Barnstaple, the principal town of North Devon is the oldest borough in the country and offers many places of interest to visit. Its pannier market on Friday and Saturday bustles with activity and all manner of wares can be bought. The pride of North Devon must be its magnificent coastline. Stretching from Hartland in the west to Lynmouth in the North it combines the glorious sandy beaches of Saunton, Croyde and Woolacombe. Exmoor is an area of unbounded interest through its association with Lorna Doone. Then there are Victorian seaside resorts of Lynton, Lynmouth and Ilfracombe with its promenade lined with gift and craft shops leading to the harbour where fishing trips and excursions can be enjoyed. If activity is of interest to you there is no better region in which to participate. Surfing the Atlantic rollers, playing golf on championship courses, riding on Exmoor, whatever your hobby you will almost certainly find it in North Devon and remember the experience. Exmoor is one of the smaller National Parks (about 265 sq. miles) but it contains some of the most spectacular and varied scenery in the country. The highest point on the moor is Dunkery Beacon, 1780 feet above sea level, and the coastline is wooded, rugged and possesses the highest hump back cliffs in England. On the moors red deer wander freely all year round and the little shaggy Exmoor ponies are rounded up each October for sale at Bampton Fair. Exmoor sheep with their small horns are famous for their fine wool and excellent meat. Bird life is prolific. There are prehistoric sites, old packhorse bridges, ancient churches and houses to see and of course this is Lorna Doone country, the woman immortalized in the novel of the same name written by R D Blackmore.