Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE
best
TRAVEL
EXPERIENCES IN DEVON
W
Getting lost on Dartmoor:
The narrow, winding roads traversing this vast and hilly
wilderness are notoriously un-numbered and unmarked. To find your way around,
you follow signs indicating the names of villages ahead. Inevitably you lose your
way, which is when you'll discover all the most beautiful places. See p. 376.
W
Spending a day at the beach near Torquay:
With 20 sandy beaches within a few
miles of one another, Torquay is perfect for sun-worshippers. Surfers can catch a
wave, and even on the hottest summer day, the water is bracingly cold. Whether
you prefer busy beaches with paddling pools or private sandy spots surrounded by
cliffs, you'll find your space here. See p. 383.
W
Climbing the streets of Clovelly:
This protected, historic town has cobbled streets
so steep and narrow that donkeys still haul goods from the top of the hill to the
bottom. For walkers, the precipitous stroll down to the seafront is simply beautiful,
as the streets are lined with flower-bedecked cottages. See p. 370.
W
Taking the cliff train from Lynmouth:
This century-old, water-powered train
climbs 183m (600 ft.) from the fishing village of Lynmouth at the foot of the cliff
to the little town of Lynton at the top. The views along the way are sweeping. The
entire experience is both exhilarating and, frankly, terrifying. See p. 368.
W
Traveling by boat from Dartmouth to Totnes:
A winding journey through some of
Devon's greenest and peaceful countryside, this river-boat journey is a relaxing way
to spend an afternoon. The fields and pastures pass by, dotted with sheep and
ponies, and you'll see jagged hills off in the distance. On a sunny day, it's heavenly.
See p. 390.
9
LYNTON-LYNMOUTH & THE
NORTH DEVON COAST
206 miles W of London; 59 miles NW of Exeter
For centuries, Lynton and Lynmouth have attracted artists drawn by the twin
Victo-
rian villages
' beauty and picturesque setting at the edge of Exmoor National Park.
The harbor town is Lynmouth, while Lynton is on the cliff 183m (600 ft.) above it;
the two are linked by a cliff railway. Thomas Gainsborough called Lynmouth “the
most delightful place for a landscape painter this country can boast.” Another notable
visitor was poet Percey Bysshe Shelley, who honeymooned here with his 16-year-old
bride, Harriet Westbrook, and on a later visit wrote
Queen Mab
. From the clifftop,
you can look across the Bristol Channel to the Welsh coast.
Exmoor National Park
straddles the border between Devon and Somerset. Less
distinctive than its gloomier sibling, Dartmoor, it nonetheless provides miles of cap-
tivating countryside to hike across, and is home to an astonishingly beautiful stretch
of coastline.
Essentials
GETTING THERE
These villages are rather remote, and we recommend that you
rent a car to get here. Another option is to take one of the First Great Western trains
