5 reasons to visit South Devon

06/10/2018


South Devon Castle


We recently had the chance to explore South Devon, a destination that has been on our radar for a while and I wanted to see why it's such a great place for a family weekend away and in all honesty we were really spoilt for choice in terms of family friendly things to see and do. As we only had three nights in the area we wanted to make the most of our time without it being too much and thats really something one has to bare in mind when travelling with young children, you need to go at a slightly slower pace. We also wanted to explore as much of the outdoors as possible take in all that Devonshire countryside and coastline. I can safely say that South Devon is a great option for a quick getaway and here are 5 reasons why you should consider it for your next weekend break. 






Powderham Castle was around a 10 minute drive from our apartment at Cofton Holidays and was one of the first places we decided to check out as it had come highly recommended. Both of my boys are fascinated with Knights and Castle so they were naturally excited to explore Powderham. The estate has a really fascinating history as it's been in the same family for hundreds of years and was involved in both the War of the Roses and the Civil War. What is a real highlight about the Powderham is the Victorian Walled Garden and Petting Farm with a large Wooden fort and zipline where the kids had an absolute blast. They also really enjoyed spying deers in the deer park and tucking into warm scones and Devon cream in The Courtenay Cafe






2. Torquay & Living Coasts

There is a reason why Torquay is nicknamed the English Riviera and while I thought we would enjoy a walk along the quay it wasn't until we were there that I really understood why so many people love flock to this part of the UK. The quay is a hive of coffee shops overlooking yachts and fishing boats and stunning coastline and it's a must-visit town in Devon. We also popped into Living Coasts which is part of Whitley Wildlife conservation trust and has a focus on education around seabirds and coastal wildlife which my kids found fascinating especially the small tidal estuary and mangrove swamp. The Cafe at Living Coasts is also a great spot for something to eat as it sits on the edge of Torquay harbour and offers some fantastic panoramic views from the large outdoor terrace. 





3. Dawlish Warren

Dawlish Warren found just north east of Dawlish, is a great spot for families as it has a long blue flag beach, sand dunes, nature reserve and there are also amusements which are not really our thing but still make for a long of fun by the seaside. What we liked most about spending time at Dawlish Warren was the free-range fun on offer for the kids, to go rock pooling and running in and out of the waves before indulging in the tradition that is ice-cream at the seaside. 







When we are exploring somewhere new we always have a quick check to see if there is a National Trust property nearby and not to just put our membership to good use but also because we have yet to be disappointed by any we have visited so far and Killerton is no exception. Killerton is an 18th Century Manor home set in a stunning estate with lots of natural play areas, tree swings, a bear hut and ice house as well as acres and acres of forest to explore. There is also a beautiful bistro-style reasturant, Killerton Kitchen which cooks up special seasonal dishes daily and looks over pretty gardens where kids can run free. 





5. Cofton Holidays 

You may have already red my review of our stay in one of the stylish apartments at Cofton Holidays but what you might not know is that they do day passes for holiday makers to have access to their fantastic facilitates such as their two outdoor pools! It's so rare to be able to swim outdoors in the UK so this was a huge hit with my kids and you could easily spend a whole day sitting around the pool just soaking it all in. You can also say hello to the local donkeys or zipline in the forest play park and if it's raining you can take advantage of the indoor play park and swimming pool.  



Thanks to Cofton Holidays and Visit South Devon for inviting us to explore this beautiful part of the UK.

15 comments:

  1. Devon is definitely on our family bucket list. It's easier than going abroad and cheaper. Mine would love option 2 as they love discovering things and are into wildlife.

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    1. It's such a great spot for families and we are planning to go back - yes also cheaper and the UK has such great places like Devon, really worth a visit

      Laura x

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  2. I used to love going to Devon and Cornwall on holiday as a kid, hoping to be able to take the kids on a camping holiday their next summer. Thank you for sharing some of the great places to explore.

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    1. There were so many great looking campsites we passed when we visited Devon and also hope to take the kids next year for some time under canvas - great place for it

      Laura x

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  3. I went to south Devon a few years ago but we didn't explore much outside of the little village we were in, there's so much beauty in that part of the country x

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    1. It's such a lovely place and all the villages are cute - could of spent all weekend in Dawlish but equally so much to see in the area too

      Laura x

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  4. We love Devon but haven't been back for so long. It is such a lovely place to go to on holiday.

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    1. It really is, such a nice and slow way of life down there

      Laura x

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  5. Such stunning photos and I will be bookmarking this post for our visit to South Devon in spring / summer next year. Looks like so much to see and do there x

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    1. There really is loads to see and do there and perfect for a breakaway

      Laura x

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  6. I love trips to Devon, we have family friends down there so try go often x

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    1. It's such a lovely place isn't it, we can't wait to go back

      Laura x

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  7. Devon is such a beautiful and peaceful place to visit, not to mention how serene it is.

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  8. You have some beautiful photos here. We loved South Devon. We thought the petting zoo at Powderham Castle was class!

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  9. South Devon is great. I went to Torquay back in the summer

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Lovely comments

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