Hi
I'm planning a trip very similar to this one posted here previously for about 10 days. I'm also trying to figure out where are the best / nicest places to stay, and for how many days in each.Should I try to divide it up or is there perhaps one strategically located place along the south west coast which would be considered a good base for about a week from which to explore the region,and just rent a cottage. Or if someone can suggest a couple of scenic places e.g. Jurassic coast, south or north Cornwall coast.
I'm used to driving so taking day trips from one good base doesn't phase me too much.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...wall-devon.cfm

I need advice as to how to go about timing this trip! For an overview, on day 1 (Sept 30) we will leave Bath about noon, head South to Dorset coast (but would like quick stops in Avebury & Stonehenge along the way), then over the rest of the car rental days, head West along the coast to Lands End, then up the Northeast coast & back to Bath on Day 11 (Oct 11). I've read the guidebooks, studied the maps, circled places of interest, but am at a total loss about where to book rooms and for how long in each area (or perhaps NOT to book rooms at all?!)

I really wish you could see the circles on my map! Here's a sampling:
Dorset coast: Corfe Castle, Worth Matravers, Durdle Door, Jurassic Coast, Lyme Regis, fossil hunts, easy cliff walks

Heading West: Sidmouth, Exmouth, Torquay, Start Bay walk, Salcombe, Burgh Island, Bigbury on the Sea, more short coastal walks

On the way to Falmouth & Lizard Peninsula, not much circled but Eden Project, then St. Mawes, St. Just, Helston, down to Lizard Point for views and walks

Then over to Penwith Peninsula - lots circled here! Need couple days for coastal drives, St. Ives, Mousehole, Penzance (perhaps stay here?), Lands End, theatre

Heading up NE coast, need time for stops along this coast for photo ops & views, Tintagel castle, walks in Bude, Morwenstow, & Hartland Point, quick visit in Clovelly, Morte Point, Lynon, Lynmouth

As you can see, we want dramatic scenery, easy cliff walks, picturesque towns & villages. We don't drive at night, so we need to settle in well before dark in a town that's big enough to have a variety of places to walk to, choices for food, & pubs to have a pint in (won't be touching a drop until done with the driving!)

PLEASE give your advice. In how many places should we base ourselves? Where would you book B&B's? (or to book at all?) How long in each area? Are any of these areas extremely difficult to drive to that I should omit? I can't seem to get a handle on distances, driving times, and how much time we need for such an itinerary. Thanks in advance!

I haven't read the whole post yet (just dashing out) but Avebury and Stonehenge are not quick stops enroute from Bath to Dorset. Just Bath to Avebury takes about an hour.

oooh - how long have you got/

first of all, a few basics, like timing - if I ahve understood you, you actually have 11 days, which means 10 nights. unless you are a fan of "one-night stands" you really need to be looking at staying 2-3 nights in each place - which gives you 3-4 bases. then following your lead of your places of interest, that would give you a trip that looks like this:

Day 1 - leave Bath. [NB Avebury and Stonehenge are EAST of Bath, and you are heading WEST] Drive to Lyme REgis. spend 2 nights.

Day 2 - explore the area - weymouth to Exmouth are well within reach.

Day 3 - drive to Falmouth. Stay 3 nights. loads to do in this area - gardens, walks, boat trips.

Day 4,5 - Falmouth area.

day 6. Drive to Penzance or st. Ives. explore area down to Lands end and round to St. Ives or Penzance. stay 3 nights.

Day 7,8 - Penzance/St. Ives area. [they are only 15 miles apart, but very different in character] whichever you stay in, you have time to see both.

Day 9 - drive via Morwenstow, Hartland and Clovelly to Instow. stay 2 nights. [i was going to suggest staying in M'stow etc. but then i re-read you post and thought that there wasn't enough there for you to do in the evening]

Day 10 - explore area. Definitely see Appledore.

