|
|
|
Thatched cottages, rolling green farmland, bustling market towns and traditional teashops are the norm in this part of the country. You can visit one of the many cider houses, watch Cheddar cheese being made in the age old way or listen to tales of smugglers, pirates and shipwrecks in the many roadside pubs and inns. For walkers there are literally hundreds of great areas to chose from for leisurely strolls to long distance hikes. Dorset has the Wessex Ridgeway walk from Marlborough to Lyme Regis or the 213-mile circular Hardy Trail. In Somerset there's the 50-mile River Parrett Trail or the West Mendip Way. Exmoor has the Two Moors Way and the South West Coast Path runs through much of Devon. The Saints Way runs from Padstow to Fowey. The main cycle route in the area is the West Country Way from Padstow to Bristol and Bath. The first part from Padstow to Bodmin is called the Camel Way and the next part through North Devon is known as the Tarka Trail. The 73-mile North Dorset Cycleway and the various circular routes around the Somerset Levels are also great areas for cycling. The south west is particularly good for horse riders. In Somerset you can roam the hills or sand dunes for miles and Dartmoor has more than 400 miles of bridleways. Naturally water sports are one of the region's biggest attractions especially sailing, surfing and diving around the Devon and Cornwall coastline. There are hundreds of ship wrecks in the area and visibility can be very good. Sea and freshwater fishing are available all over the region particularly in the fishing villages of Devon and Cornwall and in the reservoirs of Dartmoor. Wherever you venture in the south west you'll find small, welcoming villages, plenty to do and you'll enjoy the holiday of a lifetime! Dorset is a rural county with charming inland villages and a fantastic coastline. Bournemouth is a lively resort town with award winning beaches. Just outside is Christchurch, a Saxon market town, on the edge of the New Forest. It has a 900-year old priory church and an impressive harbour. To the north of the county lies the Saxon hill-top town of Shaftesbury, Dorset's highest town. Climb nearby Gold Hill for a bird's eye view over Blackmore Vale. Sherborne has a 16th century castle built by Sir Walter Raleigh with 20 acres of gardens and a 50-acre lake. There's good wildlife and walking. Milton Abbas and Sturminster Newton are peaceful unspoiled villages of mellow stone and golden thatch cottages. The Dorset coastline consists of glorious sandy beaches and breathtaking coastal scenery. Swanage is particularly beautiful and the classic resort town of Weymouth has a safe sandy beach and an historic harbour. The rugged coastal scenery of the Bill of Portland and dramatic Chesil Beach are worth exploring. Bockhampton, east of Dorchester, is where novelist Thomas Hardy was born in 1840. Somerset is cider country. You'll see orchards lining the quiet lanes and you can taste the traditional drink at many of the county's cider houses. To the north of the county lie the Mendip Hills, 198 square kilometres of dramatic limestone gorges and wooded areas. The most famous gorge is Cheddar Gorge where you can visit a series of showcaves or watch Cheddar cheese being made in the traditional way. The nearby Cheddar Reservoir is good for sailing and angling. Axbridge, on the edge of the Mendips, has an impressive medieval square. From Axbridge Hill there are great views of Cheddar Valley and on a good day you can see the Quantock Hills and the coast. The Shute Shelve and Crook Peak nature reserves are nearby. Coastal Somerset is popular with families. Burnham-on-Sea and Brean Sands have seven miles of golden beaches and the vast tidal range of the area leaves extensive estuarine mudflats at low tide which is great for birdwatchers. Inland
are the Somerset Levels and Moors, an area of 104 square kilometres
of wetland moors. There's a history of peat production in the area and
preserved Iron Age villages and dwellings have been discovered. Near
the village of Westhay is Shapwick Heath, an important wetland nature
reserve. There are some good cycle routes in this area. North Devon has the charming village of Clovelly where Charles Kingsley wrote the Waterbabies. Donkeys and sledges transport village supplies up the steep cobbled streets of the village. No cars are allowed.
Further south lies the massive national park of Dartmoor. There's 368 square miles of open moorland, wooded river valleys, rolling countryside and delightful villages to explore. There are hundreds of miles of public footpaths and bridleways for walking, cycling and horse riding. There's also good fishing in the moor reservoirs. Buckfast Abbey, famous for its sweet wine, is worth a visit. The South Devon coast consists of a string of charming fishing villages and resort towns such as Dartmouth with its pretty harbour, winding streets and lively pubs. Torquay is a lively coastal resort which was home to crime writer Agatha Christie. Salcombe is a famous sailing venue. There are miles of sandy beaches and good coastal walking. You can spot dolphins from the cliff tops and the views from Bolt Head to East Portlemouth are stunning. Birdwatching is popular in the town's estuary. The nearby town of Hope Cove is delightful with its thatched cottages. You can go crabbing in the rock pools, sail, surf or go diving. There's also a nature reserve at Thurlestone Sands.
The city of Plymouth is rich in maritime history - it was here that Sir Francis Drake set sail to defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Mayflower also set sail from Plymouth for America in 1620 and Captain James Cook set sail on his voyage of discovery in 1769 from Plymouth. Cornwall is known for its dramatic coastal scenery and quaint fishing villages. The North coast has the Victorian resort of Bude. There are miles of golden beaches, spectacular coastline and the surfing here is great. A nature reserve runs along the Bude Canal and you may spot orchids, warblers, buzzards, squirrels, rabbits and otters along the walkway. Water sports can also be enjoyed on the River Neet, Tamar Lakes and Roadford Reservoir. You can walk to the nearby villages of Duckpool, Sandymouth, Crooklets Beach, Widemouth Bay and Crackington Haven along stunning cliff top paths. Dizzard Woods cling to the cliff top - the salt-laden winds have produced some amazing gnarled and stunted trees! Further south Boscastle has a pretty harbour and an old village. The castle of Tintagel is the legendary birthplace of King Arthur.
The fishing town of Padstow revolves around its busy harbour. You can watch the boats landing their catches at the harbour, explore the town's seven unspoiled beaches, catch crabs in the estuary, waterski, windsurf, sail or surf. The coastal walking is also great with 200 foot cliffs and wild scenery. Newquay is one of the UK's best surf spots and it's also a lively resort with great beaches. On the south coast Polperro is a showpiece harbour village with picturesque cottages lining the narrow road to the inner harbour. Fowey is a historic sea faring town with a network of narrow streets climbing up the hillside. Picturesque Mevagissey is the largest working fishing port in St Austell Bay. It has pretty cob cottages spilling down to the harbour. Truro has a three-spired cathedral built 100 years ago and a variety of specialist shops such as antiques, jewellers and boutiques. The charming village of St Agnes lies inland and north of Truro. It's known for its row of Stippy Stappy sea captain's cottages. St Mawes is a fashionable yachting resort overlooking the lively resort of Falmouth. Falmouth is the third largest natural harbour in the world. There's also a great waterfront marina. Right down on the southern tip of Cornwall lies St Ives with its crescent of sandy beaches. The town is now a fishing port but it grew up around a small chapel in the 6th century. Penzance is a bustling town with palm trees growing along its seafront promenade. St Michael's Mount is a rocky hill crowned by a castle, rising from the sea near Penzance. You can walk across to it at low tide. The views from the top are impressive. Situated next to Cape Cornwall and Land's End, St Just is the British mainland's most westerly town.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
