West’s clotted cream and coastal path treats
WHETHER you want to relive childhood seaside memories, or just give yourself a clotted cream and coastal path treat, Devon and Cornwall are perfectly formed to deliver a reviving spring or summer break.
Wend your way west, following those high-sided lanes down to the sea. Then spread out the rugs on the sand, unpack the picnic and let the swish of the waves wash everyday cares away.
When you’re done with the day’s seaside pleasures, amble on to wild flower-strewn cliffs or granite moors. Dine on sophisticated fare in super-quaint harbours, and explore lush gardens and rambling stately homes. It’s all here in the beautiful South West.
DEVON’S BLEND OF NOSTALGIA AND COOL
DRAMATIC moors topped and tailed by stunning coastlines, where dolphins do somersaults off sweeping beaches, define delicious Devon.
In the south, the English Riviera town of Torquay offers nostalgia straight out of an Agatha Christie crime caper, seamlessly mixed with contemporary cool.
Plymouth’s renovated Royal William Yard is now the foodie hub of the South West, with fantastic restaurants and the largest collection of Grade I-listed military buildings in Europe. A transatlantic yacht race starts here on May 2.
And historic Dartmouth is now a soughtafter holiday spot, thanks in part to Mitch Tonks’s The Seahorse and Rockfish restaurants and some fabulous waterfront apartments (Coast & Country Cottages). Dart Valley Cottages also has some excellent properties here. Do take your crew on a scenic steam train ride along the Dart Valley on the South Devon Railway, between Buckfastleigh and Totnes.
CHARMING East Devon marks the start of the fossil-rich Jurassic Coast — cruise along it or up the River Exe aboard Stuart Line Cruises from Exmouth. Admire regency facades in Sidmouth, and the new Seaton Jurassic centre, opened recently by The Princess Royal.
NORTH Devon is a perfect playground for doing what you love.
Woolacombe Beach has been named by TripAdvisor users as Britain’s best beach for the second year in a row, thanks to its rolling, unbroken surf and three-mile stretch of golden sand.
Stay in style nearby at the four-star Woolacombe Bay Hotel.
Searches for romantic breaks and dogfriendly South West stays have shot up by as much as 155 per cent this spring, according to the websites StayinDevon.co.uk and StayinCornwall.co.uk. So it is worth booking now to secure your holiday bolthole.
Or how about a coach tour that shows you the best of these lovely counties, without any driving to do? For links to operators, visit findacoachholiday.co.uk.
TRY BEING AN OWNER AT A HAVEN HOLIDAY PARK
OWNING a holiday home is another rewarding possibility, at Haven’s great Devon Cliffs or Perran Sands sites.
Get an idea of what it is like with Haven’s Be An Owner promotion, which includes use of the high-end facilities and 15 per cent off around the park.