6 days in SW England
 

OK, I have 6 days in the SW of England (mainly Cornwall and Devon) and need some advice on where to base myself. I'd like to do 3 nights in two places but would go to 2 nights in three places. I prefer B&Bs with a view of the coast or harbor.

I was given some great advice earlier but now am looking to refine to the point of number of nights and where. So far, the Looe/Polperro area has gotten my greatest interest but nor sure if the location is best from a touring standpoint. I'd like to make it to Lands End. I also intend to visit Clovelly on the north coast. All advice on where to visit will be appreciated.

Starting point will be Salisbury.

Thanks for all of the help.

Bill

We were in Bath last Fall for three days and not a minute was wasted. We spent one day touring Bath proper, another day going to Wells, Glastonbury and the famous Tor, and then a third day to the river Wye area in Wales. Of course, we love driving ourselves around, but I don't think you can go wrong doing at least two days in this area. We went directly to the Cotswalds after Bath so I can't offer any advice about other places to stay. Good luck!

Thanks northerngirl. We've spent some time in the Bath area. We are hoping to spend the bulk of the time on the peninsula. After that, we will head north to Wales. We move kind of slow.

Bill

Hi wojazz,
I would like to recommend the small town of Boscastle on the Cornish coast, near Tintagel. It is madly picturesque and a lot of it is under the care of the National Trust. From there you can easily get to Clovelly and other coastal places. We stayed at The Old Coach House B & B which is friendly and pleasant, though not luxurious. It is situated above the town with the typical steep descent into the harbour.
Have fun
Rosemary

Bill - LOOE, POLPERRO or FOWEY would certainly make a good base.

I have a feeling with 2 three-night stops you might end up backtracking a lot, though - with Cornwall especially. 3 two-night stops might possibly work better IMO.

Places to see? I'd definitely recommend DARTMOUTH in S. Devon. A nice way to arrive is by boat from Totnes - this is a lovely cruise down the R. Dart. You can return by steam train to Paignton, then bus. This makes a lovely trip.

SALCOMBE is another attractive area in S Devon. Don't miss nearby Overbecks Gardens for its beautiful coast view.

The NOSS MAYO/NEWTON FERRERS area SE of Plymouth is also pretty.

An area not to miss in N. Devon would be LYNMOUTH, in a lovely setting on one of the most beautiful coastal areas in England. This would also be a good choice for a two-night stop to explore Exmoor and N. Devon.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

I second the recommendation for Lynmouth - gorgeous ocean views and walks - lots of B&Bs in Lynton (above Lynmouth).

Thanks for the great info. Looking into Lynmouth/Lynton B&Bs now. Anyone else?

Bill

Another vote for Looe, Polperro. I'm not familiar /or don't remember the Lynton area, but it looks to be a good location on the map. We really dind't care for Bideford or Barnstaple...too big..
If you are looking further down the north coast, we loved St Ives.
Good luck , Bill.

wojazz3

We loved our stay in Mullion - Lizard Pennisula. We stayed at Uplands which is a flatlet consisting of a lounge, private bathroom, bedroom located upstairs from the bungalow. Everything is spotless and the hosts Vicky and John Wilson provide a first class full breakfast. The flatlet was originally built for Vicky's mum. We found this location perfect.

Go to www.thelizard.co.uk or www.cornwall-online.co.uk for more details.

I can not say one good thing about Lands End.

We loved St. Michael's Mount and there are some lovely gardens.

Best wishes for a lovely holiday.

Sandy

Hi Bill
I know the area quite well - here's some suggestions for you.
1) Lynton and Lynmouth - divided opinions here - you'll get some people who say avoid at all cost. Very touristy, difficult parking, chippies and rock shops everywhere etc - but stunning walks above the town. There's a truly vicious hill going down into the villages - not for the nervous driver! Personally I would not stay there, but each to their own.
2)Fantastic restaurant - Rick Stein's fish restaurant in Padstow. You need to book way in advance. Website www.rickstein.com gives details. He's a very famous cook and personality in England, own TV series etc - I'm assuming you are coming from the States? Apologies if I have got this wrong. Not sure how far his fame spreads!
3) Devon and Cornwall are wonderful for National Trust properties to visit. Website www.nationaltrust.org gives details - you can search by county. We loved Lanhydrock House in particular and Castle Drogo was amazing.
4) The Eden Project - www.edenproject.com gives details.
5) The Lost Gardens of Heligan - sorry don't know website but a search should bring up loads.
6) Any readers in your party might be interested in Winston Graham's Poldark series set in Cornwall and sure to enhance any visit.
Hope some of this is useful for you.
M

Bill - If you have time, East Devon is also very attractive.

