'''Devon''' [http://www.discoverdevon.com] (also known, far less commonly, as "Devonshire") is a large county in England's West Country, bordered to the west by Cornwall and to the east by Dorset and Somerset. Uniquely amongst English counties, Devon has two separate coastlines: to the south, on the English Channel and to the north, on the Irish Sea and Bristol Channel. These are studded with resort towns, harbours and (more recently) surfing beaches. Devon is also home to two National Parks - Dartmoor and Exmoor* - and includes the island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel / Irish Sea.
N.B. Exmoor is shared with Somerset, which has the larger share.
Regions
Cities
Cities
Exeter - cathedral and university city, county town of Devon
Plymouth - largest city in Devon
Towns
Axminster
Barnstaple
Beer
Bovey Tracey
Bideford - ferry to Lundy
Dartmouth
Exmouth
Ilfracombe - ferry to Lundy
Lynton and Lynmouth
Newton Abbot
Paignton
Princetown
Sidmouth - conservation regency town by the sea
Tavistock
Teignmouth
Torquay
Totnes - village with a lively arts scene, Dartington glass
Westward Ho!
Woolacombe
Villages
Frogmore
Lympstone
Stockland
Villages in Dartmoor and Exmoor will be found on the pertinent pages.
Other destinations
Buckfast Abbey in Buckfastleigh
The island of Lundy
'''Dartmoor National Park,''' a huge area of moorland occupying much of the centre of the county.
Understand
The name "Devon" derives from the Celtic people who inhabited the southwest of Britain at the time of the Roman invasion, the ''Dumnonii''.
Devon has produced tin, copper and other metals throughout its history. Tin was found in the granite of Dartmoor, and copper in the areas around the moor. In the eighteenth century, Devon Great Consols mine (near Tavistock) was believed to be the largest copper mine in the world.
Devon has the highest coastline in southern England and Wales on it's Exmoor
seaboard. The "hob-backed" hills of the exmoor national park tumble down to
the coast on Devon's Bristol Channel coast, culminating at the awesome
"Great Hangman", a 1043ft hill with a cliff-face of 820 foot, while the
"Little Hangman" has a cliff-face of 716 foot. The best way to see these
cliffs is from a boat trip from Ilfracombe or (occcassionally) Lynmouth
or Swansea; the ferry sevice from Penarth in South Wales to Ilfracombe also
passes by this massive coastline (see below).
Devon's Hartland point is the south-west limit of the Bristol Channel; in other
words where the Bristol Channel meets the atlantic ocean. The northern
limit is St Anne's Head in Pembrokeshire, forty-eight miles from Hartland
Point.
Many of the rocks that make up Deveon are exceptional specicimins of a geological Era, in homage to this, the geological period is called the 'Devonian', between 416 million years ago and 360 million years ago; Devon's Geological Sites include:
Dawlish Sea Wall, fine examples of wind blown 'Young Red Sandstone' deposits with Langstone rock, a 250 million year old Conglomerate rock
Exceter Castle is an old volcano (volcanic rocks were used in the construction of the Roman buildings) and there are fine exposures of Limestone in Torquay
The larger towns and cities in Devon have small but developing lesbian and gay communities, notably in Plymouth, Torquay and Exeter. Plymouth and Exeter have annual Pride events. Information on gay life in Devon is collated online at [http://www.gaydevon.com www.gaydevon.com]. In the more rural areas of Devon homophobia can be common and discretion is advised.
[http://www.devon.gov.uk/geology.htm/ This site] has more information on Geological Tourism
Get in
By train
Exeter has two main train stations, St. Davids (where most long-distance services call,) and Central. Central, unsurprisingly, is closer to the centre of town, but the two are within a short walk of one another.
If visiting from Cornwall, the railway will take you across the Royal Albert Bridge from Saltash (in Cornwall) into Devon. When crossing this bridge, you will enjoy marvelous views of the River Tamar, which it crosses.
If visiting from the south, the railway line between London (Waterloo) and Exeter via Salisbury will transport you into east Devon, with connections with other parts of Devon at Exeter (St Davids station).
If visiting from Somerset and places north of London and Bristol, the Great Western Main Line will take you to Tiverton Parkway station (a few miles away from Tiverton itself) and then to Exeter. It will then carry on to Newton Abbot (where the line to Torquay and Paignton diverges from the main line) to Plymouth and then to Cornwall.
By road
The M5 is the only motorway to enter Devon. Coming from Bristol to the north-east, it terminates in Exeter, where it splits into the A30 and the A38.
There is a once-daily Megabus service to Exeter from London Victoria (and vice versa,) but this ultra-economy service can be very uncomfortable and very late.
A park and ride service is available, see [http://www.parkandride.net/exeter/exeter_frameset.shtml National Park and Ride Directory]
By boat
It is possible to travel to Ilfracombe in North Devon from Penarth and Swansea in South Wales on the paddle steamers Waverly and Balmoral. The Penarth to Ilfracombe journey is particularly scenic, as you also get to see the picturesque towns of Lynton, Lynmouth, the "Valley of the Rocks" and the awesome Great Hangman (the highest cliff in Devon at 1043ft). Leisurely traveling to Devon on a paddle steamer is certainly superior to driving there on the often congested M5!!! There is also a strong possibility of a fast catermaran [http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2007/07/10/ferry-between-ilfracombe-and-swansea-minehead-and-penarth-by-2008 Ilfracombe ferry] to Swansea in a year or two's time.
By plane
There is one (small) international airport in Devon, Exeter International (http://www.exeter-airport.co.uk). Regional flights from Gatwick, Mancherster, Leeds and Bristol also go to Plymouth Airport (http://www.plymouthairport.com).
Get around
By bus
See
'''Dartmoor National Park [http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/]
'''Exmoor National Park''' [http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/]
the '''Dorset and East Devon Coast''', or [http://www.swgfl.org.uk/jurassic/ Jurassic Coast], a World Heritage site
Lundy Island [http://www.lundy.org.uk/], an island in the Bristol Channel, an important conservation site with England's only statutory Marine Nature Reserve
'''Buckfast Abbey''' [http://www.buckfast.org.uk/]
[http://www.devonlink.co.uk/ Devon] Information, photographs and views for the towns and villages of Devon
Devon's Crealy Great Adventure Park. realy Great Adventure Park, Sidmouth Road, Exeter, Devon, EX5 1DR. 1395 233 200. ttp://www.crealy.co.uk/devon/. Great family days out at Devon's top theme park.
Fly Fishing. 44 (0) 1363 82786. ttp://devonschoolofflyfishing.com. The rivers around Devon have Trout, Sea Trout and Salmon. Guides can provide equipment & instruction on fly fishing for all experience levels.
Eat
The '''cream tea''', involving scones, jam and clotted cream, is a local speciality and may well have originated in Devon (although neighbouring counties also claim it); in many countries, however, this combination is known as '''Devonshire Tea'''.
Drink
Stay safe
Devon is a very safe place to live and visit. Crime levels are well below the average for England, this is in part a reflection of Devon's rural population distribution.
Get out
The county of Cornwall lies to the west of Devon, Dorset and Somerset to the east and north.