South Devon
Henry VIII gave this pastoral 324-hectare estate to two of his wives (Catherines Howard and Parr). For many years it was home to the town's art college;…
Must-see attractions in Devon
South Devon
A slanting 10-hectare chunk of grass-topped rock, tidal Burgh Island is connected to Bigbury-on-Sea by a stretch of sand at low tide. At high water the…
South Devon
Discover maze-like passages, atmospheric guardrooms and great views from the battlements of this picturesque castle. The best way to arrive is via the…
South Devon
Slapton Ley's broad sweep of water is ringed by a nature reserve and fringed by reed beds and woods. A 1.75-mile trail skirts the ley, crossing the reed…
Dartmoor National Park
Morwellham Quay is part of the southwest's Mining World Heritage Site and offers intriguing insight into the copper boom that gripped west Devon in the…
South Devon
Wave-dashed as they are today, Slapton Sands have an even more dramatic past. During WWII, thousands of American servicemen trained here for D-Day using…
East Devon
Built in 1814, the canal that meanders around the hills above Tiverton provides an intriguing insight into life on constructed inland waterways. Tub-boats…
Torquay
At 182 hectares, Cockington provides a welcome oasis of calm, green space, just a mile from Torquay's seafront bustle. Walking trails wind through fields,…
South Devon
Clinging to the coast at the mouth of the River Exe, a curling sand spit reaches far out into the water, offering exhilarating views up the river and out…
Dartmoor National Park
One of the last remaining patches of ancient woodland left on Dartmoor, this lovely 214-hectare forest was badly marred by the introduction of fast…
Exeter
This eccentric museum is a must for cinephiles. It contains a hoard of film-themed memorabilia amassed by Scottish film-maker Bill Douglas, best known for…
Higher Moorland Visitor Centre
Dartmoor National Park
At the tourist office–visitor centre, heritage displays include those on tin workings, gunpowder factories, ecology and legends – there's also a stunning…
Dartmoor National Park
The remains of 24 Bronze Age houses (often called huts) dot a sprawling 1.45-hectare site that is encircled by an arching 1.5m-high and 7m-wide perimeter…
Exeter
For a sense of what life's like on the farms tucked into East Devon's red-soil hills, head to one of the auctions at Exeter Livestock Market. Join farmers…
East Devon
You get more than a whiff of southern Europe on these winery tours that take in south-facing slopes, neatly staked vines and the heady aroma of fermenting…
South Devon
The shells of a handful of houses clinging to the cliff at South Hallsands are the remains of a thriving fishing village. In 1917 a severe storm literally…
East Devon
Because of relatively low light pollution, high cliffs and an expanse of sea, East Devon is prime stargazing territory. At this observatory, high-powered…
Dartmoor National Park
A century ago, this dramatic building would have thundered to the sound of clanging hammers and grinding metal. It was one of the busiest tool factories…
East Devon
This quirky 16-sided cottage was built in 1796 so two spinster cousins could display a mass of curiosities acquired on their 10-year European grand tour…
South Devon
The imposing building crowning the hills above Dartmouth was built in 1905 and is where the Royal Navy still trains all its officers. Guides lead you…
Dartmoor National Park
In the early 1800s, Princetown's infamous jail was home to French and American prisoners of war. It became a convict jail in 1850, and today still houses…
Dartmoor National Park
Legends swirl around this spooky patch of old-growth oak forest. According to local legend, it was a sacred site for the Druids, who conducted magical…
North Devon
History flows through the walls of this enchanting, warm-grey manor house. Built in the 12th century, it was a monastery until Henry VIII grabbed it in…
South Devon
Devon-born explorer Sir Francis Drake carried out a treasure-seeking circumnavigation of the globe aboard the Golden Hind in the late 1500s. This full…
Dartmoor National Park
These two parallel stone rows are up to 260m long, with large stone slabs, or 'terminal stones' at the eastern end. In the centre, hunt out the circular…
Dartmoor National Park
Remnants from Tavistock's now vanished abbey sit in this traditional but excellent museum alongside artefacts of the town's copper-mining heyday. Look out…
South Devon
The name is misleading: Slapton Sands is actually a spectacular pebble ridge that's 3 miles long. You can find solitude here on even the busiest days. It…
North Devon
The coast around Hartland Point offers superb hiking. Tucked just under the point is the short white column of a lighthouse, which was built in 1874. You…
Torquay
The collection at Torquay's town museum is eclectic, taking in everything from samurai suits of armour to Egyptian mummies and taxidermied butterflies…
Dartmoor National Park
Okehampton's castle dates back to Norman times, and is strategically sited on top of a rocky escarpment. Later it became a sumptuous residence for Hugh…
South Devon
It's as far from a fusty old museum as you can get, with engaging exhibits filling a stylish new building. Step into a Victorian bathing machine, heft a…
North Devon
The vast network of dunes here is the UK's largest. Paths wind past sandy hummocks, salt marshes, purple thyme, yellow hawkweed and pyramidal orchids. The…
South Devon
High on a hilltop above town, Totnes' castle is among the best-preserved examples of a Norman 'motte and bailey' castle (a round keep sitting on a raised…
South Devon
An eclectic collection of costumes, swords, ships in bottles and vintage toys, plus evocative WWII exhibits explaining how the area was a mustering point…
Dartmoor National Park
St Pancras' immense 40m tower has seen it dubbed the Cathedral of the Moor. Inside, search out the boards telling the fire-and-brimstone tale of the…
North Devon
The towering cliffs at the 16th-century Hartland Quay are among the most spectacular in the region – the peninsula rises 350ft above sea level. Russet…
South Devon
Dartmouth's Butterwalk is a row of ancient timber-framed buildings that lean at an improbable angle. Despite looking as though they could collapse at any…
Cookworthy Museum of Rural Life
South Devon
An engaging collection of school desks, cooking ranges, wagons and ploughs, plus a particularly fine photographic archive.
Plymouth
The immense Plymouth Naval Memorial commemorates Commonwealth WWI and WWII sailors who have no grave but the sea.
East Devon
Having been closed for building works in 2017, Yearlstone is due to re-open in spring 2018. It's a picturesque place, set amid an amphitheatre of deeply…