You could possibly include it en route from Salisbury. You could plan a drive from Salisbury to include stops at LYME REGIS in Dorset, then on via Beer/Branscombe to SIDMOUTH.

Other pleasant resorts in South Devon are TEIGNMOUTH and BRIXHAM.

Like Sandy, I would avoid Land's End (- the development there's a blot on the landscape). For a much nicer coastal view, head for the outdoor Minack Theatre.
http://www.chycor.co.uk/travel-tips/penzance/minack.htm

If you visit LYNMOUTH, don't miss nearby VALLEY OF THE ROCKS for a beautiful coastal walk (- or drive), or WATERSMEET (- lovely riverside walk).

The drive over to Porlock is scenic. If you take this route, be sure to stop at the picture-postcard thatched cottage village of SELWORTHY (near Porlock/Minehead) - and also neaby DUNSTER.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Bill, I didn't want to be the first to say it, but I totally agree.....avoid Land's End. What a disapointment.
See it if you must, but it's a huge hotel complex plunked at the end of the road and I think you even have to pay to get into the grounds. (hope my memory isn't failing me here.

Kodi, Sandy, Morgana and Steve:

Thanks for the fantastic information. I really appreciate it. As to the Lynton area, I have heard similar +/- about the Looe/Polperro area. I prefer to avoid high traffic areas, but not at the expense of missing something amazing. I have found that taking in some of the more popular places either early or late in the day in Ireland has helped avoid some crowds especially the tour buses. The coastal walks and drives are really what interest me the most. I don't go many (if any) places for the shopping. I'm not too worried about crazy roads. I've driven some of the craziest backroads you can find in Ireland and love them. My wife, on the other hand, is less enthusiastic.

Good info about Lands End and the options. I'll check those websites. Steve, the route that you suggested from Salisbury is pretty close to exactly what I had planned Steve. Thanks for bolstering my confidence and pointing out the high points.

I had seen Castle Drogo on a list and wasn't sure whether it was worth a visit or not. Thanks for confirming that it is.

I'll be there in May. Do you all find the crowds to be much worse on the weekends at the more touristed spots? I'd like to try to plan to be in quieter places on the weekend if that's the case. I went through the Lake District a couple of years ago on a weekend and it was a nightmare.

Again, thanks for all of the great information. Fantastic stuff!! ... and yes, it helps a lot.

Bill

May should be fine - except for the first and last weekends. Those are both bank holidays and the crowds will be REALLY heavy. If you are traveling outside of those two weekends you won't find many people anywhere.

But - if you are talking about either one of those weekends you may have a hard time even finding accomodations, and the traffic will be nasty.

Hi, glad you found the info useful. We loved Castle Drogo - and the cream tea (scones, clotted cream and jam) in the Teashop was gorgeous!
The last week in May is normally Whitsun half term holiday for schools so everything is busier then.
National Trust properties are definitely more crowded at weekends. Best time is to visit when they open in the mornings during the week. They often don't open every week day so you will need to check the website for individual properties.
We stayed in North Devon last Easter,in a cottage a few miles west of Lynton. You probably guessed from my previous posting that we didn't like Lynton/Lynmouth - I supposed 'spoilt' would be the word I'd use although I realise that is a personal opinion. We drove in - stayed a while but not long!- and then drove out again up that steep hill! One of the steepest in England I understand.
The coastal path to the west of Lynton, along to Combe Martin was wonderful (we are keen walkers). Wonderful views and a good, well maintained footpath right along the top of the cliff. I am talking about the area around Woody Bay, Martinhoe, Heddon Mouth etc. We discovered the Hunters Inn in Parracombe, very slightly inland and serving delicious meals - good, plain straightforward food. Very popular with walkers. It's a beautiful walking area and May is a lovely time to go! We also walked to Watersmeet House (National Trust again, and great cakes, recognise a theme here??).
I am sure you will have a wondeful time - will you be posting a report?
M

Thanks Janis:

Our last weekend will be the last weekend in May, but we have our rooms booked. Two of those nights will be in London.

Morgana:

Thanks for the info. Yes, I picked up a theme :-). We also like walking and I hope to get some in that area. Perhaps a place in the area but not in Lynton.

As for the trip report yes, it will happen. I usually do those in the form of a web page that takes me too long to put together. Here are my past two from Ireland.

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ireland_2002/index.htm

and

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ireland_2003/

Bill