A quintessentially English harbour, set right back and around the corner from the sea. As Ilfracombe is in a classic North Devon Cove the mooring here provides safe haven indeed. You may miss it approaching from the land side, but all of a sudden there it is, sandy beach and all, with its quayside parade of pubs, eateries, ice-cream parlours, shops and dry docks; a mixture of commercial fishing and pleasure craft and the impressive RNLI Lifeboat and station tucked away in the corner. To the mouth of the harbour is "Verity" a 66' tall and imposing statue created by Damian Hurst; around her the quayside descends into a swimming platform with railings and steps. Looking down on the scene is a small church at the top of a hill which you can visit in season or walk up to at any time if you have the legs for it. We ate lunch at Lynbay Fish and Chips; the meal was exceptional and probably the best I have tasted; the fillets of cod were tender, sweet, and tasty; they were covered in a beautiful batter; light, crispy, and yellow-golden. The chips were quality; you could taste the potato and not a hint of stale cooking oil nor any greasy-ness; perfection. Lynbay also makes a gluten free batter and prides itself on only using sustainable ingredients; in particular the fish, of which they have a good variety; it's no surprise as the rich fishing grounds around Lundy island are not a million miles away. It was early November and the town relatively quiet; I can imagine that during the summer season this place is a hive of activity and industry; we will make a return visit in time and take one of the many boat trips on offer...see you again Ilfracombe!