Day 11 - Back to Bath via Lynmouth.

this gives you no very long driving times, enough time [just about] to see each area and do some walking, and some scenic drives in between. none of these areas are "too difficult to drive", so long as you take it slowly, and don't mind getting stuck behind the odd tractor.

if you are desperate to see more of the north Devon/somerset coast, you will need to drop somewhere else - the south and west of Cornwall is very rich in things to do and though distances aren't long, it can take a time to get around.

whether you want to book in advance or find accommodation as you go is really up to you, as that time of year there will be plenty available, but I get the sense that you would feel more secure if you booked ahead. you will find loads of accommodation at every price point at www.visitcornwall.com. you could rent a cottage, but I think that you would find yourselves wishing that you weren't driving along the same roads over and over again. if you move every few days, you will get some drives, plus some days of rest and recuperation.

all the bases I have suggested [with the exception of Morwenstow] you can arrive before sunset and not have to leave to go out to eat. possibly Hartland [not much there, in all honesty] Clovelly or even Barnstaple would be better, but if you wouldn't mind a hotel, and a reasonably long drive from Penzance [3 hours, give or take] my recommendation would be the Commodore at Instow, across the estuary from picturesque Appledore. imagine a very comfortable hotel, decent food, a lovely view across the beach and the water, and waking up to the sound of curlews.

please don't hesitate to come back to ask more questions - i love helping people plan trips to cornwall, which is where I live.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I'm planning on devoting about 3 days to Bath and taking in Avebury and Stonehenge. Then head on down to Dorchester and to the Dorset coast by the end of the third day. Would that sound reasonable? I'm planning the trip for April so hopefully there will be a bit of a stretch in the evenings by that stage.

After that, I'm at a loss as to where to stay or base myself along the south west coast and then work my way back up around the north coast and back to the ferry at Pembroke. Leaving out travel time, I have about 10 full days to visit Bath and explore as much of the south west region as possible.

no probs, aporia, but now I'm a bit confused about the time you've got. in your original post you said this:

For an overview, on day 1 (Sept 30) we will leave Bath about noon, head South to Dorset coast (but would like quick stops in Avebury & Stonehenge along the way), then over the rest of the car rental days, head West along the coast to Lands End, then up the Northeast coast & back to Bath on Day 11 (Oct 11)>>

now you are saying that you want 3 days in and around Bath heading for Dorset on the 3rd day, then 3 days in Dorset, AND only 10 days in all, and in April, which is rather different. in this case you have time only for one base in Cornwall - I'd suggest Falmouth - and one in North devon/somerset - I'd suggest Lynton/Lynmouth.

sadly, you can't do it all.

Hi Ann
I see you are a stalwarth on this forum so thanks ever so much for replying. I had actually posted before I saw your post.
I only have 10 days in total including Bath so I imagine I might have to curtail some of the trip.
In 7 days I have,would you suggest I concentrate just on the south coast? Is this the more scenic? Although I want to visit St. Ives aswell.

Thanks Ann
I appear to be cross posting. I will study your recommendations and see if I can come up with a reasonable plan within the time limit I have. If all goes well I hope to return to explore the rest

in brief, and at the risk of repeating myself, you can't see it all. if st. Ives is your priority, then it is clearly the place for you to head for from Dorset, though it is not as easy to see the rest of Cornwall from there, as it's a bit out on a limb, as it were.

perhaps a compromise would be this:

Days 1-3 - Bath

Day 4 - Dorset via Avebury/Stonehenge.

Day 5 - Lyme Regis

Day 6 - drive to Falmouth - stay 2 nights

Day 8 - Drive to St. Ives

Day 10 [or is that 11?] - back to Bath.

leave the north to another trip.

The Jurasic coast is a good bit of marketing and folds togther Lulworth cove, Durdel Door. I grew up down there and the most worthwhile walk is about 4 hours long (into the cove, then up to the door , along the coast a bit and back along the top ridge. I'd also include a lobster tea into the day so it can be a long day with travel etc.

Corfe Castle (the castle and the village of the same name is another whole day though here I would include a cream tea (unless the Devon/Cornish ones have finsihed you off)

There is also Dancing Ledge, the Swanery and Chesil beach to the west of Weymouth, Portland and Portland Bill south of Wyemouth (check out the kite festival in Weymouth), Dorchester, Poundberry and Maiden Castle(one of the largest remaining anti-Roman forts in the UK let alone Europe).

You might also like to visit Old Harry, Studland bay, Poole Harbour chain ferry, Brownsea island etc etc.

Sorry if this is just adding to your list but Dorset is very pretty and is relatively unspoiled.