South West England
"I love the West Country, the countryside, the sea and the gulls." Fern Britton
The South West is a region of contrasts - Wiltshire, where South West England begins less than an hour from London; Gloucestershire, home to the Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds; Dorset, an area of outstanding natural beauty and bordered by the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site; Bristol and Bath, with centuries of history and culture; Somerset, a mix of heather covered Exmoor and the levels of Sedgemoor; Devon, with two coastlines and wide open spaces; Cornwall, bounded by the sea and steeped in Celtic tradition with the delightful Scilly Isles, each with its own features and attractions.
Majestic cathedrals grace cities like Salisbury, Gloucester, Wells, Truro and Exeter while Bath boasts famous Roman remains and Georgian splendour. Maritime history features strongly in Plymouth from where the Pilgrim Fathers and Sir Francis Drake sailed. And for contemporary arts, Bristol, the largest city in the South West, is home to the wonderful Arnolfini.
Wherever you go you will see spectacular scenery, wonderful countryside and a beautiful coastline. Walk the coastal paths, discover sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, secluded coves and picturesque fishing villages, or visit the larger and livelier resorts. Inland, visit prehistoric sites, villages with thatched, cob cottages and riverside pubs, stately homes with landscaped gardens or the wide open spaces of the wonderful National Parks, Exmoor and Dartmoor.
Must see and do
- Eden Project, Cornwall
- Annual Cheese Rolling Competition, Brockworth (May)
- Roman Baths, Bath
- Stonehenge, Wiltshire
- Bath Christmas Market, Bath (Nov, Dec)
- Bristol Zoo Gardens, Bristol
- Exeter Cathedral, Devon
- Salisbury Festival, Wiltshire (May/June)
- Wells Cathedral, Somerset
- Helston Flora Day, Helston (May)
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Featured destinations in South West England
An exquisite Georgian spa city boasting the Royal Crescent, Roman Baths, and Thermae Bath Spa. Founded by the Romans and now a World Heritage Site.
Award-winning Bournemouth is the perfect holiday and short break destination and is renowned for its seven miles of family-friendly, golden beaches, beautiful parks and gardens and cosmopolitan ambience.
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Bristol successfully combines its maritime past with a vibrant approach to modern life. Its harbourside location, with attractions, boats, restaurants and museums, makes it unforgettable.
Cornwall has more than 320 miles of the finest coastline in the world, wonderful countryside, spectacular gardens and world class visitor attractions
Discover Devon - unique, glorious, wild and wonderful, rich in history. Rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, green rolling hills, dramatic moorland and historic cities and market towns.
Dorset offers the ‘best of England’ - delightful rolling countryside, World Heritage coastline, pretty villages, historic market towns, colourful events and attractions and quality accommodation.
Gloucestershire is all that you dream of as your favourite image of the English countryside.
The Isles of Scilly, an island archipelago, 20 minutes from Cornwall. Over 100 islands, five inhabited; St Mary’s, Tresco, Bryher, St Martin’s and Bryher.
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Poole’s natural harbour is Europe’s largest, and a leading location for water sports. Poole has a historic old town and the award winning Sandbanks beach with fine white sands.
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Somerset includes Exmoor National Park, Glastonbury, Wells, Taunton and the beach resorts of Minehead and Burnham-on-Sea. Famous for Cheddar Cheese, Cider and King Arthur.
The Cotswolds is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, known for gentle scenery, honey-colour stone villages, country house hotels and high-quality B&Bs.
Much of Wiltshire has been declared an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. Yet it remains largely undiscovered, a rural idyll just two hours from London.