Gillian Birch 
Devon has dozens of great places to visit packed between its rugged Bristol Channel coast and the golden beaches to the south. Many of these great attractions have won top awards making them particularly worthwhile to visit.
Book your holiday cottage in Devon now and look forward to visiting some award-winning attractions.
Cornwall is packed with theme parks, gardens, railways, farms, wildlife parks, animal sanctuaries, castles, historic attractions, caverns, museums and activities. How do you choose which ones to visit during a short stay in Cornwall? There are some amazing award-winning attractions which are sure to be a resounding success with all the family.
When you book a holiday cottage in Cornwall, visit some of these great places to make it an action-packed family holiday.
The extended bank holiday celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is a great excuse for heading down to the West Country in June 2012. The celebrations start on Saturday 2 June and will continue over four days through Tuesday 5 June, 2012. Street parties, train rides, royal visits, classical concerts and some of the best summer weather in the UK means that cottages in Devon and Cornwall are expecting record holiday bookings in 2012.
With a royal visit in early May, the Olympic torch commencing its journey from Land’s End in mid-May and the splendid Royal Cornwall Show to attend from 7-9 June, now is the time to book your holiday cottage in Devon and Cornwall to avoid disappointment.
Lynmouth and Lynton are usually spoken of as one phrase or a single destination, yet both villages are worth visiting independently and offer some excellent things to do. Lynton and Lynmouth are linked by a famous funicular railway which climbs from the seaside town of Lynmouth up the sheer rock cliff to Lynton, perched 500 feet above.
Learn more about the history, architecture, famous residents and attractions in Lynmouth and Lynton and book your holiday cottage in Devon now!
Looe and Polperro are archetypal harbour towns along the south coast of Cornwall. Offering scenic cliff top walks, Cornish ice cream cones topped with clotted cream, pint-sized cottages stacked up the hillside, bobbing boats and dressed crab for sale from the local fish van, these timeless sights are what make Cornwall so attractive.
Book a cottage in Cornwall and enjoy the delights of Looe and Polperro, minutes from the main arterial A38.
From viewing warships in Plymouth Dockyard to chartering a skippered yacht, Devon offers many ways to enjoy this beautiful area from the water. Take a trip to Lundy Island or spot wildlife on the River Dart on a pleasant boat tour of the area.
Book your holiday cottage in Devon now and you could be enjoying a boat trip around Devon’s scenic coastline sooner than you think!
Cornwall’s convoluted coastline has 16 ferries crossing its many rivers and estuaries. It also has many boat lines operating fishing charters, wildlife spotting trips, pleasure trips around harbours and scenic river cruises. Read on to find out more about what Cornwall has to offer on the water.
Book a holiday cottage in Cornwall now and plan to take one of these memorable boat trips during your stay.
Barnstaple claims to be the oldest borough in the UK with a charter granted in 930AD by Aethelstan. While other towns were recorded in the 11th century Domesday Book as having land and animals, Barnstaple had its own mint and was a well-established staple port for wool.
With a wealth of history, shopping and attractions, Barnstaple continues to be a popular holiday destination. The nearby resorts of Bideford and Westward Ho! also make a great base for exploring the North Devon coastline in all seasons.
Book your holiday cottage in Devon and discover these charming towns for yourself.
A ruined castle, stories of King Arthur and a Museum of Witchcraft are sure to light the imagination of most young visitors and the villages of Boscastle and Tintagel promise all three. Other visitors may be attracted by the clifftop walks, picturesque fishing port and National Trust properties in this charming area of North Cornwall.
Book a Cornish cottage holiday home and enjoy exploring this fascinating area.
Ilfracombe has been one of North Devon’s most popular holiday destinations since Victorian times. It has a delightful harbour, the historic St Nicholas Chapel, clifftop walks and sandy beaches which can all be enjoyed during a stay at this lovely destination.
Visit the theatre, explore the charming Exmoor villages or drive along the coast to the beautiful hidden cove at Combe Martin and enjoy chilling out in this lovely area.
Book your next Devon cottage around Ilfracombe and Combe Martin for a memorable break at any time of year.
The pretty seaside town of Bude has one of the best beaches for families on the north coast of Cornwall. However the area has far more surprises in store for visitors, including the site of an important Civil War Battle and the home of a giant at Stratton.
Book a holiday cottage in North Cornwall and discover more about this fascinating area.
Wildlife attractions make great days for families of all ages and Devon has a great selection, from the famous Paignton Zoo to more unusual activities such as the Prickly Ball Hedgehog Hospital in Newton Abbot and the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth.
By visiting these great attractions, you are also helping to support animals and wildlife, giving yourself a feel-good factor as well as a memorable day out.
Book a Devon holiday cottage now and explore the many wildlife attractions
As well as having plenty of natural wildlife in Cornwall’s estuaries, woods and moorland, the county also has a number of excellent wildlife sanctuaries and attractions featuring more exotic wildlife.
There are a number of rescue centres in the area along with award-winning animal parks and zoos offering excellent family days out in all seasons.
