Devon & Cornwall

For holidays in Devon and Cornwall, the two adjoining counties in England’s south-west share a friendly rivalry – just ask the locals in each one whether it’s cream or jam first on a scone – but like squabbling siblings, they share so much in common too.

There are rugged cliffs, stretches of beaches, places to surf, bustling towns, quaint villages and numerous tea rooms. One of the main attractions in the area is the Eden Project, just outside St. Austell in Cornwall, a vast tropical garden which houses an array of plants and trees from around the world.

Crealy Theme Park and Resort, near Exeter in Devon, has more than 60 indoor and outdoor rides and is a perfect family day out. It also boasts extensive under-cover play and more than 200 animals.

The Dartmoor national park, with its heather-clad heaths, is popular with hikers and cyclists and it is also legal to pitch a tent out there. Exmoor is Britain’s smallest national park, and has a water-powered railway as well as herds of wild red deer.

If you’re looking for places to surf in Devon and Cornwall, there are a few recommended spots. Fistral beach in Newquay – dubbed ‘Little Australia’ – is the best known, while Cornwall also has good waves at Helston, Perranporth and Padstow. Devon’s best spots include Croyde, Bantham and Woolacombe.

The whole of the Devon and Cornwall coast is a sight in and of itself. It includes part of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site as its cliffs document 185 million years of geological history. And those seeking out walking holidays in England could do worse than explore parts of the 630-mile South West Coast Path, which takes in cliffs, coves, villages and headlands.

Those who like to go to the extremes can do so literally with holidays in Devon and Cornwall. Lizard Point is the most southerly point of mainland Britain, while Land’s End is the most westerly point of England – 838 miles by road from John O’Groats in Scotland. It is also an area popular with rock climbers taking their holidays in the UK