So the credit crunch is making people holiday in the UK this year? Well, in our household we've always loved our great British summer break and this year is no exception. Maybe North Devon wasn't the most sensible of destinations with rising fuel prices, but it was definitely worth the five-hour, 300-mile journey.

With almost three miles of flat golden sands it's easy to see why Woolacombe beach is often recognised as one of the top 10 beaches in the world. At weekends, brightly coloured camper vans arrive for sun, sea and surf – and who can blame them? Our accommodation for the week was Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parc, which does exactly what it says in the brochure. While our two young boys would have been happy in the adventure playground all day we were eager to see what this beautiful county had to offer.

Just a few minutes' drive away was Ilfracombe, set around a harbour with a strong fishing heritage. A traditional seafront with floral displays and one of the best crazy golf courses we've tried. Here you can take the passenger ferry to Lundy Island – a nature-lover's paradise.

Nestling on the edge of Exmoor National Park lie the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth. A Victorian water-powered railway takes you up the 500ft cliff from the picturesque harbour of Lynmouth to shops and cafés in Lynton. Creating no carbon emissions and using only water as fuel, it's been an environmentally friendly way to travel since 1890 – it provides great views of the coastline, too.

The biggest town in the area is Barnstaple, its thriving Pannier market attracting customers daily while the coastline of Devon is clustered with quaint villages. Appledore, Instow and Croyde are well worth stopping at for an hour or two.

There are numerous literary links to North Devon. The 100-mile Tarka Trail reminds us of Henry Williamson's novel Tarka the Otter while strong links to Dickens, Kingsley and Turner are evident in the unique village of Clovelly. Owned by one family, it has remained untouched since Charles Kingsley lived there as a child.

The main cobbled street which leads to the harbour below is too steep for most vehicles so goods were transported by donkey and nowadays by sledge. We took advantage of the Land Rover service back up to the car park, which was an experience in itself.

It was Clovelly that inspired Kingsley to write Water Babies, and Westward Ho!, the only town in England to have an exclamation mark after it is said to have been named after the novel by the Victorians to attract new visitors.

Highly recommended by the kids is Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park. From spitting dinosaurs to frisbee-throwing sea lions, it's a great day out for all ages. This is also where "Wolf man" Shaun Ellis hangs out. We caught Channel 5 filming him and his wolf pack for a television series to be shown later this summer. In the interests of reporting, I felt obliged to try out the local specialities – cider, cream teas and cheese all passed the taste test, and having tried most of the flavours we all agreed that strawberry clotted cream ice cream was the best.

Don't be misled. Holidaying in Britain may not save you money, especially if you are restricted to school holidays,
but its entertainment value is fantastic for families.

Our two-bedroom lodge at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parc was comfortable and airy and the list of facilities was endless. As well as the usual indoor and outdoor pools, kids' clubs and evening entertainment, there's 10-pin bowling, a cinema, climbing wall and ceramic café.

Elsewhere, eating out, entrance fees, even car parking can be expensive
but North Devon has so much to offer, from beautiful beaches to lush green countryside, we can't wait to return. Maybe next time we'll visit in a camper van.


FACTFILE

The Day family stayed at The Golden Coast Holiday Parc, Woolacombe Bay, North Devon. Tel. 01271 870343.

www.woolacombe.com

Clovelly, near Bideford.

Tel. 01237 431781.

www.clovelly.co.uk

Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park,

Combe Martin.

Tel: 01271 882486.

www.dinosaur-park.com

Recommended book: Off The Motorway is a guide to facilities and places to see off the motorways in the UK. We found two great places to eat, just minutes away from motorway junctions, a pleasant change from busy, expensive service stations. Published by Travel Publishing – www.travelpublishing.co.uk