The Smugglers Caves Cruise: History and Drama along the Ilfracombe Coastline

One of the Ilfracombe Princess’s most popular scheduled routes heads east from the harbour, tracing the coastline toward Hele Bay, Sampson’s Coves, and the approach to Watermouth Harbour, where Watermouth Castle sits above a sheltered inlet that has been a landing point for centuries.

This is the Smugglers Caves cruise, and it is one of the best introductions to the coastal character of North Devon available from the harbour.

Leaving Ilfracombe Harbour

Departing from the harbour, the Princess passes under the clifftop Lantern Hill and St Nicholas Chapel, one of the oldest working lighthouses in England, built in the fourteenth century. The view back to the harbour from the sea immediately gives you a perspective on Ilfracombe that is impossible from the town itself: the harbour nestled into the headland, the Victorian terraces rising steeply behind it, the cliffs stretching away to east and west.

Hele Bay and Sampson’s Coves

The first beach east of Ilfracombe is Hele Bay, a sheltered shingle and sand cove that catches excellent afternoon sun and has remained relatively quiet compared to the town’s main beach. From the water, the approach to the bay through its rocky headlands shows the classic geology of this coastline: Devonian slate and sandstone, folded and fractured by millions of years of tectonic movement.

Sampson’s Coves follow, a series of small inaccessible inlets where rock arches, sea caves, and narrow channels are only visible from the water. This section of coast was historically significant for smuggling, the caves and coves providing natural cover for landing untaxed goods from Continental Europe. The crew’s commentary brings this history to life with specific stories of the boats, goods, and characters involved.

Watermouth Castle and Harbour

The visual centrepiece of this route is Watermouth Castle, a Victorian castellated house built in the 1820s on the cliff above Watermouth Harbour. From the sea, castle and harbour form a composition that looks almost fictional: the turrets of the castle above, the sheltered inlet below, small boats at their moorings, and the wooded valley behind. The actual harbour, visible only from the water at the right angle, is one of the most picturesque anchorages on the North Devon coast.

Wildlife Along the Route

The rocky sections between Hele Bay and Watermouth are regular seal territory. Grey seals haul out on the lower rock platforms and are often visible from the Princess at close range. The sea caves along this section of coast shelter nesting seabirds through the summer breeding season, and the cliff faces host fulmars, which breed on ledges and can be observed gliding on the updrafts.

Booking

The Smugglers Caves cruise runs on a regular schedule throughout the season. It is one of the Princess’s shorter routes, typically around 75 to 90 minutes, making it an excellent option if time is limited or if you are visiting with younger children.

Book at ilfracombeprincess.co.uk or contact us to check departure times.