Hoping to go for a week soon, if weather holds up, can you recommend anywhere nice to stay, (small B&Bs - nice and clean- where to eat, what to see, etc? Preferably near the sea. No kids, two middle aged adults, just a relaxing holiday. Walking, sightseeing, etc, no bungee jumping or surfing ... well not this time anyway ...
I live in South Devon on the English riviera, Torquay plus i spend half my time in Cornwall. If your gonna come down, u have to come to the following
DEVON
Torquay - for atmosphere / harbour / nightlife / activities
Datmouth - sights / beaches
Plymouth - shopping
North Devon - for surf (braunton)
CORNWALL (stay here longer)
Newquay - for atmosphere / people / surf etc
Truro - typical Cornwall
Wadebridge - Cycle routes / walks / fish and chips
Hayle and st ives - for peaceful village harbour tranquility
I used to live in the South Hams, a rural part of South Devon which is completely different to the English Riviera. It centres around the towns of Ivybridge, Modbury, Totnes, Dartmouth and Kingsbridge. Ivybridge is on the edge of Dartmoor, Totnes has some lovely individual shops and Modbury is very handy for Bigbury-On-Sea which has an island at high tide which can be reached by sea tractor and to which you can walk over the causeway at low tide. If you contact the relevant tourist information centre I'm sure they'd send you some http://www.modburytic.org.uk/
St Ives, St Ives and St Ives. On a good day it is heaven on earth. Check out Minack Theatre and the bay just below the cliffs that the theatre is on. I think the beach is called Porthcurno. We stayed in a B and B in Marazion. Think it was called Blue Horizon. Very good. Near Penzance which isn't worth bothering about abut still near to St Ives and other interesting places. Sennan Cove is nice as well.
If you're goin to Newquay then depends on your age?
Theres a few decent backpacker type hostels like HOME BACKPACKERS or head for the buildings on FISTRAL RD
If not then look at WATERGATEBAY HOTEL or HEADLAND HOTEL for more expense obviously.
In Devon, theres loadsa hotels and b and b's in Torquay.. way too many! Don't book in advance.
If i were you tho, go camping, more fun aint it??
or theres always my humble abode, jokin!!!
Thanks everyone, well we've been, had a great time although it was a bit wet! Ended up at Croyde nr Barnstaple for the first night which was really good - beautiful empty beach at Saunton Sands - Thatched Barn for eats and B&B and then drove around Port Isaac, Padstow, Boscastle, Wadebridge to name a few - had a really great time. Back to normal now ... work tomorrow ...