Last weekend, we visited the picturesque coastal village of Clovelly in North Devon.

Clovelly is on private land – despite the village’s individual properties being occupied by local residents – with the village and surrounding area belonging to John Rous, who inherited it from his mother in 1983. His family, the Hamlyns, have managed the village since 1738 and a visitor centre was added in 1988.

No vehicles are permitted in the village, meaning all supplies have to be manually dragged up and down the steep, cobbled streets on wooden sleds.

At the bottom of the hill is a curved stone harbour wall and small museums, bars, restaurants, and craft shops reveal themselves as you wander between the tightly packed cottages.

(In addition the village itself, Clovelly Court church, just up the road includes a lovely woodland walk, which we also visited and you can see those pictures in part two)