40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (2024)

The top stops along the way from Mevagissey to Exeter (with short detours) are The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, and Plymouth Hoe Holiday Apartments. Other popular stops include Woolacombe Beach, Lanhydrock House and Garden, and Exeter Cathedral.

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The Lost Gardens of Heligan

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (1)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (2)

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Garden

Sights & Landmarks

The Lost Gardens of Heligan, located near the south coast of Cornwall, is a 200-acre estate that features national collections, Victorian gardens, and abundant wildlife. Originally owned by the Tremayne family, the gardens fell into disrepair after WWI and were eventually lost to time. In 1990, restoration efforts began and the gardens were brought back to their former glory with help from Tim Smit and a team of gardeners and volunteers.

The lost gardens were some of the most beautiful and well loved gardens I’ve seen. The trees in full blossom was just so amazing to look at. It was packed with wonderful surprises for children to explore and play with. The rope bridge is worth the long walk down to cross and the play area would keep any child busy for hours while you have a rest. There was a delicious selection of food available in the restaurant and the cafe with a warm and welcome atmosphere. The 3 for £12 jute bags in the gift shop make wonderful gifts for friends and families or you can just keep them for yourself!

Dr M — Google review

Fantastic place to visit with the family and dog. Loads of decent walks where there's been substantial restoration and environmental work done. Would have been a 5 but for very little seating around the Steward House. But all said its well worth the visit and there's loads of parking.

Paul G — Google review

We were enjoying our visit to learn about the history of the gardens. We sampled broad beans, plums and herbs from the gardens. Plenty to see and admire all the work that has gone into this beautiful place. Our enjoyment was ruined by learning that the pigs that are kept there for the visitors to show the children are then served in the restaurants. It would be amazing if all the animals were looked after as well as the beavers which they are so proud of.

Jenny C — Google review

Had a brilliant day out at The Lost Gardens! It’s got plenty to do and see from charcoal making to a nice walk through the floral gardens and loads more. This was my first time there and definitely not the last, I bought a membership for £37 as it gives you free access to the gardens and discount on everything there.It’s very accessible with a big car park and specific bus route to it.They do regular events in correlation with the seasons such as wreath making, squash and pumpkin and all things root veg picked from the gardens them selves to have a look at, dining experiences and lantern making. As I have become a member I can attend these events throughout the year.There’s a lot of land to cover, my partner and my self covered about 1/3 of it in 2 hours. We went to the floral gardens, Jungle trail and woodland trail (with some added detours) and it was a blast. The jungle trail is incredible with lots to see and very interesting plants plus a rope swing!There’s also a farm area with animals such as goats, pigs and horses and in terms of free range animals we spotted pheasants and spent a long time looking for the beavers they have created a habitat for.My only slightly negative things I can say it’s not ideal for less mobile people apart from the top gardens, there isn’t a lot of signage to tell you where your going either other than maps but I did find it makes it more fun just to explore the grounds.At the end of it all they have a gift shop and farm shop with butchery (we were too late to check out the farm shop, but I will update this when I’ve been)Overall a lush experience friendly staff and plenty to do and see I recommend to all.Didn’t want to post to many photos of all the hidden bits around the site, there’s plenty to explore and find for yourself no matter what trail you pick.

Lloyd A — Google review

A great day out in beautiful surroundings. Our ticket was extended for a week so we were able to return. Lots of walking, some steeper paths, a rope bridge, fantastic plants especially the tree ferns.

Barbara W — Google review

The main draw for us was the Jungle Giants Trail for children although I was more keen to see the gardens themselves.The trail itself runs till September and featured a number of question boards and observation points where stamps could be collected. Magnifying glasses were provided (please do return these as the Gardens had 900 go missing in the first week alone!) alongside a scratch card style answer sheet. At the end of the trail you arrive in the 'park' which has a huge amount to keep children occupied. This was the real highlight for my daughters (aged 5 and 3). There was also a tented area where children could do extra activities linked to the trail such as mask making, bamboo boat making, dinosaur hunting (in soil) and lot more. My children were a little disappointed that the reward for completing the trail was a simple well done stamp but in terms of cost and being friendly to the environment I think it beats stickers or sweets etc.As for the gardens themselves. My photos hardly do it justice. A beautiful array of trees, shrubs and flowers with a maze of pathways, hidden areas and a rope bridge nestled in the middle (another highlight for the children) offer plenty to explore and experience. There are also a number of farm animals to see on the journey around the garden too.Prices for entry are high in my opinion which might put some off but luckily a ticket comes with a 7 day pass so I may well return to spend the extra few hours exploring that my children wouldn't permit in their quest for an ice cream before leaving!

