect place for peaceful picnics, rockpooling, walking and wildlife spotting.

Enjoy amazing views from the rocky foreshore of Peppercombe beach
Peppercombe Valley beach view
Enjoy amazing views from the rocky foreshore of Peppercombe beach

The peaceful and secluded Peppercombe valley is only accessible by foot, and is a truly magical place to stumble upon. It runs down to an attractive beach backed by striking red cliffs of 280-million-year-old mud and sandstone, found nowhere else locally. The combe is a mixture of woods, marsh and grassland, rich in wildlife, including dingy skipper and pearl bordered fritillaries, early purple and southern marsh orchids.

 

Peaceful beach 

If you want a quiet beach away from the crowds, this is it. Its pebbly foreshore is littered with intriguing rockpools, and a sandy strip appears at low tide – the perfect picnic spot and a great stop along the South West Coast Path.

Rest and picnic and our peaceful coach house in Peppercombe
Peppercombe coach house
Rest and picnic and our peaceful coach house in Peppercombe
A wildlife mural - which plants and animals can you spot?
Wildlife mural painted summer 2019
A wildlife mural - which plants and animals can you spot?

 

Pop into the Coach House

Don’t forget to visit our Coach House along the way – a peaceful spot to shelter, picnic or relax in, this space is open to anyone who may be passing through the valley. Let us know what wildlife you have spotted along the way on our blackboard. From dolphins, porpoises and ospreys to butterflies, beetles and wildflowers, Peppercombe is a haven for many different species. Created summer 2019 by one of the Full Time Volunteers, a beautiful mural depicting the wide variety of speicies now graces one of the walls of the Coach House. How many different plants and animals can you spot?

Simple and rustic, but with a beach almost to yourself
Looking pout to sea form the Bothy garden
Simple and rustic, but with a beach almost to yourself

 

Holidaying in Peppercombe Valley

If you’d like to stay longer in Peppercombe Valley there are four holiday cottages just a stone’s throw from the beach, as well as a basic bothy with stunning views across the bay.

The four little cottages at Peppercombe offer the perfect coastal break. Tucked away from the crowds, take your fishing net down to the rocky foreshore to catch fish in the rockpools or take a step from the door and onto the coastal path. You can enjoy a stay in a Coastguard Cottage or Combe Cottage.

Peppercombe bothy is much more basic - with no heating, electricty or cooking facilities you'll have to pack as if you were going camping. However with its unrivaled access to the South West Coast Path and stunning views over Bideford Bay, you can get closer to nature than ever before.

For more details and to book search the holidays website.