This village in the UK has banned cars and gone back to the simpler and slower ways of life using handmade sledges to transport goods and enjoy donkey rides at the stables
Visiting this village is what seems like going back in time – but has always been the way of living for locals.
Cars are banned, handmade sledges do all the deliveries and donkeys make their occasional appearances on the streets. The village of Clovelly located in North Devon is where this is the everyday life for residents.
The only way to get to the village is on foot, down the steep cobbled streets between cute cottages with the harbour view. Cars have not been there for centuries, as some may think that it is because of the environment but really because of the roads being too steep and narrow for any vehicles to fit through. It comes after reports of a small fishing village with some of UK’s best seafood but hardly any tourists.
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Sledges are made and dragged by hand, carrying goods to shops and homes. Rubbish is done the same way back up the cobbles, and this is how they maintain the village for generations.
Before the sledges were the donkeys for hundreds of years, they were the backbone of keeping the village running. Fish was carried from the harbour, they carried building supplies and used to transport luggage for visitors. Now they do not do the same hard labour, but they are still at the stables where children can enjoy donkey rides
Wooden sledges now fulfil the role donkeys once did. They are handmade by locals and haul things from food to furniture. Motoring expert at Show Plates World share their views on Clovelly going against the UK’s car-obsessed way of living: “The village thrives on tradition and community, proving that life without traffic isn’t just possible – it can be beautiful. While cars dominate almost every aspect of the modern life, Clovelly’s charm comes from rejecting them altogether.”
The spokesperson also adds: “It’s also a reminder of how much cars shape our environment. Walking through Clovelly, you notice the peace, the clean air, and the sounds of people and nature instead of engines. That’s an experience you don’t forget.”
The history of the village dates back to the Domesday Book. For centuries it’s been privately owned and maintained, making sure the streets, cottages and harbour all are maintained with their unique character. A small entrance fee for visitors is around £9.50 for adults and £5.50 for children, which keeps the village going, the museums and gardens to all be kept well.
Clovelly host many festivals around the year to celebrate their maritime roots which include herring, lobster and crab fairs. These events connect the village’s strong ties to the sea and their culture.
The cobbled lanes, pristine cottages and gorgeous views of the sea allow for Clovelly to take their place in being one of the most beautiful villages in Britain. Not only the look of the village but the feel too, from going from the hustle and bustle of life to a slower-paced, and magical way of living.
Whilst everyone else faces noisy buses and beeping horns and polluted air, Clovelly reminds us that the older ways of life deserve their credit of being the best.
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