Top Ten in and around Tiverton

Tiverton is the district town of Mid-Devon and is an attractive market town on the banks of the River Exe. There is plenty to see and do, especially this year with a swan trail around the town to get you oriented and the 50th anniversary celebrations of the fabulous horse drawn barge on the gorgeous Grand Western Canal.

Here are our Tiverton Top Ten to inspire you: 

1. The Flock That Rock
Search for ceramic swans decorated by local artists all over town - find them all and get a 10% discount on painting your own ceramic swan at a local pottery painting place.

Visit The Flock That Rock's webpage

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​2. The horse drawn barge is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. We love the barge and its associated attractions in the canal basin - check out the Canal Tea Rooms (great lunches and cream teas in a lovely garden/garden room), Duck's Ditty Floating Barge, Canal Visitor Centre, hire a row boat or kayak, walk or cycle the towpath or enjoy the fabulous playground. ​So much to do and all really close to the canal basin car park with ramp access up onto the canal towpath.

Visit the Tiverton Canal Company's website

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3. Museum of Mid-Devon Life and the Tivvy Bumper
​Also home to Tiverton's Tourist Information Centre, this great little museum is fascinating for kids and adults alike. All ages will love the Tivvy Bumper steam train. There's plenty of dressing up and activities such as colouring on the way round. And it's dog friendly! Children 16 and under are free with a paying adult and carer's/support workers are free when accompanying a person with a disability or additional needs. 

Visit the Tiverton Museum website

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4. The Lost Kitchen and National Trust Knightshayes

Great to visit on their own or combine a trip to both The Lost Kitchen at Chettiscombe for food and National Trust Knightshayes for the beautiful parkland estate, formal and kitchen gardens and fabulous house to visit. You can park at The Lost Kitchen and walk the estate up to the house or park at the National Trust and do the reverse. 

Visit The Lost Kitchen's website
Visit National Trust Knightshaye's website

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5. Liznojan bookshop
​Regional and Country Finalist in the Independent Bookshop of the Year awards, this gorgeously decorated bookshop has the most exquisite selection of books. Grab a coffee and have a browse. 

Visit Liznojan's website

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6. Tiverton Pannier Market
As befits a market town Tiverton has an interesting market hall in the middle. Apparently these sorts of markets are called pannier markets after the baskets that were used to bring goods to market on the backs of pack animals, kind of like pannier bags on a bicycle today. General markets Tues, Fri, Sat. Second hand Monday mornings, mini-market Thursday. Closed on Wednesdays.

Visit the Tiverton Pannier market webpage

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7. Tiverton Castle
Still on our to do list. The Castle and Gardens are open on Sundays, Thursdays and Bank Holidays from Easter Sunday to the end of October. 2.30pm to 5.30pm. (Pssst - they have one of the swans there - she's called Grace). Admission is by cash only and dogs are sadly not allowed.

Visit the Tiverton Castle webpage

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8. Devon Railway Centre, Bickleigh Mill and The Fisherman's Cot
Little trains to ride on along with a model railway and village, loads of outdoor and indoor play areas. liznojan image
​The Devon Railway Centre is at Bickleigh where you will also find Bickleigh Mill for shopping and eating and the The Fisherman's Cot pub. 

​Visit the Devon Railway Centre webpage
Visit Bickleigh Mill's website
Visit the Fisherman's Cot website

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9. The Hickory Inn in Halberton
Another one we are yet to try but has a great reputation and despite being a Deep South inspired-smokehouse with a great selection of meat on the menu it also has a great vegetarian and vegan offering. Definitely one to try.

Visit the Hickory Inn's website

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10. Swan's neck circular walk and Halberton Farm shop and cafe
One we have done this 2 1/4 mile couple of times and well worth the effort. Most of the walk is along the canal towpath and so is flat and easy with the exception of a small rise from Halberton Farm Shop to the access onto the canal near the car park. It's also off road almost the entire way. Suitable for pushchairs, bicycles and motorised buggies.

You can park at the Tiverton Road Bridge car park and take a stop at the Halberton Farm Shop and cafe on the way round, or park at the carpark at Greenway Bridge and walk it from there. (Please don't park and leave your car in the farm shop car park while you walk, that is for customer's on site only.) The farm shop also does PYO in summer months. It's locally renowned for its strawberries.

Visit the Swan's Neck Circular walk webpage
Visit the Halberton Farm Shop's webpage