THE DRIVES OF YOUR LIFE
Three counties, wild moorland, endless beaches and pretty seaside towns on one of the best drives in Europe. Susan Ward Davies explores Somerset, Devon and Cornwall
Somerset, Devon and Cornwall
THE ROUTE The 307km A39, which runs from Bath to Falmouth, includes the Atlantic Highway.
One of my favourite old TV ads is Sunrise, which shows a woman driving to a clifftop at dawn. Once there, she heats a mug of Nescafé with a portable element plugged into the car’s lighter socket, and stands drinking it as the sky reddens over the sea to the tune of I Can See Clearly Now. For me, it perfectly evokes the beauty of being on the open road in Devon or Cornwall, looking down at the ocean with big skies overhead. Much of this route made me feel like that ad: winding round bends overhung with trees, rattling over cattle grids on misty moorland, emerging to distant views of surfers riding the Atlantic waves.
The beginning and end of the A39 looks like a proper ‘A’ road but in some places, it feels more like a country lane, taking you through some of England’s most beautiful countryside. You pick it up just outside Bath and meander down through Wells, past
Glastonbury, through the Quantock Hills and over towards the sea. At first, Somerset is all fields and gentle hills, but then you follow the coastline to the alarming one-in-four gradient (the UK’S steepest A road) of Porlock Hill, and then another at Countisbury, before sweeping across the edge of Exmoor, where ponies and sheep graze and fog often curls up from the sea. The 115km stretch from Barnstaple to Fraddon, known as the Atlantic Highway, is the most scenic section, passing Bude and Padstow, from where you can take a detour on the B3276, the little coast road winding to Newquay past Mawgan Porth, the Bedruthan Steps and Watergate Bay, before rejoining the A39 to head across to Truro, finishing in pretty Falmouth.
Autumn is a lovely season here: the weather is fine, the sea still warm, the tourist hordes have departed so you get the clifftop walks almost to yourself, and the stunning bays really are, as John Betjeman described, ‘golden and unpeopled’.
THE PIT STOPS
• BRUTON, SOMERSET Detour 19km off the A39 for this pretty village. Wander round the gardens and gallery at Hauser & Wirth (hauserwirth.com).
• CHEDDAR GORGE, SOMERSET The UK’S largest inland gorge is a dramatic long, rocky cleft formed 300m years ago (cheddargorge.co.uk).
• WELLS, SOMERSET England’s smallest city is known for the moated Bishop’s Palace and 13th-century cathedral with its astronomical clock.
• COLERIDGE COTTAGE, SOMERSET
Once the home of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, it’s now a charming little museum (nationaltrust.org.uk).
• CLOVELLY, DEVON This car-free, vertiginous fishing village clings to a 120m Devonshire cliff. The pretty houses and the harbour views are worth the climb down.
• SPEKE’S MILL MOUTH WATERFALL, HARTLAND, DEVON It’s less than 2km from Hartland Quay along this part of the South West Coast Path to the dramatic 15m-tall waterfall, and a further 4.8km walk (or five-minute drive) to the wildflower gardens and tea rooms at Docton Mill (doctonmill.co.uk).
• LYNTON AND LYNMOUTH, DEVON
Two little villages, one on the clifftop and one on the seafront, are linked by the world’s longest (262m), and steepest, water-powered funicular railway.
• LORNA DOONE VALLEY, DEVON
Fans of RD Blackmore’s tense romance Lorna Doone should drive 8km east of Lynton to the setting that inspired the novel (nationaltrust.org.uk).
• TINTAGEL, CORNWALL Said to be King Arthur’s birthplace, dramatic Tintagel is the site of a medieval castle, built between a rugged headland and the mainland. Make sure you explore Merlin’s Cave below and see St Nectan’s Glen waterfall nearby.
• PADSTOW, CORNWALL The quintessential Cornish fishing town is at its picturesque best in autumn, with its cute cottages and beach walks. Take the 10-minute scenic ferry across the Camel Estuary to equally charming Rock.
• HAWKSFIELD, CORNWALL
Try award-winning Strong Adolfos for brunch and Jo & Co for skilfully curated womenswear at this bijou shopping, art and food hub on the A39 outside Wadebridge (hawksfieldcornwall.com).
• HELSTON, CORNWALL The ‘capital’ of the beautiful Lizard peninsular is less than 15 minutes drive from Porthleven beach and the Cornish Seal Sanctuary (sealsanctuary.sealifetrust.org).
• FALMOUTH, CORNWALL
A lovely place for wandering around, with its harbour, elegant houses, quaint shops and sandy beaches.