Book a holiday cottage in Cornwall and bring the family to see these great wildlife attractions.
Autumn is a great time to enjoy Devon. Indulge in food festivals, take scenic woodland walks surrounded by orange, gold and bronze foliage, enjoy late summer blooms in gardens and finish the day beside a roaring log fire in a Devon country pub. For outdoor enthusiasts and dog owners, September through November is one of the best times to visit Devon.
Book your autumn break in a Devon cottage and celebrate this colourful season.
Cornwall is a beautiful area to visit from September onwards with festivals, fall colour, gardens and beaches to be enjoyed without the summer crowds. It is a great season for surfing, sea fishing, horse riding and walking to some splendid local beauty spots. Weekends are filled with local festivals and evenings can be spent in cosy pubs enjoying comfort food, joining in the local quiz or listening to local gossip around a blazing fire.
Book a Cornish cottage in autumn and see what you’ve been missing!
Enjoying a holiday in a self-catering cottage in Devon does not necessarily mean wearing wellies and a Barbour wax jacket all week. Pack some smart casual clothes and make the most of having time for cultural treats, such as an evening at the theatre.
Devon has a splendid selection of theatres offering a range of performances from Shakespearean classics at Plymouth’s Theatre Royal to who-dun-its and comedy farces performed by local theatre groups.
Book a self-catering holiday cottage in Devon along with tickets for an evening at the local theatre for a cultural theatre break in Devon at any time of year.
There’s far more to Cornwall than its beaches and natural beauty. The county has a wide selection of theatres, some of which are open-air venues which have a magical atmosphere on a summer’s evening.
Theatres in Cornwall put on a wide choice of entertainment, from comedy to drama with something for all ages. Checkout theatres close to your holiday rental in Cornwall and do something completely different as an evening to remember.
Book a self-catering cottage in Cornwall along with tickets to one of these theatres for a cultural break in Cornwall at any time of year.
There are over 20 pubs and inns in Devon which are connected to famous authors and writers. I like to think that these Devon pubs, their regulars and the surrounding beautiful scenery were an inspiration to these famous wordsmiths.
From Charles Dickens to Daniel Defoe, authors have chosen to set their novels in Devon, weaving into the story some of these historic buildings. Stories from Tarka the Otter to the historic Poldark novels by Winston Graham offer something for every literary taste.
Enjoy relaxing with a good book when you stay in a Devon holiday cottage and include a visit to one of these literary pubs.
Tucked away in quiet corners of Cornwall are some unlikely places which authors of the 19th and 20th century took inspiration from. The historic limitations and inconveniences of travel to this far-flung southwest county meant that Cornwall has less famous connections with literature than Devon, but nonetheless it offers some fascinating pubs and places to visit with literary connections.
Staying near a pub in Cornwall that has a place in history or literature is a great reason for booking a holiday rental in Cornwall.
Devon has more than 29 microbreweries making it a great place for real ale aficionados to visit! It also has a number of cider farms for those looking for a fruitier tipple. Although beer brewing has been a centuries old tradition in Devon, surprisingly, most of the breweries were established within the last 25 years. Many Devon breweries are small concerns attached to pubs or farms and most of those highlighted listed below offer brewery tours.
CAMRA members and real ale lovers will find plenty to enjoy from a self-catering cottage in Devon.
Cornwall was once packed with independent breweries but over the years takeovers, closures and competition from larger commercial breweries saw most of them close. In the last 20 years the tide has turned with smaller independent breweries starting up, winning awards and finding themselves a commercial success. There are now 23 breweries in Cornwall, all with their own unique history and several that offer tours and tastings.
Book a holiday cottage in Cornwall and enjoy the local village life, including sampling locally brewed ales in many delightful pubs and historic inns.
Exmoor National Park is the gentler sister to Dartmoor and although less well known it has just as many interesting sights and natural attractions. You can enjoy a visit to Exmoor in all seasons to explore the natural attractions, discover the area’s history or drive across the moors in gorgeous sunshine.
Walk the South West Coastal Path, go pony trekking or visit some of the small rural villages by booking a holiday cottage in Devon today.
Dartmoor National Park is an important protected natural area in Devon and is the largest open space in Southern England. It is famous for its rocky tors (hills topped with bedrock) as well as its swampy bogs, prehistoric menhirs (standing stones), wildlife and delightful villages.
Dartmoor is popular for hiking, cycling, horse riding, rock climbing, scenic drives, kayaking, fishing, orienteering and of course, Dartmoor letterboxing.
Book a Devon cottage near Dartmoor for a short break and enjoy a stay in this beautiful National Park.
Although Cornwall cannot boast a National Park it has plenty of well recognized areas of unspoilt natural beauty. The largest and best-known area is Bodmin Moor, a World Heritage Site, Site of Special Scientific Importance and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Many visitors head for the beaches and harbours around Cornwall’s scenic coastline, but there are plenty of treasures to be found inland.
Book a holiday cottage in Cornwall and discover the greener side of this lovely county.