Little Comfort Farm

The name alone tells you what to expect - a working farm just outside Ilfracombe that's managed to keep things genuinely small-scale. Little Comfort Farm sits on the edge of North Devon's farming heartland, the kind of place where you're more likely to encounter a tractor than a tour bus.

It's a proper working concern, not some sanitised attraction. You'll see animals, get a real sense of how things operate on a Devon farm, and if you time it right, catch various seasonal activities. The appeal here is straightforward - families after a bit of hands-on farm life rather than theme park theatre will find it worthwhile. Kids can interact with the animals without the queues and corporate polish of bigger operations.

Opening hours and admission details are thin on the ground, so ring ahead before you go - that's just practical sense with smaller rural attractions. You won't need more than an hour or two unless you're properly into farm life.

Location-wise, it's barely a mile from Ilfracombe itself, which means you're well-placed for the North Devon coast. If you're camping at Hidden Valley or one of the other parks dotted around the area, Little Comfort Farm makes an easy morning visit before heading to the beaches. Works nicely as a break from the usual seaside routine without dragging you far from where you're staying.