2 weeks in Southwest England (August) advice?
Replies: 15 - Last Post: Jul 23, 2012 10:36 PM Last Post By: natmanscoop
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2 weeks in Southwest England (August) advice?
Hi,I've been reading books, guides, forums for a few days now, and still have no clue what would be a good itinerary for 2 weeks this coming August to visit South West England.
We plan to fly to Heathrow (closer to the west) and plan to rent a car.
I am most interested in
- Must see sights (historical, mostly)
- Towns with a lot of history behind them (Bath, small villages, etc)
- gorgeous landscapes (rugged coast, moor, rolling landscapes, forests, etc)
- easy cycling routes (such as the Camel trail)
- Good food
- Hidden gems off the beaten path
- views from the water (boat tour?)
Not keen on
- Spending a day at the beach
- adventure sports
- tourist traps
- War history
- shopping
We would very much like to base ourselves in self catering places for 3-5 nights, explore the area (don't mind 1.5 hours drive to "get there", and even less if there are circular routes), them move to the next base and do the same
Don't mind the ocassional night in b&b or hotel (ie Bath)
We looked at Bodmin as a pretty central place for one of the stages, and from there cover the South and West of Cornwall, but not sure if there are better spots.
We heard that there are certain places that are crammed with tourists and we would like to avoid them or at least, make provision for traffic delays and other peak season related delays.
Last but not least, I know the weather in Devon holds quite a bit, but what about the rest? Should we expect much rain?
I would most appreciate any ideas, insights, advise.
thanks!
2
Some places you could consider including in your itinerary for South West England are the following:- Padstow - it's a nice fishing village on the River Camel estuary. It's certainly worth a visit if you are staying in Bodmin.
- The area of North Devon including Braunton, Croyde, Woolacombe and Ilfracombe. It is mainly a beach area (and I know you said you are not interested in spending a day at the beach) but the scenery makes it worth visiting. Croyde is a traditional English village, with thatched cottages, etc. Exmoor is also nearby.
- Cheddar - it's a historic village and is the place where Cheddar cheese originated. There is also the natural limestone formation called Cheddar Gorge. It is not too far from Bath.
You can find more about these places in your guidebooks or on the internet.
In terms of travelling in August, there will be lots of other tourists around in all areas, since it is the peak holiday time in England. Unfortunately it is quite hard to avoid.
I can't say much about the weather. As you probably heard, the weather so far this summer in England has been very wet and several areas (including the South West) have experienced flooding. Of course everyone hopes that it will improve for the rest of the summer, but nobody can really know.
4
I suggest you look into the Minehead/Porlock/Dunster area - it's beautiful as Exmoor national park is right there with great walking. You can hire bicycles in Minehead.I'm afraid I disagree with Matt about Cheddar Gorge though - that's one place that is a real tourist trap in my opinion - full of tacky shops and stalls. If you're looking for somewhere to stop nearby though Glastonbury and Wells are attractive places that are easy to get to from the motorway. Walk up to Glastonbury Tor for a great view over the Somerset levels.
5
Most of the places mentioned would be reached by car from Heathrow by either the M4 /M5 motorway or possibly the A303 (which incidentally, passes Stonehenge and which in my opinion,is probably the best way of seeing it!) but can I suggest a more southerly route west firstly via the M3 and A35 through the New Forest and further west the "Jurassic coast" of south Dorset and south Devon. Just suggesting you check it out in case it is of interest.6
Your first problem lies in your request to stay in self catering. This is the first week of school holidays, as public schools broke up last Friday. From now until mid September is peak holiday time and 99% of self catering accommodation is only available in weekly lets. It is unlikely you will find anywhere to rent for a few days.Bodmin is not very attractive I'm afraid and there are far more interesting places to visit or stay in Cornwall.
