My Favourite Holiday Cottages

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Devon is a diverse county with stunning beaches on two coasts, lush estuaries, wild moors and green countryside scattered with idyllic villages and market towns. There’s loads to do on self-catering holidays in Devon, including surfing and sailing on the county’s rivers and coast, horse-riding across wild moors and hiking the renowned Southwest Coast Path. Excellent shopping and dining can be enjoyed in the cathedral city of Exeter, while the county’s rural communities are home to markets, country pubs and award-winning restaurants where you can enjoy delicious food prepared with the finest-quality produce fresh from local farms and fishing boats.

Devon’s south coast is a glorious stretch of sandy beaches, rocky coves, historic villages and charming resorts from Beer to Salcombe. Blessed with mild weather and plenty of sunshine, it has become a haven for sailing, cruises and fossil hunting.

The Southwest Coast Path is an excellent way to explore the region, covering roughly 125 miles and passing through the delightful towns of Seaton, Sidmouth, Exmouth and Dawlish. The golden sands, palm trees and classic seaside towns of Torbay – also known as the English Riviera – are not to be missed. This sweeping bay is home to pretty fishing communities such as Brixham and the quintessentially English resorts of Torquay and Paignton. With its russet-red cliffs, pristine beaches and peaceful villages, Torbay is undoubtedly one of the country’s best locations for sunbathing, swimming or watching the sunset with a plate of fresh seafood.

A few miles inland on the banks of the River Exe, Exeter is a vibrant city packed with independent shops and eateries, with a fascinating history which can be explored at its cathedral, Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Quayside.

North West of Exeter, the Dartmoor National Park is a captivating stretch of heath, boulders, waterfalls and imposing granite hills called tors. The park’s craggy landscapes are home to wild ponies and deer and crossed by countless footpaths which offer breathtaking views across the county. Dartmoor is dotted with ancient country inns, peaceful, stone-built villages such as Widecombe, Chagford and Drewsteignton all of which can be enjoyed while staying in holiday cottages in Devon.

To the north of the county, Exmoor National Park is an atmospheric expanse of woods, moors, rocky coast and farmland where you can walk for miles without seeing another soul. Exmoor is sparsely populated and scattered with sleepy villages such as Brendon and Simonsbath. The Southwest Coast Path through the park is particularly impressive, with far-reaching views along the coast from high, wooded cliffs. The twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth are home to striking Victorian architecture, art galleries and a unique cliff railway which makes an almost vertical ascent from Lynmouth Harbour to the edge of Lynton.

Further west on Devon’s north coast, Combe Martin is a relaxed resort with a sandy beach, rockpools which are perfect for hunting for crabs and the brilliant Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park. Neigbouring Ilfracombe has been popular among holidaymakers since the Victorian era and remains a charming town with its Tunnel Beaches, aquarium, acclaimed restaurants and galleries. Croyde, Woolacombe and Saunton are long, sandy beaches backed by sand dunes, where some of the country’s best surfing conditions can be found. To their south, the towns of Barnstaple and Bideford are great places to pick up local produce, with pannier markets and a variety of cafes and delis. Further west, the coast is rugged and remote with secluded rocky bays such as Bucks Mills, which lies a few miles east of Clovelly, a sheltered fishing village with a pretty harbour. The Hartland Peninsula is scattered with shipwrecks and stony beaches, and home to opulent Hartland Abbey, nestled in woods carpeted in bluebells.