Inside CORNWALL & DEVON

It’s not all about the coast. The towns and cities of Cornwall and Devon are steeped in history and are set amid beautiful countryside…

CORNWALL

BODMIN
Featured on Most Haunted, Bodmin Jail has five floors of exhibitions and artefacts from the 18th century: 01208-76292, www.bodminjail.org

Visit The Bodmin Town Museum, which features a Victorian kitchen, giving you an idea of what life was like at the time: 01208-77067, www.museumsincornwall.org.uk

The Bodmin & Wenford Steam Railway is the perfect way to enjoy countryside views: 01208-73666, www.bodminrailway.co.uk

Fly-fishing and moorland walks can be had at Colliford Lake: 01409-211514, www.visitcornwall.com

Or explore Lanhydrock House and Garden, a late Victorian country house, and get a glimpse of life below stairs by visiting the extensive servant quarters; also stroll through the gardens and wooded estate: 01208-265950, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock

CAMELFORD
The Arthurian Centre near the medieval market town of Camelford unravels fact from fiction. Here you will find manuscripts and artefacts as well as King Arthur’s Stone, also known as King Arthur’s Grave: 01840-213947, www.arthur-online.co.uk

Visit Davidstow Airfield And Cornwall At War Museum, sited on a Second World War air eld, which houses thousands of objects and interactive exhibitions: 07799-194918, www.cornwallatwarmuseum.co.uk

LAUNCESTON
Enjoy the magnificent views over this ancient market town and the surrounding countryside in a hot-air balloon with Aerosaurus Balloons: 01752-690993, www.ballooning.co.uk

Ride the Launceston Steam Railway – the trains are pulled by Victorian steam locomotives: 01566-775665, www.launcestonsr.co.uk

Launceston’s Norman Castle, which still dominates the old town centre, is of motte-and-bailey construction and was built in around 1070: 0870-333 1181, www.english-heritage.org.uk

Built in 1542, St Mary Magdalene Church has a unique, intricately carved granite exterior: 01566-772321, www.visitlaunceston.co.uk

Watch the animals play and being fed at the Tamar Otter And Wildlife Centre: 01566-785646, www.tamarotters.co.uk

Trethorne Leisure Farm makes for a great family day out where you can coo at fury friends: 01566-86324, www.trethorneleisure.com

LISKEARD
This ancient market town is home to the Carnglaze Caverns. These former slate mines are well worth a visit: 01579-320251, www.carnglaze.com

At the beautiful gorge of Golitha Falls, admire the ancient oak woodland: www.naturalengland.org.uk

The standing stones of The Hurlers Stone Circles are steeped in folklore: www.english-heritage.org.uk

TRURO
The most visited building in Cornwall, Truro Cathedral, with its Gothic-style architecture, contains the biggest stained-glass project in the world: 01872-276782, www.trurocathedral.org.uk

Every Wednesday and Saturday there is a farmers’ market selling fresh produce as well as arts and crafts: www.trurofarmers.co.uk

Or you could visit the Victoria Gardens, created to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee; wander through Waterfall Gardens, filled with exotic trees, shrubs and flowers.

DEVON

AXMINSTER
This small market town is best known for its carpets. The original factory was opened in 1755 by Thomas Whitty and authentic British ‘Axminsters’ are still made by Axminster Carpets: 01297-630647, www.axminster-carpets.co.uk

Visit Forde Abbey Historic House & Gardens, a beautiful stately home with vast gardens and ponds: 01460-220231, www.fordeabbey.co.uk

Take in the views at the Iron Age hill fort, Musbury Castle, then have dinner at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s  rst River Cottage Canteen and Deli: 01297-631715, www.rivercottage.net – other local things of interest include the Saxon church of St Mary: www.axminster.org

CULLOMPTON
The area is famous for wonderful antiques markets and Fagins Antiques and Reclamation Yard is well worth the visit: 01392-882062, www.faginsantiques.com

St Andrew’s Church is one of the area’s oldest churches, dating back to the 15th century: 01884-33249, www.standrewscullompton.com

Inside-Cornwall-Devon-Sept12-01-5901. Liskeard, a historic market town in cornwall. 2. Lanhydrock House, Bodmin. 3. Exeter riverside. 4. Dartmoor Becky Falls

DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK
Becky Falls Woodland Park is an iconic landmark where you can enjoy a woodland walk, a scavenger hunt or see meerkats, lizards, guinea pigs, miniature Shetland ponies and goats: 01647-221259, www.beckyfalls.com

At the southern edge of Dartmoor lies Ivybridge. The original medieval packhorse bridge still stands and was once painted by JMW Turner: 01752-897035, www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk

Grimspound is a great ruin to visit, showing the remains of 24 Bronze Age hut circles built by settlers around 1300BC: www.english-heritage.org.uk

High Willhays and Yes Tor are the highest points on Dartmoor, and come with beautiful views: www.walkingbritain.co.uk

In the northern parts of Dartmoor see the remains of Okehampton Castle, Devon’s largest castle: 0870- 333 1181, www.englishheritage.org.uk

There is also the Zoological Park, with its 30-acre garden, which houses tigers and lions and was the subject of Benjamin Mee’s book, and the  lm, We Bought A Zoo: 01752-837645, www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk

EXETER
Exeter is much more than a university town. There is Exeter Cathedral (built c. 1114) with the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England: 01392-255573: www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk

Walk through the medieval parts of the town to the Underground Passages. Built in the 14th century, they once provided the inhabitants with fresh water and are now open to the public for tours beneath the city and for exhibitions: 01392- 665887, www.exeter.gov.uk

GREAT TORRINGTON
The town was made famous by Henry Williamson’s novel, Tarka The Otter. It is also home to Dartington Crystal, the only remaining major crystal factory in the UK: 01805-626242, www.dartington.co.uk

Stroll through the renowned Rosemoor Garden: 01805-624067, www.rhs.org.uk

and visit the Anglican church of St Michael’s, whose grounds include a mound that is said to contain the remains of 60 Civil War Royalist prisoners: 01805-622166, www.stmichaelstorrington.org.uk

SOUTH MOLTON
Originating in Saxon times, this market town has plenty to o£ er. Visit the beautiful Castle Hill Gardens, created in 1730, where children can climb the rare Tanglewood Tree: 01598-760336, www.castlehilldevon.co.uk

Combe Martin Wildlife And Dinosaur Park is home to 28 acres of spectacular subtropical gardens, lions, wolves and wallabies, as well as electric, life-size dinosaurs: 01271-882486, www.wildlifedinosaurpark.co.uk

The 18th-century gardens at Hartland Abbey provide visitors with extensive grounds through which to wander and enjoy the stunning valley leading down to the Atlantic Ocean: 01237-441496, www.hartlandabbey.com

Chocolate lovers can visit The Milky Way Adventure Park: 01237-431255, www.themilkyway.co.uk

Or ride straight out of family-owned West Anstey Farm Stables and on to Exmoor: 01398-341354.

TIVERTON
There is plenty on o£ er for history lovers, such as the Iron Age earthwork, Cranmore Castle. Also, famed for its Grand Western Canal, it is possible to explore the local sights of Tiverton by boat: 01884-254072, www.devon.gov.uk

Take in the gardens of Knightshayes, the Gothic Revival house: 01884-254665, www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Mooch around St Peter’s Church, which dates back to 1412 and then visit the historic Tiverton Castle, once home of the powerful medieval earls of Devon: 01884-255200, www.tivertoncastle.com

At Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life you can learn about life in the area: 01884- 256295 www.tivertonmuseum.org.uk and there is also Devon’s oldest vineyard, Yearlstone Vineyard, whose wines have won more than 50 awards in the past five years. It is situated in Bickleigh, a picturesque village between Tiverton and Exeter: 01884- 855700, www.yearlstone.co.uk

And finally, be sure to take in the market town of Crediton, not far from Tiverton, where the national shrine of St Boniface, one of the founding fathers of the Christian Church in Europe and patron saint of both Germany and the Netherlands, can be found: 01392-271191, www.stbonifacecrediton.rcgb.org.uk

WHERE TO STAY

 

GARDENS OF NOTE

Eden Project
The world’s largest indoor rainforest contains plants from around the world: 01726-811911, www.edenproject.com

 

The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
One of Cornwall’s most popular botanical gardens, with more than 200 acres to explore: 01726-845100, www.heligan.com

Trebah Garden
A beautiful valley garden bursting with exotic blooms, with its own secluded beach on the Helford River: 01326-252200, www.trebahgarden.co.uk