Tom R — Google review

Words are hard to describe this place as its marvellous place to explore and would require more than one visit to this place. Definitely its a great experience for all in particular if you like history, gardening, flowers and enjoying the great outdoors. Mixing it with great views and walks, not so great for those who struggle with uneven surfaces and walking great distances. But don't let put you off as you can enjoy the grounds in small doses.Beside the grounds and woodlands to explore there is a gift shop, places to buy food and other refreshments as well as toilets. It is best if you pick up a map of the place as you can plan where you like to see first. The staff are very friendly and very helpful....willing to give you direction if you feel lost and will soon get back on track.

Donna B — Google review

10/10 for this place.Lots to see and do, you’ll be exploring for a full day if you do the whole park. There are easy and more difficult paths, something for everyone of all abilities.We took a picnic but also had delicious ice cream too. There was also lots of other food options including a BBQ eatery. Finding a bench to sit and rest was easy. Very dog friendly which is so lovely.

Kate G — Google review

Wow! What a beautiful amazing place. It had something for everyoneThe jungle was stunning, the gardens were wonderful and the animals were a lovely touch. I think we may have missed things because the map was tricky to read but we spent hours there. Just absolutely stunning! The rope bridge had a queue but it is half term so to be expected and it was good fun

Lizzie H — Google review

What a great day exploring the 200 acres and seeing the restoration of these amazing gardens.The historical gardens mixed with the modern and tropical, there is definitely something for everyone here.Surprises await around the corner and paths lead you to secret gardens, ravines and rope bridges.Along the trails there are learning huts for the kids and adults as well as a fantastic play area to run riot and plenty of tables to rest and enjoy a picnic.Not forgetting the animals on site and the highly entertaining rare breed pigs that love showing off their football skills !The workers in the gardens were all very friendly and were great sources of information and stories about the gardens past. We had a great chat in the Pineapple pit and learnt about the significance and value of pineapples from Heligan in times gone by.The maps are brilliant so you don’t miss any of this vast area or the sculptures and trails.Highly recommend a visit here and don’t forget to grab yourself a treat from the farm shop before you leave.

Leigh S — Google review

A bit on the pricey side but a beautiful and interesting place to visit. Needs quite a lot of time to see everything. The Stewards house cafe serves very nice food at reasonable prices. We will visit again in the summer (this visit late October).

Peter E — Google review

Such a great day out. You at least need 3 hours to walk around and see everything. Definitely better to visit in Spring/ Summer when the plants are in bloom. Lovely food and wonderful souvenirs from local businesses and to remember your trip. There are some steep paths but the map does tell you which areas are steep. Wonderful friendly staff and such a beautiful place full of history and preservation for wildlife

Shannon C — Google review

We really enjoyed our visit. Lots of nice paths to walk on around the different areas of the grounds. A tasty lunch in the Steward's House. The staff were helpful and friendly. We spent about 4/5 hours there. Will definitely go again to see the gardens in another season.

Claire W — Google review

We visited yesterday 5th March. What an incredible place to visit. Such wonderful trees plants and flowers. Maintained beautifully. The staff are so friendly and welcoming. Such incredible value for money. Highly recommend and will definitely visit again just wish we lived closer. Very dog friendly too. Our little dog loved it. 💞🐾

CHERYLYN M — Google review

Visited for the second time and enjoyed it just as much if not more. A feeling of tranquility and relaxation as we walked around the jungle and the gardens. The kids had a lot of fun in the playground area too. A great afternoon.

