Blue Ball, Countisbury, Lynmouth, EX35 6NE
Welcome To
W e wouldn’t blame you for wanting to spend plenty of time soaking up the inn’s idyllic setting, but should you wish to venture further and explore the magic on our doorstep, here are some of the highlights.
Lynmouth and Countisbury offer some of the finest hiking and walking trails in the UK. The Blue Ball Inn is the perfect place to kick-start an adventure, with over 1,000 km of footpaths and bridleways within reach. Some of the most spectacular trails passing the inn include the South West Coastal Path (the longest national trail in Britain with a distance of 630 miles), the 103-mile Two Moors Way footpath (the oldest regional footpath in Devon), and the 180-mile Tarka Trail which extends through North and Mid Devon.
Cycle hire is available locally, and the area around the Blue Ball Inn enables cyclists and mountain bikers to enjoy some of the area’s most beautiful country lanes, bridleways, and special trails. Bike hikes with a National Park Ranger are also available.
This iconic coastal railway line carves its way down a cliff that connects Lynmouth and Lynton. The scenic landmark is significant too as the world’s highest and steepest water-powered railway. Victorian holidaymakers were the first to use this convenient method of transport, and it’s regularly used by tourists and locals to this day.
The Blue Ball Inn sits at the centre of an area famous for fishing. Anglers take to still water, river, shore, and sea fishing here. Permits can be obtained locally for fishing on the Lyn, a beautiful river with a good run of salmon, sea trout, and brown trout. Sea fishing trips also set sail from Lynmouth Harbour, where all abilities can try their hand at catching the likes of grey mullet, bass, mackerel, and conger eel.
The East Lyn River is just a few minutes away which, from Watersmeet to Lynmouth Harbour, provides excellent and challenging conditions for canoeing all year round. Exmoor Canoe Club has everyone from beginners to experienced BCU coaches within its ranks and is open to anyone who would like to learn. Find out more here.
Adrenaline junkies can get their fix across a range of high-octane activities. Hang gliding is available at permitted sites at Bossington, near Porlock, and North Hill at Minehead. You can also get involved in paintballing, go-karting, quad-biking, and 4x4 driving locally. As well as the water sports associated with a coastal town, there is kayaking on the East Lyn, surfing off Lynmouth Beach, and kite surfing at Woolacombe, Croyde or Saunton sands.