Padstow is a good start, but it's town, not a village and will be heaving in the summer but lovely none the less. You may have already left it too late to find accommodation there since it is booked from one year to the next, or early in the season. However, as we're experiencing one of the wettest summers on record, there maybe fewer bookings. It is a good place to start to explore Cornwall, nowhere being more than the hour and a half away, that you mentioned. Best places to go? St Ives, The LIzard, Kynance Cove, Portcurno and the Minack Theatre, Falmouth, The Roseland, Mousehole, Penzance and St Michaels Mount and Mullion and Marazion..... the list is endless.
7
I agree with #6. Especially about Cornwall. If you want to avoid "tourist traps" as you put it, and shopping and beaches aren't for you then I wouldn't recommend you go to Newquay, as much as I loved it there.St Ives is absolutely stunning, and I've heard that The Lizard is a must-see of Cornwall.
The Jamaica Inn has a lot of history and a very interesting museum, might be worth checking out.
I hope you have a lovely time, and good choice, the Southwest of England probably is the best area to go to :-). Have fun!
8
Avoid Cornwall: beaches, busy + tourist trap, in August.Cheddar Gorge {sic. tourist trap}, ditto Bath.
Try Bristol, very good history and easy to access.
Military histry check out Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton. Also Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset.
Rugged scenery: Exmoor.
Historic towns; Lyme Regis, Dorset etc etc.
Try to avoid driving Fridays in August, PARTICULARLY round Bank Holiday weekend!
9
I agree with mike9 - New Forest, Dorset and south Devon have a lot to recommend them.Definitely worth checking out Corfe Castle, and it looks as if you could be there when Tyneham and Lulworth Range - one a deserted village, the other unspoiled countryside, for reasons which will become clear if you google them - are both open.
I'm also rather fond of Dartmouth...lots of history, and great from the water http://www.discoverdartmouth.com/
And you could go from there to Dartmoor, which is as rugged as anyone could desire. http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/visiting
11
I disagree with #8. Yes okay there will be aLOT of tourists in Cornwall but there are still quiet and beautiful places to go.As I said before I agree with #6, and there really are plenty of hidden gems. Stay away from town centres and beaches (which is where most tourists crowd) and you'll be fine, I can guarantee you'll love it down there.
Edited by: katiew105
12
Hi,Bristol is an amazing city to come and visit in the south west - loads to do, festivals, history, people are amazing! and its a city filled with different areas so Clifton Village (posh end) City Centre (commercial centre) Stokes Croft (alternative area) St Pauls etc etc.
Take a look at the Visit Bristol website - it normally has loads of info on the city and upcoming events.
http://visitbristol.co.uk/events/major-events
Also - take a look at this cheap hotel and short term lets:
Washington Guesthouse: http://www.cliftonhotels.com/bristolhotels/washington/
Short Term Lets: http://www.cliftonquarters.co.uk/professionals/home/
Good luck!
Becky
13
I'd look at going down to the Dorset coast and then driving along to Penzance - one night in each place as you go, then see how much time you have left to get back to the airport via some inland places.Probably a week there and a week back.
Cornwall and the South coast in general has a few beaches and tourist traps, but it is very easy to not stop at those towns....
14
Bath will be very touristy (but worth seeing). The centre of the city could be worth visiting in the evening when it is a little quieter. There is a good park and ride service, as parking in the city will be a problem, you may still be able to park in victoria park.There is a nice bicycle path running from Bristol to Bath, which runs along a disused railway line. See the 'Sustrans' website for more details.
Running in the other direction from Bath there is the 'Kennet and Avon canal', along there there are some nice villages and small towns. So there are some nice walks and bike rides to be had.
In the area of Bath (and Bristol) there are many nice villages, Castle Combe, Swineford...
I would recomend a visit to Marshfield (to the north of Bath on A420), which has a nice high street of old coaching inns and malt houses. There is a good tea shop, called 'the sweet apple' which does good food and cakes. There are some good walks to the south of the village.
Bristol as already mentioned is worth a look and often overlooked, meaning fewwer tourists. It still has some great buildings, similar to Bath. If you poke around in the city centre you can still find bits of the medieval city, with the odd wattle and dorb building around too.