Adam W — Google review

Loved this place. We went here and to the Eden Project and for me this was the best experience and the most cost effective at half the price. The walk down into the jungle was fabulous. Amazing beautiful gardens and fun with the animals ❤️ there is an amazing park for the children to play on too 😊

Sue W — Google review

+ This is one of the most beautiful, well maintained and engaging gardens that we have ever visited. To see everything, you will need to return.For the children there is an exciting forest trail. There is a huge play area, multiple cafes and a massive gift shop. We had an amazing time and plan to return to experience more. It's absolutely stunning.!It's popular and it's best to come early!Highly recommended!

Danny — Google review

I really enjoyed visiting the lost gardens. There has been a lot of thought put into accessibility So as a mobility scooter user I really appreciated this.There are 3 distint plant zones: garden, jungle, lost valley. All of these offer a great variety of plant life. I was only able to explore the garden section of planting due to site topography, but this was still well worth the visit.There is also a small farm area championing native breeds, and a large open play area with some amazing views. Both of these areas where also accessible on my scooter.This place is well worth a visit.

Michael S — Google review

Visited with my husband and 18 and 20 year old children and two dogs.We all really enjoyed it!There was too much for us to see in one day and would definitely return.Everyone agreed that they enjoyed the jungle area the most.We took a picnic and had coffee and ice cream which was nice. There is also a lovely shop selling gifts and nice foods .

Clare W — Google review

We were quite worried about visiting the gardens because of several negative reviews and the total entrance for the family was just short of £100.00 . But so many people at home (Durham) had told us to visit.... So glad we did! We spent the entire day here and walked 20,000 steps. Best parts were the jungle and the walls around that area plus the history talk (free) on the large lawn.

Mike W — Google review

It was sooo big garden. Absolutely worth the trip. It was a magical day for our group. We bought our tickets when we reached there. We were there for 3-4 hours as it was so vast and big. Our group tried to explore as much of as possible. The best part was rope bridge.The toilets were accessible. There were cafes and ice cream shops inside the gardens also. There were a big shop to buy gifts, food, drinks and snacks item for families and friends. It was like a paradise for explorers and nature lovers. I highly recommend the garden.

Jarin S — Google review

Lovely gardens. Went on the hottest day of the year. Would of been better if water fountains were available. The story is amazing. Quite expensive if you're going as a family. Lots of lovely doggos. Food in the restaurant was taking a while to serve and we were not asked about allergies. Ploughman's lunches arrived covered in mustard dressing. Not advertised. Map is awful

Martine — Google review

If you love plants then this an absolutely perfect place to visit. Lots of gorgeous greenery and flowers. Wonderful play area for children, and plenty of places to sit to admire the flora on display. There are places where you can get something to eat and drink. Plus, a lovely shop selling a vast array of gifts, and plants (of course!) Oh, and there's a rope bridge if you're feeling brave!

Sarah T — Google review

I wanted to like it more. It's not great in the daylight in the cold and rain of December.I'm sure it's fun at night for the light show.Great shop though and love the history of the place.Note to self, come in May or June. We'll be back however.We stayed close by at the Kingswood Bar and Restaurant, which was excellent.

Gordon C — Google review

Loved it, some of the most beautiful gardens I've seen. Great for the kids also with massive playground and jumping pillow. Don't skip the jungle and rope bridge, definitely a highlight.

Paul M — Google review

This place is amazing. Some spectacular plant specimens set in a beautiful location. Various areas to explore and a great play ground for kids too. I initially thought the entrance price was a bit expensive but I actually think it was worth the money after visiting.

Darren A — Google review

One of our favourite places, something for everyone! Beautiful plants, Tropical gardens and scenery, amazing play area with so much to do, animals to look at, and much more!My 3 year old and 6 year old loved it!

Natalie C — Google review

Beautiful gardens and such a lovely area for long walks albeit steep in places, good under foot with a lot laid as boardwalk.Great shop and coffee shop on site and plenty of parking. It's a good 4 hours to take most of it in, would I recommend, definitely.

Ian L — Google review

I first visited the gardens in 2002 and at every opportunity go back. Left deserted at the end of the 1st World War it was rediscovered in 1990 by John Willis and Tim Smith. Taking approximately 4 hours to traverse, it is both dog and wheel/push chair friendly. A wonderful and educational day out for all the family. Don’t miss it.

