Devon county
England
Another
Devon photo below England
Tourist Attractions Map

Haytor
Rocks in Devon's
Dartmoor, south west England.
Devon
offers good sandy beaches
- though cold water - with excellent surfing on the Atlantic
coast, some pleasant towns such as Torquay
[aka The English Riviera], Plymouth
[the port from which USA's 'founding fathers' departed], and
lots of quaint little villages. But for many English people
the southwest [aka West country] outdoors means Exmoor,
Bodmin Moor or Dartmoor - bleak open spaces with mists,
rocks, wild ponies and the howling ground of the 'The Hound
of the Baskervilles'.
These moors are superb for hiking and biking, assuming the Hound
doesn't get you before teatime.
From
London the fastest car or coach route
to Exeter would be the M4 motorway to Bristol followed by the
M5, though a winding trip through Dorset would be far more interesting
and scenic. However, in the summertime herds of lumbering caravans
migrate en masse to the West Country along 'A' roads so speed
freaks may prefer the motorways. Or let the train take the strain.
Devon
Travel Guide
Cornwall
photos

An
alternative to Devon's open spaces on Dartmoor are the occasional
wet and woody patches.
One
of the UK's largest counties, Devon
lies on England's south-west peninsula, bordering Cornwall,
Somerset and Dorset and has two stunning and distinct coastlines.
Exeter,
the county capital on the River Exe, is about 200 miles from
London - a 3 or 4 hour drive, or 2.5 hours on the fastest scheduled
train.
The city has a history stretching back to Roman times, was the
start of the Fosse Way Roman road; parts of a fortified Roman
wall can still be seen.
Other fine old buildings include remnants of the Norman era
Rougemont Castle, Exeter Cathedral [finished in 1050 AD], various
medieval churches, half-timbered Tudor houses and well-kept
Victorian and Georgian buildings.
Exeter also contains the oldest public space in England, Northernhay
Gardens.
Unfortunately the city's narrow streets - Parliament Street
is reputed to be the narrowest street in the world - cause considerable
traffic congestion, so car travel here is not a pleasant option.
Cornwall
photos
If
you're visiting from overseas, and only staying a short time,
Devon is off the beaten track,
at
least three hours drive from London, often more in high season
as roads are narrow.
As it is a rural area, public transport is very thin on the
ground.
Don't expect any big-city thrills or theme parks. Devon is undeveloped
- the main cities such as Exeter and Plymouth do offer entertainment
venues, such as theatres, clubs and bars as well as cultural
attractions, but not on the scale of major cities.
Central
| North | London
| South | English
Tourist Map | England
Pictures Start
South
England pictures and mini-guides: Stonehenge | Avebury | Bournemouth | Dorset Coast | Bath
Information: England
Travel Guide | London
Travel Guide | Historic Buildings | UK Walks | UK
Tours
Maps: England
Tourist Attractions Map | England
Counties Map | Europe
Map
England
Pictures © bugbog.com and its licensors