There’s no shame in a compact and a 28 cassette round here! Most of the climbs are short but fairly sharp
The portion of the smuggler 50 route from Brayford to Blackmore gate is good. A Long climb up kinsford hill then a fun descent into simonsbath, a picturesque run to Lynton then a lovely coastal lane climb from lee abbey past woody bay. The sections from Barnstaple to exmoor aren’t worth making a special effort for.
The croyde loop I outlined above is nice too
There’s a route in issue 25 of cyclist magazine that passes through Combe Martin that you could take some tips from (although it duplicates some of what I’ve already mentioned