Exploring Berry Head’s Napoleonic forts: a Devon coastal walk with kids
We’re not short of coastline to wander here in the South West of England. However finding a Devon coastal walk that’s easy for kids can be a bit of a challenge, especially as ours are both pre-schoolers. There always seems to be a sheer cliff for them to career towards. Or they get bored of stomping though the dramatic scenery very quickly. Finding a path that’s safe, short and has lots of points of interest is key to a successful walk. Slowly but surely we’re discovering routes that work for us. Like last weekend when we went exploring Berry Head’s Napoleonic forts.
About Berry Head’s Napoleonic forts
The forts were built between 1795 and 1805 to protect the coastline from French invasion. Conditions were bleak for the soldiers and families who lived here during the Napoleonic Wars and they were later abandoned. The forts came back into use during the Second World War as anti-aircraft gun sites.
Today Fort 1 to the south is a ruin of its former self. You can walk around the broken walls of the guardhouse and into the former gunpowder store. There’s also some bricks left where there would have been a garrison closer to the cliff top. The ramparts are still very much intact but covered in moss and lichen where cannons would have once jutted out.
In Fort 2 to the north, the guardhouse has stood the test of time and is now a cafe and visitor centre. There’s also a coastguard station and lighthouse at the far end of the old fort.
Exploring the forts
We had bribed Tin Box Tot out for some fresh air with the promise that she could ride her balance bike. I knew there would be plenty of space and tarmac paths for her to scoot around at Berry Head.
When you walk towards the Berry Head from the car park you are greeted with a wonderful view in-between the forts. You can often see small fishing boats motoring in front of the cliffs.
Most of the time we head straight for Fort 2 with its Guardhouse Cafe – a short 400m walk. This time, with Tin Box Tot enjoying riding her bike, we decided to extend our walk and visit Fort 1 first. The girls rattled across the bridge, which stands where there was once a draw bridge, and found a sign explaining the history of the place.
We poked our noses inside the ruined buildings and stuck our heads over the ramparts, being careful not to get too close to the unfenced edge. The large space inside Berry Head’s Napoleonic forts is perfect for letting kids run around. There’s also plenty of scope for a game of hide and seek, albeit with close supervision near those ramparts!
The family and dog-friendly Guardhouse Cafe
I’ve already alluded to the fact that one of my most favourite things to do when we visit Berry Head, apart from admire the view, is to visit the Guardhouse Cafe in Fort 2. It is one of those wonderful places that welcomes families and four-legged friends. There’s a small play area with books and toys for children and even the dampest dogs can come in from the cold.
The food is also very good and extremely reasonably priced. Mr Tin Box and I had the Devon rarebit (£7) while the girls had the toddler bites – a small child’s portion of sausages, fish fingers or chicken fillet with beans and a few chips (£2.50). We were all ready to step out in to the breeze again after this mini feast.
Finding Berry Head and parking
I always get slightly disorientated on the approach to the headland. There are two routes in: one from Brixham town centre past Berry Head Hotel (tip:there’s more great sea views here) and another through the residential estate from the road to Kingswear. When you arrive there’s a long carpark next to a large playing fields – perfect for summer time picnics. The car parking fees are very reasonable during the winter months at £1 for up to two hours. We find this is plenty time for a walk around the forts and a trip to the cafe. The best postcode to use is TQ5 9AW.
Do you have a favourite coastal walk with kids? Or have you visited Berry Head’s Napoleonic forts?
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Last night I just watched War & Peace, so how funny that this should be the first post I read today! But did Napoleon manage to invade England? No, right? #MondayEscapes
You are right. The forts are named Napoleonic because of the conflict happening when they were built. They were English defences.
Looks like a lovely walk!
Wandermust mummy recently posted…Doha’s Best Restaurants from A-Z
It was. We love returning to see what else we can find.
