Clovelly, Devon, might just have Britain’s prettiest cobbled street | UK | News

A gorgeous little fishing village in the south of England has preserved its iconic charm for many years by charging tourists to visit – and banning second home owners.

Clovelly, in North Devon, is home to one of the UK’s most famous cobbled hillside streets, adorned with white-washed heritage cottages on either side. The path itself, with unrivalled views, attracts visitors every year, but not everyone knows about the area’s exclusivity that makes it stand out from the rest.

It is actually a privately owned village, with about 80 cottages occupied by 300 people in all. Therefore, people cannot just step onto its soil for a care-free walk down to the ancient harbour. They need to go to the visitor centre first and pay for the privilege.

The fee includes parking and residents are happy it’s this way – as many of them have almost earned a right to live there, either by having a fishing heritage, working in the village or having a long association with the area dating back generations.

Locals who reside in the houses must follow the strict conditions as part of their tenancy agreements, one of them being to live there full-time.

But a charge of more than £8 per person has not sparked the nicest of comments on Tripadvisor, with the latest review posted just this month saying the village was « overpriced ».

However, it did not take away from the tranquil setting people are left with once they’ve paid up. A reviewer from Letchworth Garden City said: « It’s rather overpriced. £8.75 per person.

« Although it is a beautiful peaceful quaint village, it can’t be considered good value. I really can’t see how such a cost is justified. »

Another reviewer, a bit closer to home in Somerset, added: « A very quaint little village, however – pricey! It was very nice and there was a little waterfall just a brisk walk down the beach. »

However, the reviewer advised people to use the Land Rover service that runs from Easter to October, between 10am and 4.30pm each day, to help navigate the challenging route from the village to the harbour. 

« Silly me thought it was walkable and it was absolutely not, just pay the fare, or walk back the way you came, » said the reviewer. « Sausage rolls here are very nice though. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and feels like I am in a painting. »

A common theme among visitors is the outrage at having to pay to visit. But Clovelly’s private ownership is not a new thing – in fact, Queen Elizabeth once owned it.

But now, the money generated from visitor fees is fed straight back into the maintenance of the village. « The costly restoration work is carried out to rigorous standards, with slate being replaced with slate, and oak with oak, » the visitor website adds. 

Adults must pay £8.75 to enter, while for children aged seven and over it costs £5.10 per visit. Younger children can enter for free, but a family season ticket will set tourists back at £68.50.

Once visitors do manage to walk down the cobbled and steep street, they will stumble across the 18th century Red Lion Hotel on the quay. And this is the only place where guests can stay if they wish, with no other Airbnbs existing in the village.

Its visitor website brands the village as a « thriving community of residents », but notes there is one cottage of interest – The Fisherman’s Cottage. This, it says, will offer an insight into what life was like back in the 1930s.

The snippets of information and the photographs provide a tour of Clovelly’s fishing heritage, which is one of the many reasons people opt to visit. The abode is also furnished with period items to give a real authentic feel. 

Eagle-eyed visitors might also spot the unusual numbering of houses which begins from the top, down the left-hand side and then up again from the harbour. This stretches back up the other side of the street.

This, the visitor website says, is to make sure the first and last numbered cottages are at the bottom and top of the High Street.

Some people might pay the area a visit to see the famous donkeys, which were once a big part of daily life for visitors. Instead of them being used to bring items up from the harbour, there are now four residing in stables in the village.