In Clovelly in North Devon, life moves at a slower pace, with goods hauled on wooden sledges and donkeys still making occasional appearances on the cobbled streets
Cars are banned in a UK village where locals have decided to do things the old-fashioned way.
Perched on the cliffs of North Devon lies Clovelly, a village where it can feel as if time simply stopped. Here, cars aren’t just discouraged — they’re completely banned. Instead, life moves at a slower pace, with goods hauled on wooden sledges and donkeys still making occasional appearances on the cobbled streets.
Visitors to Clovelly quickly discover that modern transport is left firmly at the top of the hill. The only way into the village is on foot, down steep cobbled lanes that wind between whitewashed cottages and burst open into a postcard-worthy harbour. It comes after a British man claimed ‘I moved from UK to Benidorm – price of a pint and Full English left me floored’.
READ MORE: ‘I’m a travel agent who’s planned 6,000 holidays – there’s one essential I always pack’READ MORE: ‘I went on UK rail route named world’s most beautiful and it lived up to the hype’
The absence of cars isn’t the result of modern environmental policies but centuries of practicality — the roads are too steep and narrow for vehicles. Deliveries are made on sledges dragged by hand, inching goods down the cobbles to shops and homes. Rubbish is hauled back up in the same way, keeping the village running as it has for generations.
For hundreds of years, donkeys were the workhorses of Clovelly. They carried fish from the harbour, hauled building supplies, and transported luggage for visitors. Today, they’ve retired from hard labour, but you can still meet them in the stables at the top of the village.
Meanwhile, the wooden sledge has taken over most of the donkey’s workload. Each one is handmade by locals, often adapted to carry everything from crates of food to furniture.
Clovell was once owned by the Queen of England, the estate having originally been owned by William the Conqueror, King of England, and then gifted to his wife.It had many royal associations until 1242 when first acquired by the Giffard family. Until the middle of the 19th century Clovelly was all-but-unknown to the outside world, such was the private way in which the village was run.
Motoring experts at Show Plates World say Clovelly is a fascinating contrast to the UK’s car-obsessed culture.
“Britain has always been a nation on the move, but Clovelly shows us what happens when the car is taken out of the picture. 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 modern life, Clovelly’s charm comes from rejecting them altogether,” a representative of the company said in a statement.
“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.”
READ MORE: Moment unlucky tourists sink their rental boat in front of huge crowdREAD MORE: Majorca ‘dupe’ has beautiful beaches, no crowds and £1.99 beers
Clovelly’s history stretches back to the Domesday Book. For centuries, it’s been privately owned and carefully maintained, ensuring its streets, cottages, and harbour retain their unique character. Visitors pay a small entrance fee of around £9.50 for adults and £5.50 for children, which helps maintain the village, its museums and gardens — keeping the cobbles and cottages in pristine condition.
Throughout the year, Clovelly also hosts festivals celebrating its maritime roots, including herring, lobster and crab fairs. These events fill the car-free streets with music, food and laughter, reinforcing its strong ties to the sea and its heritage.
With its cobbled lanes, flower-draped cottages and sweeping sea views, Clovelly is often described as one of the most beautiful villages in Britain. What sets it apart is not just its looks, but its atmosphere — a sense of stepping out of the modern world into something slower, calmer and more magical.