Driving Around Devon
The bank holiday weekend we went to visit the famous Devon coast. Devon and Cornwall are one of the prettiest areas in the UK; seaside towns, picturesque villages, delicious fresh food, old cottages and rich beautiful vacation homes. And the best way to see everything is by car.
We started from Exeter, where we rented the car, however the rainy cold weather didn’t permit us to see as much as we would like. It was a Roman and medieval important town and there is a famous cathedral there. As most of British towns there are Roman ruins under cathedrals, churches and old walls.
We started driving coast to coast from Babbacombe until Torquay, where we stayed, until Paignton with its famous colourful beach huts. Babbacombe and all the coast was beautiful, quintessentially British, with a large wild beach (as a Mediterranean will always describe them) and a pier.
Torquay is characterized as the English Riviera. There are cute little roads uphill, green sceneries, a big selection of b&bs, a large pier, bars, restaurants, pubs, shops etc. Even though there are Victorian and older marks around town, Torquay has become a classic British seaside modern town. Yes is there some party feeling there.
However, I personally wouldn’t categorize it as the English Riviera or say I was mesmerized by it. I have seen prettier towns in England. You can visit there however prehistoric caves deemed an Unesco site. They organize group tours which is the only way to visit.
Our visits though to Totnes and Dartmouth where worth it. Totnes mesmerizes you with its location and structure as a fortress town. It is built for protection near the river that leads to the sea in the south and around the Norman castle that is still partially standing. If you visit the castle you see why the Normans decided to settle there. It is worth it to stop here and walk on the high street.
Dartmouth on the other hand is a safe port leading to the open south sea of England, and thus was a trade and maritime town. Pretty shops and restaurants and cafes are all around. It has a clear and picturesque maritime feeling. It was incredibly charming.
Salcombe was our final stop, where we stayed our final night. It’s a posh destination with few luxurious hotels and second homes. It was another cute, small seaside town, where the shops tend to lay around a tiny street parallel to the sea. I decided to try the famous local crab, which I wasn’t fascinated; I do prefer lobster, but it was worth the experience.
