Celebrate Ilfracombe’s spectacular harbour, coastline and coastal community with a packed week of sea views, boat trips, guided walks, water activities, wildlife, workshops, local history, food, art and family-friendly fun.
Ilfracombe Coast Week brings together the very best of our seaside town, from hands-on activities and creative workshops to classic coastal adventures. Step aboard a boat from the harbour, try open water swimming or scuba in a safe supported setting, explore the coast path with local guides, learn about the work of the RNLI and Coastguard, discover Lundy Island, or simply soak up the atmosphere around the town.
Whether you’re here for the day, staying for the weekend or planning a full North Devon break, Coast Week is a brilliant time to visit Ilfracombe.
A week of coastal adventures
There’s something happening every day, with activities for all ages and interests. You can join boat trips along the North Devon coast, take part in guided walks around the Torrs, Hillsborough and Hele, enjoy creative sessions with local artists, explore the underwater world through VR, try coastline swimming, watch lifeboat training, learn about haunted Ilfracombe, or settle in for live music at one of the town’s friendly pubs and venues.
Some activities are free and drop-in, while others need to be booked in advance, so please check the individual listings carefully.
Highlights include
- Boat trips and coastal cruises from Ilfracombe Harbour
- PS Waverley, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer
- Lundy Island trips and seal encounters
- Free RNLI Mayday Fun Day at the harbour
- Coastguard and RNLI activities
- Guided walks with local organisations
- Open water and coastline swimming tasters
- VR diving experiences with Easy Divers
- Coasteering, coastal swimming and water-based adventures
- Art, sketching and creative workshops
- Chocolate making and seafood cookery
- Local history talks and harbour ghost tours
- Yoga, wellbeing and mindfulness sessions
- Family-friendly activities and live music
Discover Ilfracombe from a different angle
Ilfracombe is made for exploring. During Coast Week, you can see the town from the sea, from the cliffs, from the harbour and from the hidden corners that locals love.
Look out across the Bristol Channel, wander through dramatic coastal scenery, watch the boats come and go, discover the stories behind the harbour, and make time for Ilfracombe’s independent cafés, pubs, restaurants, galleries and shops while you’re here.
This is a week to try something new, revisit an old favourite, and experience the coast in a way you may not have done before.
Plan your Coast Week visit
Use the timetable below to explore what’s happening each day. Some events have limited spaces, and booking arrangements vary, so please follow the links in each listing for full details.
Make a day of it, stay for a weekend, or turn Coast Week into a proper seaside break. Ilfracombe has a wide range of places to stay, plenty of places to eat and drink, and coast path walks, beaches, attractions and activities all close by.
Browse the Coast Week timetable below and start planning your visit.
Download the full programme or click on a date below to see what’s on that day.
