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DevonTRAVEL GUIDE

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DEVON 101

Devon is the kind of destination that rewards exploration. With coastlines on two separate

sides of England you’ll have umpteen seaside towns and clifftop walks to enjoy, and with

Dartmoor and Exmoor your adventures can expand to kayaking, hiking or just admiring the

spectacular scenery. So you can make the very best of this wonderful English county, we’ve

created this Devon travel guide that’s full of tips, inspiration and great things to do.

POUNDTHREE PINENGLISH999

GMT 21° C4° CJAN-MAY

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BY WHEELS

Hiring a car is a great way to explore Devon at your own pace and make the most of your holiday. If you’re interested, try popular car rental companies like Avis, Europcar, Sixt and Hertz.

BY BIKE

Cycling is an excellent way to get around Devon. Visit Cycle Devon for information on cycle trails for all kinds of cyclist, whether you’re looking for quiet routes or long distance routes.

BY TAXI

Taxi services are easily available throughout the Devon region. They can be booked in advance, hailed on the street or picked up from designated spots like railway stations.

BY WATER

Plymouth on the south coast of Devon is one of Europe’s largest harbours. Brittany ferries run ferry services from various ports in France and Santander in Spain to Plymouth. .

BY AIR

Flights to Devon land at Exeter International Airport. This airport has excellent links within the UK and various European destinations including Amsterdam, Dublin, and Paris.

BY BUS OR TRAIN

Trains are hassle-free ways of trundling through the scenery of Devon, and routes run to most of the major towns. Buses provide slightly more flexibility around the villages of the region. 

TRANSPORT TALK

HIDDEN GEMS AND ACTIVITIES

Clovelly  A car-free village hidden on the northern coast of the county; it is worth visiting simply to wander the attractive pedestrianised streets.

Totnes A town that celebrates diversity and exudes the new age vibe. What makes the area unmissable is the collection of listed buildings, which feature unusual overhanging upper storeys.

Hidden Gems Picks for Kids Best Activities Foodie Delights

Okehampton Castle A country manor best known for the grisly story of Lady Howard, who reputedly murdered her husbands to turn them into carriages. 

Village of Appledore Its popular book festival in autumn draws in authors and literature-lovers from around the country, while the whole community joins in with the celebrations during its annual regatta earlier in the year.

Torquay

Exeter

Plymouth

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Before booking a day with Unique Devon Tours, you have the challenge of deciding what to see and do. The private, curated trips are led by Alex, a Devonshire man ready to share his extensive local knowledge.

Children who dream of flying will be thrilled as they rise into the skies above Devon. Aerosaurus Balloons run flights at sunrise and sunset from the South Hams, an area of natural beauty that juts out into the sea.

Children have the choice of what excitement they want from their day out at the Ultimate Adventure Centre, from assault courses comprising of water pools and giant inflatables to kayaking. 

Explore the Region   Soar the Landscapes Experience the Thrill

The Railway and River Boat Company takes you through the hills and fields around Galmpton, Greenway and Paignton on that most beloved of engines, the vintage steam train.

Axe Valley Wildlife Park is home to lemurs, zebras, flamingos and wallabies, among many others – making it an essential destination in Devon for holidaying families.

Conquer the art of wave riding with North Devon Surf School. Grab a board and head out into the north Devon coast, a place many name among the best surfing destination in the UK. 

 Become a Zookeeper Catch the Waves

TOP PICKS FOR KIDS

Hop from Train to Boat

MAP IT OUT: WHERE TO FIND THE BEST FOR KIDS

Torquay

Exeter

Plymouth

Explore the region 

Soar the landscapes

Experience the thrill

Hop from train to boat

Become a zookeeper

Catch the waves

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Coasteering is one of the best ways to get to some of Devon’s more isolated shores. Reach Outdoors lead groups on active expeditions clambering around the rocks, wading into waves and jumping off outcrops into the sea. 

Relish the chance to have a go at shaping and moulding glass with Dartington Crystal. Find out who among your group shows promise and who would be better off putting down the glassblowing pipe.

Cycling may just be the best way to explore the natural beauty of Devon; Hot Pursuit Cycles are well-equipped with bikes that can handle the rolling hills and muddy tracks of the Devonshire landscape

Enjoy a trip along the canal in the last horse drawn barge remaining in the UK. Tiverton Canal Co. takes you up to an aqueduct where you can get out and meet the horse, who’ll be taking a well-deserved break.

Head out on to the waters around Plymouth Sound for a satisfying day of fishing. Fish’N’Trips

welcome groups of any size on to their boats, so you and your group can pile in for a fishing expedition together

Leave behind engines and screens for a ride out into the countryside like an explorer on the back of a trusty horse. Adventure Clydesdale are happy to tailor the route to what your group desires.

CROWD-PLEASERS: BEST ACTIVITIES

Pedal the Countryside Blow Glass Traverse the Coast

Horse Drawn Barges  Angle for a Catch  Canter the Hills

MAP IT OUT: WHERE TO FIND THE BEST FOR GROUPS

Torquay

Exeter

Plymouth  Traverse the coast

Blow glass

Pedal the countryside 

Horse drawn barges 

Angle for a catch 

Canter the hills

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Sustainability and ecology are at the forefront of Ode True Food. A restaurant that crafts mouth-watering meals from locally sourced, ethically farmed ingredients, which gives an extra feel-good factor.

Exeter Street Food takes over the city of Exeter every weekend. The price of the meals won’t put any strain on the holiday budget, and you can enjoy a huge range of tasty meals in funky pop-up seating areas.

Ode True Food

One of the relative newcomers on the Devon gastronomic scene, The Rockfish restaurant is located directly next to the fish market. Their ever-changing menu is built around the freshest local seafood.

Take home a unique souvenir from your time in Devon in the form of your very own bottle of local gin. Tours of Plymouth’s Gin Distillery unveil the processes behind distilling and flavouring one of Britain’s favourite spirits.  

The Treby Arms is one of

Plympton’s Michelin-starred inns. The menu is filled with time-honoured dishes straight from the county’s rural past, and the attention to detail has earned it huge praise from the culinary world.

The Devonshire Cream Tea is a must – a scone topped with clotted cream and jam is an absolute joy. Devon also produces some amazing cheeses – the Devon blue is a recent award winner that’s definitely worth searching out. 

BEST FOODIE DELIGHTS

The Treby ArmsExeter Street Food

Plymouth Gin Distillery

Dishes to Try

The Rockfish

MAP IT OUT: WHERE TO FIND THE BEST FOR FOODIES

Torquay

Exeter

Plymouth

Exeter Street Food

Ode True Food

The Rockfish

The Treby Arms

Plymouth’s Gin Distillery

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