Three North Devon Towns

Three interesting towns on the North Devon coast, Barnstaple, Appledore and Ilfracombe are all worth a visit if you in this beautiful region of England. Barnstaple was a significant town before the Norman conquest of Britain and even had its own mint, you could try visiting in September when it holds its ancient Barnstaple Fair. Appledore is perhaps best known for its shipyards and shipbuilding, although there is only one remaining shipyard today. Appledore is situated where the River Torridge reaches the sea, on your trip, try visiting the North Devon Maritime Museum which is located in the village, and outlines the areas long shipbuilding history. Ilfracombe, with its pretty little harbour is very popular with holidaymakers, it is also an ideal spot to try a bit of sea fishing, with many wrecks lying off this dangerous coast. Devon Map.

Bude and North Cornwall

The beautiful area of North Cornwall has some wonderful places to visit and holidaymakers will no doubt return time and time again to take in the sights as they will surely not be able to take it all in on one trip. Beach lovers will likely head for Bude, a popular coastal resort on the north coast. Bude has two fine beaches and the surrounding coastline is an area of extreme natural beauty. A little south of Bude finds you at 2 interesting little villages – Boscastle and Tintagel. Boscastle, a pretty village hidden in a valley has a harbour situated in a natural inlet, formerly a significant port but these days relying more on tourism for its survival. Tourism is of course also big in Tintagel, with its associations with the Legend of King Arthur, the ruined Tintagel Castle is located on a nearby island, and the timeless story attracts thousands of visitors to Tintagel. Still further to the south-west be sure to drop in at Port Isaac, another Cornish fishing village with much to commend it, this charming place was previously important for exporting coal, stone and pottery, though fishing and tourism are the order of the day in modern times, Port Isaac village centre has some fine examples of 18th and 19th century cottages. Places of interest in Cornwall are not confined to the coast and for something a little different you could set your sights on the ancient market town of Liskeard, a place of importance since the 13th century, when it was granted its license to hold a weekly market, which it has done ever since. If you would like to experience the market atmosphere, visit on a Thursday.

Hastings Eastbourne and Brighton East Sussex

Three of the biggest resorts along the East Sussex coastline are the towns of Hastings, Brighton and Eastbourne, all attract many thousands of visitors each year and in fact Brighton receives over 8 million visitors, with its many events and attractions. Hastings famous for its battle during the Norman conquest of Britain, which actually took place 8 miles away at Senlac Hill, has been an important fishing town over many centuries, and still has the largest beach launched fishing fleet in Europe. Eastbourne, well known haunt of Britain’s elderly (many choose to buy retirement homes there) is a busy town and borough which depends mostly on tourism for its survival, Eastbourne also hosts a number of popular annual events. Brighton, a former fishing village, became a fashionable resort during the 18th century, visited by royalty its famous pavilion was commissioned by the Prince Regent (later George IV). Brighton Map.

Padstow and Cornwall’s North Coast

The north coast of Cornwall is dotted with many pretty coastal towns and villages and is also an area noted for its surfing, one of the best know being at Polzeath, just north of Padstow, where high rollers crash in from the Atlantic Ocean. In 2007, some 300 surfers arrived in Polzeath in an attempt to set a world record for the highest number of surfers to ride one wave. High rollers and dangerous sand bars also make this area tricky for ships and many have been wrecked on the approach to Padstow harbour, the notorious Doom Bar being the most dangerous. Five miles up the River Camel, things are a little quieter and the town of Wadebridge has been a successful market town since the early 14th century, the town did however see action during the English Civil War, when even Oliver Cromwell though it important enough to take control of the bridge. Some way south of Padstow and Wadebridge the village of St Agnes attracts hikers, artists and holidaymakers, who visit to enjoy the beautiful coastline and countryside and the fine beaches of which there are at least 5 in the immediate area. Part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site, St Agnes was an important tin mining area in days past.

Newquay, St Austell and Mevagissey Cornwall

The most populated town in Cornwall, St Austell is also a good base for exploring the county, being close to such well known attractions as the Eden Project, the St Austell Brewery and Mevagissey’s Lost Gardens of Heligan. St Austell itself has a long history, though it was not mentioned in the Domesday Book, and it certainly had a church in Norman times, as remains can still be seen, the present Trinity Church however dates from the 15th century. As with many Cornwall towns, St Austell was much involved in the mining industry, especially copper and tin, but unlike others, this was replaced by clay mining as it became an important centre for the China Clay industry. These days tourism is more significant and the beautiful surrounding coastline is a big attraction with such pretty fishing villages as Mevagissey being an obvious place to visit. To the west of St Austell on Cornwall’s northern coast, the surfing resort of Newquay is a popular destination with miles of sandy beaches and ideal surfing conditions. Newquay is also well known for its nightlife, which is very lively, especially during the summer months. St Austell Map.