I am starting the planning process for my July 2016 trip to England. The area that I would like to concentrate on this trip is Devon/Cornwall. I am looking for advice/suggestions. I will fly in to London on Friday morning and fly out the following Sunday morning.
After spending three days in the London area, I plan on taking a train Monday morning to Devon/Cornwall. This is where I need some guidance. I would like to rent a car in that area and drive around the coastline starting in the Glastonbury area (yes, I know that this isn't a coastal town) and ending up in Portsmouth. How much time should I allot for this leg of the trip? Where is a good starting point for renting a car? Should I have a home base and stay in one town or a different town each night? I am not really into shopping but am more interested in seeing the scenery and small towns. I have already seen Stonehenge and the Cotswolds this summer so I don't need to see these again. I also don't like sitting still but enjoy moving around and seeing new areas.
After visiting this part of England, I would like to drop the car off and take a train to the White Cliffs of Dover circling back and spending the night in Brighton (my 11 year old loved the Pier!) on Saturday before taking the morning train to Gatwick. I was thinking that I could do Dover on Saturday and then arrive in Brighton at about 4pm. Is this feasible?
Thank you for your advice. I have read other posts about England and have found the advice given to be very helpful on planning a trip.
Posted by
York
30 posts
Whilst North Devon is near to Glastonbury, Cornwall is quite a long distance away - several hours drive. I'm not sure what you are planning. Is it a trip to see Devon/Cornwall or to drive the South Coast from Cornwall to Portsmouth? If you did everything on your list then it is possible in a week but you would spend most of it in a car rushing around.
If you are planning to see Devon/Cornwall then a decent base could be Plymouth. You can get the train there from London and it is a decent size so as to be able to easily rent a car. It is also on the Devon/Cornwall border. You could then do day trips into Cornwall and other parts of Devon quite easily and then train it back to London at the end of the week.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33810 posts
On your return the quickest route to Dover will be the express back to Paddington, around to St Pancras and then the Southeastern Javelin High Speed 1 service to Dover (very fast to Ashford then normal speed Ashford to Dover Priory on the same Javelin).
Personally I prefer the Seven Sisters near Eastbourne (and very close to Brighton) and particularly Beachy Head because the cliffs are huge and and the beach magical, and the tops of the cliffs unmatched.
Easy to reach - train from Victoria to Eastbourne, then a number 13X bus will take you right to Beachy Head or a number 12, 12A, or 12X takes you to visitor centre several hundred metres inland.
Then either back to the station and a 31 minute ride to Brighton, or back onto the 12X bus to Brighton. The 12 or 12A also go to Brighton but make many more stops.
Train from Brighton to Gatwick is super easy.
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
Fri,Sat,Sun: London 3 nts - with a day to visit Dover and the White Cliffs (Canterbury perhaps)
Monday: Train to Exeter 1 nt and pick up rental car
Tuesday: Drive to Plymouth 1 nt
Wednesday: Drive to Mevagissey 2 nts (Polperro / Lanhydrock / Eden Project / Lost Gardens of Heligan)
Thursday: (Falmouth and Pendennis Castle / St Michaels Mount / Penzance / Lands End / St Ives - Tate)
Friday: Drive to Clovelly 1 nt (Beach at Newquay / Padstow / Tintagel)
Saturday: Drive to Exeter to return car, train to London, and then to Brighton 1 nt
Sunday: Train to Gatwick for departure
As Nigel says, Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters (cliffs) may be a more convenient, and I also think more spectacular white cliff option. http://www.beachyhead.org.uk/
Unfortunately our boat trip was cancelled due to weather when we visited in 2011. http://www.sussexvoyages.co.uk/index.html
Posted by
2573 posts
Don't bother with Glastonbury. It is just worth the time & trouble. Take the train direct to Plymouth to pick up a hire car & 'do' Cornwall.
(It might be wise to choose a base in central Cornwall (such as Truro area) from which to do day trips). I would say that you need 4 (3 at a push) full days to see all that Cornwall has to offer. On syd's list (above), I would delete Newquay but add Looe, Polperro & Fowey in SE Cornwall. I would also add a detour to the Minac open air theatre cut into the cliffs SE of Land;s End. Google the above places for info. Also consider in Cornwall:> http://www.trebahgarden.co.uk
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/glendurgan-garden/
After leaving Cornwall & heading back east, consider going down to the coast east of Plymouth (South Hams) to visit Salcombe & then via COAST road to Dartmouth before travelling back up to Totnes (worth a look). Don't bother with the Torquay area. 1 night near Exeter (worth a visit).
I would then continue east along the south coast (SE Devon & Dorset) calling in at Sidmouth, Beer and Lyme Regis. You will now find yourself in Dorset. Call in at Abbotsbury sub-tropical gardens. I would pass Weymouth but the next section of coast is spectacular = Lulworth Cove & Durdle Dor. (White cliffs - a sea arch & fab beach). Stay 1 night in this area?
Next, you could either head NE to Salisbury or east to Bournemouth = very large seaside resort. Roads in the Bournemouth area can be congested. I don't think much of the coast east of Southampton = low lying with shingle beaches and very built up. Between Southampton & Brighton, Arundel is worth a stop. (You mentioned Portsmouth. The centre is not worth bothering with but Portsmouth Harbour is of interest as it has an historic boatyard & the Gunwarf Quays http://gunwharf-quays.com development.You could return (hopefully) the hire car in Brighton but first drive to Seaford and go east to the viewpoint to see the Seven Sisters (white chalk cliffs).
Having done all that, you really would not have time to also go to Dover - which is miles out of your way. Besides, you have already seen miles of wonderful coastal scenery. So, train back to Gatwick from Brighton.
https://www.visitcornwall.com
http://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/explore-south-devon/south-hams
http://visitexeter.co.uk
http://jurassiccoast.org
http://www.visit-dorset.com/things-to-do/attractions/durdle-door-p1262763
http://abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk/gardens/
http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk
http://www.arundelcastle.org
http://www.sevensisters.org.uk
Posted by
OP
Orlando Area - Florida USA
80 posts
Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I am taking them all in. Even though it is a small area that I am seeing, it just seems very overwhelming. (My trip this past June had me seeing London, York, Lake District, North Wales, Bath, and Brighton) For me, one of the best parts of travel is the planning and research beforehand as well as the anticipation. I am rethinking my desire to do Dover and may just go to Beachy Head instead. This will give me more to time be in Devon/Cornwall.
One of Rick's tours next summer is to Southern England so I will also be referring to his choices as well as I plan my next adventure.
Again thank you!