Journalist Andrew Coley, his wife, Lin, and children, Harriet, eight, and Evie, five, head to North Devon to see whether as a holiday destination it would keep their kids entertained...

Although the journey along the Atlantic Highway to Bideford is fairly short, we did not escape the questions of are we there yet? How many more miles? And is it time for lunch. A stop at the retail outlet shopping centre, Atlantic Village put an end to all three questions as we settled down to lunch and to plan our itinerary for the week. It's amazing what you can come away with when you are not even shopping, especially when you find a bargain, so a few t-shirts each, some shoes for the girls, and a new backpack later we headed towards Westward Ho! for an afternoon on the beach.

While the girls explored the rock pools and splashed in the sea, Lin and I relaxed on the beach. Westward Ho! is a family friendly beach and a popular venue for surfing lessons, although we weren't feeling brave enough for the challenge that day!

Day two

With the weather indecisive, we headed to Dartington Crystal , to see the world famous glassware made by hand. The glass, with which the blowers work, is heated up to 1,400C and allowed to cool to 1,100C to be worked into some very distinctive designs. Having watched these experts at work, with the children fascinated by the activity going on below them, we moved onto the visitor centre where Harriet and Evie delighted in some rather messy glass painting. There are lots of creative activities that you and your family can try out at Dartington but they do recommend calling to book during busy periods on 01805 626242.

The afternoon saw us heading to Abbotsham to the Big Sheep . Sheep shearing demonstrations and breed talks were interspersed with goes on the bouncy pillows, pony rides and the twister roundabout. We were then entertained by Roxy the sheepdog` working with the Indian runner ducks, which are used to help train new sheepdogs.

After an excellent cup of coffee and alfresco lunch, the girls returned to the twister, while Lin and I relaxed in the shade. Although they had still not tired of the roundabout, we headed off to the mini tractor area, where they tried their hands at making their way around a circuit. This was followed by a trip to the livestock shed, to see sheep, rabbits, puppies, piglets, ferrets and goats. The final feature of the day was the sheep racing. Although we failed to back the winner, it was fun to see the sheep racing down the course.

Day 3

With day three came the sunshine so we headed for the third attraction on our list - The Dinosaur and Wildlife Park near Combe Martin. 30 acres of stunning gardens promised amazing animals, life sized dinosaurs and more. The park did not disappoint. Our arrival coincided with one of the hourly dinosaur shows, and the girls were amazed to find themselves face to face with a life size animatronic t-rex. We spent the morning exploring the gardens meeting the animals before watching the sea lion show. Finally we treated Harriet and Evie to a Lemur encounter, which saw them hand feeding the Lemurs and learning about their natural habitat from a very helpful keeper. The park has a whole range of animal encounter experiences which can be booked on arrival or in advance by calling 01271 882486.

Afternoon day three and we arrive in Woolacombe , where we planned to spend a few hours on the beach. With a blue flag status and a wealth of restaurants, colourful shops, arcades and cafes, the place has a real holiday vibe about it. Perfect for rock pooling, and with safe shallow swimming, the beach is popular with families. Lin and I were soon to be found stretched out on the golden sand while the girls explored and paddled in the sea. We then headed over the Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park where we had booked Harriet a session on the Woolacombe Wave. This state-of-the-art surfing simulator generates a thin sheet of water just a few inches deep that flows over a stationary wave so you can surf in complete safety. Kitted out in a board and wetsuit and given tips by the instructor, Harriet spent a happy hour soaking us all.. An hour on the Woolacombe Wave costs £20, call 0843 2080 377 as booking is recommended especially at peak season.

Day four

Day four, and we were starting to appreciate that the kids were in charge and it was off to The Milky Way . First stop was the Clone Zone, an alien theme exploration involving a degree of physical exertion from those entering the tunnels of the ride.

Next on the list was the Cosmic Typhoon, the main rollercoaster at the park. In my youth, I had no qualms about such things. Now, in my more mature years, my enthusiasm has dimmed somewhat and it was with some trepidation that Harriet and I joined the queue. However the ride was fine. Only one drop causing me to shut my eyes. Lin meanwhile took Evie on the Big Apple coaster more suited for the younger ones.

With lunchtime approaching, we headed to the outdoor play area for zip wires and climbing frames followed by a quick round of mini golf, before lunch in the cafe. The call of the indoor play area was next on the cards, with its slides, climbing frames, ball pools and dodgems. The kids were having so much fun that we had to herd them outdoors again in time for the falconry display. This was my favourite part of the day, as we were shown the flying skills or otherwise, of some fabulous birds of prey.

North Devon has a wide range of attractions on offer and we sampled just a few of them. Even with a fortnight's stay, we could easily have kept our children entertained on a daily basis with no problem at all.