Clovelly Brewing Company

The brewery sits right in Clovelly village itself - that impossibly steep, cobbled sort of place where cars simply don't fit and donkeys still wander about. It's a working operation, so you'll actually see beer being made rather than just wandering through a polished visitor centre, which is refreshing. The main draw is tasting their own ales, made on-site using local ingredients where possible. They do food too, proper pub fare rather than gastro nonsense.

This works best for adults who actually like beer and aren't after a theme park experience. Families with teenagers might enjoy it; younger kids will get bored within twenty minutes, honestly. The setting is the real selling point - you're in one of Devon's most distinctive villages, and a brewery visit breaks up a day of walking the coastal paths or poking around the village shops.

Allow two to three hours if you're eating as well as drinking. The nearest proper town is Bideford, about six miles inland, but you won't need it - Clovelly's got everything you need for a few hours. If you're staying at Roeys Retreat Campsite, you're less than a mile away, which is handy. Broad Park, further out near Bideford, gives you more facilities if you're with families.

Go midweek if you can - weekends pack out with coach tours. The cobbles are steep enough without battling crowds, and the staff are far more chatty when it's quiet. Check their website for specific opening times and whether tastings need booking, as it varies seasonally.