I have never heard of this before and now kicking myself as we visited Brixham not so long ago. Going to see my dad in Axminster soon so will add this to our to do list
There’s so many wonderful places to explore Kara – it’s hard to fit them all in but you do a pretty good job 🙂
A beautiful piece of coastline and always better with some things to find along the way. A great way to discover the history of the area and a bargain on the car parking too. #MondayEscapes
Fiona Cambouropoulos recently posted…Epidavros and the healing powers of Asklepios
Yes, I think this is the winter rate but it’s still reasonable in the summer
Ooh it looks really interesting and those views are just incredible, I bet the sunsets are breathtaking x
Yes, I haven’t been up there at that time of day but I would imagine so too.
It looks so beautiful there on the coast! What a wonderful place to explore. The Guardhouse Cafe also sounds fab, it’s always great to find a place that’s accommodating to families and a good value – a nice bonus that they’re so dog friendly too! #MondayEscapes
Cindy recently posted…Kid-Friendly Activities on Oahu
Yep, it’s the perfect spot for us all to relax after a bracing walk 🙂
I love coastal walks, so thanks for sharing! I’d not heard of this fort before, will keep in mind for when I head down that way… #Mondayescapes
Keri | Ladies What Travel recently posted…Eating out in Siem Reap – a guide to our favourite restaurants and bars
Definitely recommended and you can extend the walk along the coastal path if you have more time.
Ha! That’s what walking is all about right? A good cafe or a pub are essential. You are so lucky to live where you do. It looks so beautiful
We really are. I pinch myself daily that we can call Devon home 🙂
This sounds great, we struggle with 2 pre-schoolers too as my 4 year old doesn’t like walking much! We’ll have to visit here and take the scooter & the puppy 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
It’s the perfect spot for that and there’s plenty of interesting sniffs for your puppy 🙂
I think this would be a fun activity for our family. We love to explore forts and try to anytime there is one nearby. #mondayescapes
Allison recently posted…3 Things to Know About Disney Cruise Line’s Rotational Dining
They’re great for capturing the imagination of kids and are usually quite safe places for them to run around. I think we’ve visited this one at least once a month for the past six months.
You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world and be able to head out to places like Berry Head for a day out. This looks like a great place to visit for little ones #mondayescapes
Jo Addison recently posted…15 Toddler Friendly Farm Holidays (with animal feeding!)
Yes, I pinch myself daily. It’s a fab part of the world.
we love Devon for a staycation and love to take our lab. The Guardhouse Cafe looks fab and I love how they have toys for the tots too! #MondayEscapes
It’s a great spot and dog friendly too – perfect for dog families like us 🙂
We love those stunning coastal walks around Dorset, Devon and Cornwall – although I can see why you might be nervous with preschoolers heading towards the cliff edge! Forts are so much fun for children of any age, aren’t they? We used to love playing around the ones on Alderney in the Channel Islands. #mondayescapes
I loved them when I was a kid too. There’s loads of opportunities for imaginative play. I bet the forts in Alderney are fascinating!
This sounds like a great day out – I find it hard to find both walks and cafes to suit toddlers. #MondayEscapes
It’s a bit of a gem!
What a great spot you have found to hike as a family! Little legs need to explore, too. And after a good walk the cafe looks like a welcome break. #mondayescapes
Cristin recently posted…Review Of Bell Tower Hotel Ann Arbor
Absolutely. I do love a good Devon cafe 🙂
Beautiful views, a lovely walk and a child friendly cafe. You can’t ask for much more than that on a day out! #MondayEscapes
Jo recently posted…LANZAROTE, LANDSCAPE AND ART ON THE TRAIL OF MANRIQUE
Yep, it’s a great spot for a family walk and we’re lucky to have it so close.
Bringing the bike looks like it was a fantastic idea. And a cafe never goes astray! And, just quietly, I love that photo of your littlest running with her arms out, it’s so cute! #MondayEscapes
Thank you. She does that at lot at the moment as she’s prone to wobbling over in her excitement 🙂
What a fabulous place to go with kids Claire! You are very fortunate to have all of the Devon coast line on your doorstep;) Looks like a lovely place for riding a balance bike
We are super lucky! It’s great for kids on bikes because the paths are so well maintained. There were workmen there as we left clearing the overgrown bushes.
Beautiful – looks fun for the kids too!
