When you need a little travel inspiration, some facts about Devon & Cornwall, or just a good travel article written with eyewitness detail, our blog should be your first choice. Written in fresh and informative style for both travel junkies and armchair travellers, it cuts through the fluff to paint wonderful word pictures of each destination and event. We’ll help you make the most of your time when holidaying in the south west of England.
As a resident of the Westcountry I have discovered several places to visit that are quiet even on the busiest weekends. The Rame Peninsula is a perfect example, in the extreme southeast corner of Cornwall, which has stately homes, coastal walks and tiny smugglers villages to enjoy.
Discover this forgotten corner of Cornwall by booking a holiday cottage in Kingsand and Cawsand today!
Plymouth is a great city to live & work in, but is even better to visit as a tourist! Behind the slick modern designs of the centre, Plymouth is steeped in maritime history as the city of Drake, Raleigh & the Pilgrim Fathers on the historic Barbican.
With time on your hands and a good guide book, you can easily step back in time to the Golden Age of Exploration. Let us guide you through some of the best bits.
There’s something very intriguing about a castle built on an island, and St Michael’s Mount is certainly a very unique place to visit. It is usually a favourite place to go whenever I have visitors to stay as it has broad appeal and is always very memorable.
St Michael’s Mount is one of 43 tidal islands around the UK which can be accessed across a causeway at low tide. Find out what makes it so special.
The National Trust property of Cotehele is a Tudor manor and gardens which lead down to a quay and preserved barge on the Tamar. Explore the mediaeval Great Hall with its weaponry displays and the furnished family rooms within this dark old house.
Read on to discover why Cotehele was closed up and left in a time warp for centuries, and discover its historic connection with Mount Edgcumbe.
For green-fingered gardeners, a day spent wandering the acreage at RHS Rosemoor is truly a day in heaven. There is so much to see and enjoy there, even in the depths of winter, and the garden shop and cafeteria finish off the visit perfectly.
Even if you are not a garden geek, the beautiful 65-acre grounds have a pleasant woodland area for walks beyond the show gardens.
Coleridge Cottage is in a time warp, capturing the era when Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived in the village of Nether Stowey. See the soot-blackened fireplace and the lime tree bower in this restored property, which clearly inspired his writing.
Read on to learn more about this atmospheric restored attraction and consider a visit to the West Country for a sojourn with the romantic poets!
Some of Britain’s finest gardens can be found in Devon. Known for its mild winters and showery climate, it is no accident than the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has a spectacular show garden in the Torridge Valley of North Devon.
Rent a Devon cottage and enjoy some beautiful gardens without the hard work!
Cornwall’s mild, damp climate has made the county prime for growing all sorts of exotic ferns, palms and exotic shrubs. In fact one of the largest gardens is the only place in England where tea bushes are grown!
Explore Cornwall’s glorious gardens by renting a Cornish cottage now.
Many visitors to Cornwall avoid visiting the harbour town of Looe as it is busy & difficult to park – but with a little local knowledge you can have a wonderful day. Looe is very pretty with its whitewashed houses and cottages tiered up the surrounding wooded riverbanks
Here are a few tips from a local resident for getting there, parking, dining and shopping in this lovely Cornish gem. However you get there, it’s certainly worth a visit.
One of my favourite places to visit in Devon is the idyllic village of Otterton with its thatched cottages, watermill, craft centre and tea rooms. The best way to reach it is on foot along the Otter Valley from Budleigh Salterton.
Why not book a cottage in East Devon and enjoy this lovely walk along the scenic Otter Valley?
Visiting Plymouth, you can almost picture Drake in his Elizabethan finery, calmly bowling on the green grass here while awaiting news of the approaching Spanish armada. The Hoe still dominates Plymouth’s waterfront, much as it did in Drake’s Day.
The green sward and Victorian Belvedere offers great views of the busy Plymouth and is a great place to visit at any time of year, come rain or shine.
Winter is definitely over earlier in Devon, making Spring a great time to take a weekend break. With Easter, St George’s Day, Mother’s Day, half term and two bank holidays to celebrate, there’s plenty to see and do in the Westcountry.
