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A story for American visitors from a local guide

22nd April 2021

Categories: Visitor News

My first job in tourism was as a tour guide for The Big Bus company in London. I was an open-top bus tour guide, and I loved it. It was May 1998. Initially, I only did the Blue Route, driving past Harrods, Kensington Palace and Bayswater; the "blue route gang" did this five times a day with packed buses. Luckily, I moved on to other routes. We were touring London repeatedly, giving me insight into how every building, monument and street has a story.

Chatting to American visitors on the bus was my way of finding out why they were here and what made them buy that trans-Atlantic ticket to little Olde England. London, of course, was the big draw, but everyone wanted a piece of the English countryside. They wanted to experience the famous rural idle with country pub, village green, church and obsolete red telephone box. Let us not forget the appeal of the rolling emerald landscapes knitted and connected by twisting narrow lanes and bridle paths; for visitors, it is dreamy.

After my stint on the open-top buses, I started a driver-guide touring business; Luxury Vacations UK. I had become knowledgeable about the country, but my expertise was limited to what you could see on a day tour from London; Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Oxford, etc. All those places are world-class visitor attractions. But my real desire was to take people to those little gems that American visitors never see or wouldn't see without the help of a professional driver-guide.

I got my first big overnight extended booking with four Americans on a ten-day trip around Devon. To get a specific "Devon" booking is rare. There was a special reason; the gentlemen in the couple of four served in the US Armed forces, one during World War Two and the other in Vietnam. The older veteran was stationed at Dunkeswell airfield (Devon) and worked on the hydraulics of the undercarriage of US bombers. The younger chap had the rather more dangerous job of flying helicopters while under heavy fire over the jungles of Southeast Asia in the 1960s.

Before the group of four arrived, I spent two weeks researching the region and scouring the land for those little gems that I know my visitors would love. On this occasion, my clients stayed at Gidleigh Park Hotel; the younger chap Ted loved his high-end food, Gidleigh was perfect for him. However, Jack the World War Two veteran wasn't so keen on the exotic selection of berries for breakfast, so he stuck to eggs and bacon. Our other recommended hotel in the Dartmoor National Park is the fun and family-friendly Bovey Castle.

My research trip took me to Gidleigh. As we say in England, it is "tucked away" a real escape, surrounded by the remote Dartmoor National Park. The Tudor style property is plonked in the middle of 107 acres of grounds with an award-winning restaurant and classic country house style rooms, ideal for my special clients.

I had planned to include a tour of Dartmoor for my veterans and their wives, with a few delightful villages thrown in for good measure. Now, to find that perfect Devonshire village, where do you start? There are hundreds. I was in luck; coming off the A30, I drove straight into Drewsteighton, a tiny settlement with an old pub, the Drewe Arms.

Immediately being English, I'm drawn to the Drewe Arms pub; back in 2001, the Drewe Arms was exactly what I wanted my American visitors to see. This pub is a traditional Inn, it had barrels of beer on the counter, and farmers drank and chatted in the narrow hall. They were friendly and told me about the herds on the Castle Drogo Estate. We talked about EU subsidies and farming in general. I loved the Devonshire accent, the mud on the stone floor and the general un-poshness of the place. The pub has changed since then, and hopefully, it will be back after covid.

Holy Trinity Church in the village square is a typical West-Country place of worship, with a square bell tower with castle-like crenellations. It feels lost in time, peaceful and everything you would expect from a rural parish church. Across the Square is The Old Inn, a gastropub with lovely rooms. American visitors can miss these little gems, and I want them to experience the quiet and very local places.

A short hop down the road from the pretty village of Drewsteignton is Sandy Park. This settlement is a hamlet, one-stop smaller than a village, a small collection of houses. But, importantly, it has a pub, which is a must. The Sandy Park Inn has a rustic bar (Pub Grub) menu and Dartmoor traditional ale. I happened to be there on an open-mic night. Performers descended on this tiny pub from the surrounding towns and villages and rocked the place! It was amazing; the ale flowed, people laughed and sung along.

My research included the airfield at Dunkeswell, which to my surprise, had a little World War Two museum in a shed. I spoke to the curators and told them of my American airmen due to arrive soon. I made the arrangements to have them shown around the airfield and museum. My research continued for several more days. It included learning routes across Dartmoor National Park and discovering the history of Castle Drogo.

Castle Drogo is the last castle built in England. Its position is rather dramatic, overlooking the Teign Gorge. Julius Drewe, a self-made millionaire, commissioned the castle at the beginning of the 20th-century. The success of Drewe's business, the once-famous chain known as Home and Colonial stores, meant he could retire at the age of 33. He laid the first foundation stone of the fortress when he was 55 years old. Edward Lutyens was the architect that Drewe approached to create his dream home, dying only one year after its completion. The house is a fascinating place to visit and ideal for exploring on a rainy day in Dartmoor.

My American visitors didn't arrive that year; it was scheduled for late September 2001. Despite the terrorist attacks in the USA on September 11^th, my veterans were not deterred from visiting; they simply couldn't get a flight. The attack happened while I was researching the trip; everyone staying at my bed and breakfast was downbeat, sad and angry. We re-scheduled. Everything went so well; I had done my homework, and my American group of four was delighted.

I learned so much from the two couples; the ladies (Jane and Simone) were a delight and were so intrigued by Dartmoor; the huge dome of granite surmounted with rocky tors. They also loved tea rooms and cream teas! Who wouldn't? Devon does the best scones, clotted cream and jam in the UK, period. The two veterans told me tales I will never forget.

Ted, the hydraulics engineer, told me he had the time of his life while stationed in England - drinking in the old pubs, meeting English girls and generally getting up to mischief. He said there was also terrible guilt; the bombers would take off with their crew, and some never returned. When the bombers did return, they arrived damaged. The enemy had peppered the fuselage with shrapnel, and on occasions, the crew lay injured inside. Even the ground crew were vulnerable. One of Ted's colleagues was killed in an accident.

The visit to England was emotional, and they told me they would never forget Devon. They thought it was the most beautiful county in England, and they loved exploring off-the-beaten-track with their driver-guide – I was rather proud of myself.

I would dearly love to design a private tour of England for you, with Devon as a prime location. It is an adventure getting there, and you will discover a true English rural gem. I can promise it will be an unforgettable luxury vacation.

By Andrew Michael Stevens
CEO, Luxury Vacations UK (Howard Stevens Ltd)