Ilfracombe (pop. 9,500) is the oldest established and most popular seaside resort on the North Devon coast, with a picturesque harbor and good beaches sheltered by towering cliffs. The town, largely built in the last third of the 19th century, differs from other resorts in having been built between hills, the beaches being reached through
tunnels in the rock. The old chapel of St Nicholas in Ilfracombe, on a crag above the harbor, has been converted into a lighthouse. To the west of the town is the attractive Torrs Walk.