Bideford gets thousands of visitors every year to its New Year's Eve Celebration. People from all walks of life come and fill up the Quayside inns with many needing reservations well in advance. It is a huge celebration where everyone parties and dances in the streets. At midnight everyone joins together at the Long Bridge and await the ring of the parish church bells. The celebration gets some 20,000 visitors annually.

Bideford's Long Bridge that goes over the River Torridge was first built in medieval times but has had updates in the 18, 19th and 20th centuries. The Burton Art Gallery has very detailed scales models of the bridge as it has gone through its updates.

During the 16th and 17th centuries Bideford was the 3rd busiest ports in England with much of its business being in the tobacco and cotton that was coming from the New World. The Quay was recently widened to be part of the Flood Defense Scheme. It is lined with grand trees that make it a great place to sit and watch to local fishing boats at work.

There are many places to see in Bideford. There is the Big Sheep in Abbotsham that offers fun for the entire family. There many children's activities, a brewery, a shop plus indoor play area and outdoor laser guns that the entire family can participate in. There is also the Milky Way Adventure Park in Clovelly that has over 85,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in any weather conditions.



With its cobbled village streets that lead to its beautiful harbor Bideford is a great place for those who love the sea. Along its coast sits Harland point that has great waves form the Atlantic that crash upon its shores. Day Lundry Island can easily be spotted on a clear day.

Hikers and cyclist will love the Tarka Trail which can be enjoyed by either foot or bicycle. The trail goes in to Torrington and is followed by the River Torrige. As the trail goes on it will get more and more wooded.

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The Bideford Tourist Board gives comparable information to this page. If you require more information about Bideford, you may be able to obtain it from the Bideford Tourist Board.