The south-west of England is much more than Cornwall. On this tour we visit the counties of Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire with beautiful coastal areas, impressive towns and mansions and devote a lot of time to the two great moors of Dartmoor and Exmoor.
From the airport in London (usually Heathrow) you go to Winchester, the old capital of England.
Through the beautiful New Forest (small tip: Do not rush through on the motorway, but enjoy a bit of the landscape a little on small side roads) we go to the Isle of Purbeck, which is a peninsula. Corfe Castle, although ruined, is very picturesque and impressive. A small highlight are Durdle Door (the “rock with the hole” in the sea) and the almost circular bay Lulworth Cove. Along the coast we head to Abbotsbury on the Jurassic Coast – a very lovely place where a visit is highly recommended to both the Subtropical Garden and the Swannery (in May the baby swans have just hatched – don’t miss it!). Further on Lyme Regis is worth a visit, as is Beer, which is nearby (The place is really called this!).
In Exeter, the cathedral is at least worth a visit. To the south is the nice town of Dartmouth, where you can make a trip up the River Dart to Totnes. Then we arrive at the famous Dartmoor, a very special area: A national park with a variety of features, for which you should definitely take a few days. On the edge of the moor are Tavistock and the Lydford Gorge – a great gorge.
A short detour takes us across the border to Cornwall, where Cotehele House and Garden is worth a visit. This is a manor house with a huge garden and a small harbour by the river, an active mill and much more. Railway fans should not miss the Calstock Viaduct – best seen from Cotehele by the way.
With a short hop to the north we reach the second moor of our journey, Exmoor. It is a very varied, beautiful area, partly deeply wooded. Extensive hikes and tours are recommended, such as to Lynton/Lynmouth with the Valley of Rocks or to the “chocolate box”, the adorable village of Selworthy. A hike to Selworthy Beacon offers beautiful views of the Bristol Channel and inland, along with yellow-flowering broom and grazing sheep in spring. It’s also worth a detour to Dunkery Beacon, which is a feast for the eyes especially in late summer with flowering Heather. In Dunster you should visit the castle and the area has a lot of other things to offer. Tip: The TIC (Tourist Information Centre) in Dunster has excellent maps and expert advice for worthwhile excursions in the national park!
We leave Exmoor and drive west, where at least a stopover should be made at Montacute House in Somerset a stopover should be made. It’s not far to Glastonbury, the legendary Avalon. The Abbey is only a ruin, but still very worth seeing. Even more worth seeing is the cathedral of Wells – certainly one of the most beautiful ones in England!
In the city of Bath, the old Roman baths are well preserved or restored, and not far from the city is the village of Lacock. Countless historical films have been made in this unchanged environment – and the village is absolutely flooded by tourists during the day. In the evening from 6 p.m. onwards it is all the more beautiful. The same applies to the picturesque Castle Combe, just a little to the north. If you feel like it, make a detour to the ship’s staircase at Caen Hill in Devizes, where the canal boats torment themselves up the mountain via 29 locks.
From here we reach London Airport under an one hour and a half.
For this trip you should calculate at least 14 days.
And here some of the places along the route:
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London Heathrow Airport
London from above
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Winchester, Hampshire, England
Winchester (Hampshire)
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Durdle Door & Lulworth Cove, Dorset, England
Durdle Door & Lulworth Cove, Dorset, England
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Abbotsbury with Swannery and subtropical garden, Dorset, England
Abbotsbury. Dorset, England
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Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
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Beer, Devon, England
Beer, Devon, England
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Exeter, Devon, England
Exeter (Devon), close to the cathedral
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Dartmouth, Devon, England
Dartmouth, Devon, England
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Totnes, Devon, England
Totnes, Devon, England
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Dartmoor, Devon, England
Dartmoor (Devon) – great expanse!
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Cotehele House & Garden, Cornwall, England
Cotehele in Cornwall
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Lydford Gorge, Devon, England
Lydford Gorge, Lydford, Devon, England
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Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in Exmoor, Devon, England
Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (Devon)
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Lynton / Lynmouth, Devon, England
Seconds before reaching the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway lower station
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Porlock Weir, Somerset, England
Porlock Weir. Somerset, England
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Porlock, Somerset, England
The Ship Inn Pub at Porlock (Exmoor)
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Selworthy, Somerset, England
Selworthy on Exmoor (Somerset)
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Exmoor, Devon/Somerset, England
Exmoor (Devon / Somerset) – the roads are narrow here
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Dunster, Somerset, England
Dunster, Somerset, England
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Montacute House, Somerset, England
Montacute House, Somerset, England
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Glastonbury (Avalon), Somerset, England
Glastonbury (Avalon), Somerset, England – Model of the old Abbey
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Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England
Wells Cathedral (Somerset)
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Bath, Somerset, England
Roman baths in Bath (Somerset)
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Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England
Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England
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Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England
Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England
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Lacock, Wiltshire, England
Lacock, Witshire, England
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Caen Hill Boat Stairway in Devizes, Wiltshire, England
Caen Hill in Devizes (Wiltshire)
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London Airport (return flight)