With spring blooms, food and drink festivals, boat trips, walking events, horseracing, arts, crafts and the Devon County Show, there’s something for everyone!
The best way to appreciate the geological wonder and beauty of Devon’s coastline is from a Stuart Line Jurassic Coast Cruise. These 2-3 hour trips in April offer panoramic views of the sandstone cliffs, historic buildings, castle ruins and birdlife.
Take a virtual trip on the Pride of Exmouth by reading this fact-packed article before booking yourself on one of their splendid April excursions.
After the festive exertions, how does a winter’s weekend in St Ives sound to you? This small Cornish seaside town has long been a favourite during the summer months but many people just do not realise what they are missing by not visiting during what is commonly considered as the closed season.
The benefits of visiting St Ives at this time of the year are endless and as you will see, the bargains that await you with regards to accommodation and places to eat will mean that booking a winter’s weekend in St Ives is something of a no brainer.
Thousands of visitors come to Devon every year with one aim in mind – to enjoy the stunning sandy beaches, particularly along the Atlantic facing north coast.
Find out why North Devon’s beaches are so popular by booking a holiday cottage in North Devon today!
With a rugged, serrated coastline running for 85 miles along the coast of North Cornwall there are hundreds of caves, beaches and bays just made for enjoying on a sunny day. If you haven’t time to drive down and try them all for yourself, take your choice from the following which are, in my opinion, the very best beaches in North Cornwall – bar none!
Book a holiday cottage in Cornwall near one of these beaches and enjoy a wonderful stay!
If you thought a holiday in Devon sounded boring, you may have to rethink your opinion. Devon has a varied terrain, national parks and great beaches that make it the perfect place for outdoor adventure, from microlights and archery to abseiling and extreme watersports.
Book your holiday cottage in Devon and plan to try some of these challenging activities in North Devon.
Cornwall is surrounded by water which makes it perfect for exciting watersports, particularly in the rolling Atlantic surf found on the north coast. Bodyboarding, freediving, stand-up paddle surfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding and more can all be found here.
Holiday cottages in Cornwall make the perfect base for enjoying some exhilarating sports activities on an action-packed adventure holiday.
Each year in late November, Devon’s tourism industry is on tenterhooks to find out who has been honoured with some of the UK’s most prestigious accolades. Read on to discover the best visitor attractions, festivals, restaurants and activities in Devon, and plan your next holiday around these award-winning businesses.
With so many award-winning attractions and events, now is a great time to book your holiday cottage in Devon!
The annual British Travel Awards are announced each year in early November and are a much coveted benchmark for excellence within the UK travel industry. Cornwall swept the floor in 2012 by receiving six awards, including the top Gold Award as the Best UK Holiday County.
Why not book a holiday cottage in Cornwall and discover why it ranks top as a wonderful holiday destination?
It is not just the Christmas lights which are bringing a smile to the face of the people of Ilfracombe this December but also the sight of something which has been called beautiful, obscene and grotesque. What an earth will you make of it all?
Torquay has exactly what it takes to provide a great Christmas holiday break or a relaxing time with the family in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Excellent shopping centres, theatres, Christmas fairs, seasonal attractions, Santa steam train rides, great dining (and long walks to burn off those excesses!) make South Devon a wonderful place to enjoy the Christmas season.
Bag a pre-Christmas bargain by booking a holiday cottage in Devon now!
Plymouth is the ideal destination for enjoying Christmas shopping, theatre breaks & family get-togethers both before & during the Christmas season. It has great dining opportunities, fresh sea air, a mild climate and a packed program of theatrical events.
Hurry and book your spacious holiday rental near Plymouth before it’s too late!
There are a host of cosy holiday cottages in and around Dartmoor that make an excellent home-from-home for Christmas or in the weeks leading up to the festive season. Rent a family-size home and gather together with extended family and friends to make it a truly memorable celebration with long country walks, log fires and hearty food laid on at local pubs.
Book your holiday cottage in Devon now to be sure of a Christmas to remember!