Yes, they really enjoyed exploring the forts…and the stop at the cafe, obviously 🙂
This walk looks beautiful, and reminds me of the coastline in west wales, where I grew up. Not so many Napoleonic forts there, though! It must have been fab to combine fresh air with history. Looks as though you had the perfect day for it. #MondayEscapes
Nell (Pigeon Pair and Me) recently posted…Fjord Norway: Flåm Railway, Fjordsafari and Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell
It was a beautiful day and perfect for a walk there. I can see a lot of similarities between the Devon and Welsh coastlines. They are both so beautiful!
What a piece of history. I didn’t really know these existed but I’d love a good explore around it all. I was going to say how lovely the view looked but I guess, at one time, it must have been quite unnerving to be looking out at it all!
Notmyyearoff recently posted…Llandudno and The Great Orme
Yes! If those ruined walls could talk!!
This looks like a brilliant walk for children. We too have found that the more interesting the walk the less likely to have our preschoolers revolt! #farawayflies
Andrea @ Topsy Turvy Tribe recently posted…Malaga Port, Museums & Beach with Children
Yes, lots of points of interest defiantly help to distract them from their tiny aching legs or rumbling tummies 🙂
This looks like a great place to explore and chill outwith young kids. Love the seaviews and the history! x
#MondayEscapes
Annette, Four Acorns recently posted…Adventures R Us / Des aventures et nous
It’s got so many things to keep us coming back 🙂
The scenery is very impressive and I can see why going to the Guardhouse Cafe is one of your favourite things to do 🙂 #MondayEscapes
Lisa – FlipFlopGlobetrotters.com recently posted…A day trip to Haarlem Netherlands with kids – winter itinerary
It’s lovely there Lisa. The staff are so friendly and the food is scrummy!
Love the dramatic setting and history behind it. Finding a great walk to do with the kids is always key, especially when you can find one as beautiful as this! #mondayescapes
Stunning, isn’t it?! And really easy for the kids to do.
I love forts! In Puerto Rico, we have two big ones and several smaller ones. So glad you were able to find these forts and explore them with your kids. I remember how much fun I had when I used to run around forts when I was a kid (we visited ebery year as part of school trips). #MondayEscapes
Ruth recently posted…Where to Find the Best Street Art in Manhattan
I did too when I was a child. They are such fascinating places and great for imaginative play
I love the west country! We are lucky that my in-laws live in Cornwall so we get to visit every summer and we love exploring the coast line, I’m hoping we can stop off in Devon on our next visit. Sarah #MondayEscapes
Sarah Stockley recently posted…#ExplorerKids – Round-up #51
It’s a fab part of the world. I love the coastline and beaches the most I think
Looks great – my son’s imagination would run wild there! #mondayescapes
Ah, yes! It’s perfect for playing princess and/or soldiers
Lovely post you are living in such a fabulous part of the world #mondayescapes
We feel so lucky to have place like this so close.
It looks so utterly beautiful, and I love the sound of that welcoming cafe! We have just moved back to the UK after seven years abroad, and by far the nicest thing about it has been to be able to show our children how beautiful our own country can be! 🙂 #mondayescapes
It is amazing, isn’t it?! It breaks my heart that there’s never enough time to see everything our own country has to offer, let alone the rest of the world!
Oh my, I winced as you mentioned the steep cliffs. I can quite see mine heading for that as soon as all get out. Good find, this. You do have to build up to mad tramps around the countryside, but starting small with mild clambering opportunities is a great idea.
🙂 The cliffs are well fenced off, I promise. It’s the battlements where you have to be more wary. And we love a muddy stomp around the countryside. We just need to tear ourselves away from the coast 🙂
We had such a happy afternoon here – I remember my daughter running round in circles in glee while I stated out at the sea. Lots to discover and very good cake at that cafe too!
Cathy (Mummytravels) recently posted…Family day out: Diggerland Kent
Oh, the cake! I’m trying to resist at the moment. But The Guardhouse Cafe makes it soon hard 🙂
Looks like a lovely place for a walk!
tracy collins recently posted…80 things to do in South Africa Part 1
It is, we really love it there.