• ST MAWES, CORNWALL Take the ferry from Falmouth to tiny St Mawes, a cluster of whitewashed houses overlooking beaches and a small harbour. Have afternoon tea at Hotel Tresanton (tresanton.com), a seafood lunch at dog-friendly Watch House (watchhousestmawes.co.uk), buy coffee and cake from Bear Cornwall’s vintage Citroën van at the 16th-century castle and browse in The Square Gallery (thesquaregallery.co.uk).
• TREBAH GARDEN, CORNWALL
This subtropical Eden, 11km south of Falmouth, has footpaths winding through exotic plants and towering trees. Once autumn arrives, you’ll also see clouds of blue hydrangeas (trebahgarden.co.uk).
• COMPASS HOLIDAYS arrange self-guided walks with maps and apps, plus accommodation in Cornwall (compass-holidays.com).
THE FOOD & DRINK
Pace yourself! After all, you’re driving through the home of Cornish pasties, cream teas, Doom Bar ale, Camel Valley and Bosue sparkling wines, Somerset cider, Devon’s Lyme Bay Winery, artisan cheeses, plus a lot of talented chefs.
THE RESTAURANTS
• AT THE CHAPEL, BRUTON This 17th-century-chapel-turned-restaurant has rooms to stay in (doubles from £125 B&B) and is also a bakery, wineshop and art hub serving sourdough pizzas, smoothies and delicious West Country produce (atthechapel.co.uk).
• THE FARMERS ARMS AND WOOLSERY, DEVON The multimillionaire founders of the social networking site Bebo bought the Farmers Arms (along with part of the surrounding village) and have revamped it. The menu features local produce and also has a fish and chip shop (woolsery.com).
• THE BOTTLE, NEWQUAY Order a glass of Cornish Knightor sparkling rosé with caramelised orange ricotta on sourdough at the recently opened wine bar/deli (thebottlenqy.co.uk).
• COVE24, NEWQUAY The line-caught sea bass and West Country mussels are the must-tries at this contemporary restaurant (cove24.uk).
• INDIDOG, FALMOUTH Right on the waterfront, you’ll find innovative dishes, plus Bosue Brut from St Austell and purple-tinged G&TS made with local Dr Squid Gin (indidogeatery.com).
• STAR & GARTER, FALMOUTH This 19th-century pub with stylish apartments (from £80 a night, self-catering) overlooks Falmouth’s harbour. Enjoy craft beer and treats including lobster or pork chop with peach (i-escape.com).
• THE TWISTED CURRANT TEA ROOMS, PORTHLEVEN Feast on cream teas or a full English at this bright, pretty cafe (twistedcurrant.co.uk).
• PAUL AINSWORTH AT NUMBER 6, PADSTOW Creative modern European dishes at the holder of Padstow’s only Michelin star (paul-ainsworth.co.uk).
• RICK STEIN, PADSTOW The godfather of foodie Cornwall has four restaurants in Padstow alone (rickstein.com).
STAY
• LOVELAND, BIDEFORD, DEVON
A sustainable glamping retreat/creative hub on a farm, Loveland has seven geodesic domes, two tipis and space for two campervans. Owned by menswear designers Karina and Jeff Griffin, the site also has composting loos and uses solar energy. Tipis cost from £98 a night; pods from £300 for two nights (canopyandstars.co.uk). THE RED HOUSE APARTMENT,
PADSTOW This stylish two-bedroom apartment has spectacular views over the Camel estuary and is just a 10-minute walk from Padstow. It also has a private garden. Sleeps four; three nights from £420 (theredhouseapartment.co.uk).
• FIR HILL, NEWQUAY, CORNWALL
This rural wonderland features 10 Mongolian yurts. Each has an outside kitchen, a firepit and outdoor seating. Shared showers and loos are a short walk away. Yurts sleeping from two to six, from £75 a night (thefirhill.co.uk).
• STRATHALLAN B&B, HELSTON
Immaculate guesthouse with six en-suite rooms and a pretty garden. Doubles from £70 (strathallangh.co.uk).
• HIGHCLIFFE CONTEMPORARY B&B, FALMOUTH Eye-catching interiors at this creative boutique B&B with eight en-suite rooms, 10 minutes’ walk from the seafront. Doubles from £95 (highcliffefalmouth.com).
• SAIL LOFTS, ST IVES These 12 contemporary apartments and one cottage are bright and minimal, with free off-site parking. Wake to the sound of seagulls and walk a few minutes for a swim at Porthmeor Beach or Porthgwidden Bay. Three nights from £599 for two; seven nights from £729 (thesaillofts.co.uk).