John C — Google review

Really great day out and worth the entrance fee. Amazing gardens and plant life. Great place to take your children for a day out. Make sure you give yourself enough time to be able to see everything.

Shaun B — Google review

Beautiful gardens in a valley with such variety, The history of the discovery of the sleeping garden is fascinating. Two good eating areas and toilets which do not intrude on the gardens. Some rare breed animals as well. Quite expensive but you can change your day pass to a weekly pass when you arrive for no extra cost. You really need two days to see everything. Plenty of places to sit and take in the scenery and helpful staff. Big play area for younger visitors. Really enjoyed our visit.

Marion V — Google review

I'd give more stars if it was allowed !! I visited here around 30 years ago, and always said that I'd like to revisit in the spring for the rhododendrons and camellias, and we weren't disappointed. Absolutely stunningly beautiful. Luckily we decided on today for our visit, as yesterday saw it being closed due to wind and hail conditions. There's specific motorhome parking, to the right of the entrance, parking is free. Cafe and shop at the entrance. £24.95 pp. Sounds a lot, but you definitely get a lot. I'd suggest allowing at least 4 hours here, perhaps more if with children, as there's a lovely play park, as well as an Easter trail. The gardens are in full spring flower, with gorgeous tulips, daffodils and other spring flowers. There's a lot of walking, and steep steep paths to The Jungle and The Lost Valley. You are warned, there's signs along the route. Be aware that there is a one way system on the rope bridge, with a max of 10 people on it at any one time. If able, both are really worth the walk. From memory, all those years ago, this section doesn't seem to have changed that much, but currently the reds and pinks of the camellias and rhododendrons make the ares even more amazing. One small suggestion for Heligan - there's not a single bench on The Lost Valley Walk - that's a steep walk with nowhere to rest !!!! Cafes, toilets etc all well managed, clean and accessible. Even some livestock now in situ. Great place to visit, learn more and enjoy being outside.

Polly W — Google review

An amazing garden. We mainly visited The Jungle. Brilliant! Heligan is such a serene place with plenty to see - even a sea view! Once you've been, you'll want to return.

Louise S — Google review

A beautiful place to visit. It’s a bit of a maze and you’ll need at least half a day or more to truly explore all of it. The gardens are spectacular and it has a very large and spacious outdoor play area for kids. The trail leading to the wild flower field is a must.We had days tickets which at the counter we had upgraded to a 5 day pass for free incase you want to visit again during your stay.

Dipti P — Google review

A grand day out and will keep the kids really well entertained, more importantly walking up hills, down steps and over the jungle suspension bridge without any moans and groans with loads of walking. The gardens are lovely, they have a great play area and places to have a picnic on the trails. Highly recommended whether you're in the are or not, we travelled up from the St Ives area for the day out.

Paul S — Google review

We went to the lights and night time and was fantastic. There was so much to see and was beautiful. There was a lovely touch of having a fire burner and a free marshmallow to toast on the way round. Would like to visit in the day time too.

Kerryanne W — Google review

Such a gorgeous place to visit! Unfortunately I came super unprepared with the wrong footwear - would recommend trainers or walking boots as lots of walking involved with some steep paths! An absolutely beautiful place, so so peaceful. I will certainly be back again!

Katie — Google review

There was much more to see here than I expected. I've seen and read a lot about the Lost Gardens and thought I knew what we would find but I was very surprised to find much more. It isn't just a garden but a whole estate with unexpected discoveries to be found down every path.It is dog-friendly, which I wasn't expecting. There are some very steep sections but these are well signposted. What wasn't well signposted was how to find the garden after leaving reception! They need bigger signs but we still enjoyed the route we took around the estate having inadvertently started out on the "ring road".

John L — Google review

Lovely place to visit, great grounds to walk around and with beautiful flowers and trees around.There are easy paths and harder paths to take. Well signposted to all areas.The kids play area looks like it's recently been done up and looks like it would be great fun.A well stocked gift shop and prices aren't too bad. A couple of nice places to eat as well. We didn't eat there on this visit, but have in the past and it's always good tasty food.

Tom N — Google review

Lovely experience from start to finish. Parking is well organised (you can get the bus too). Dog friendly access everywhere with lots of waste bins. Boardwalks around the jungle area, though these are very steep in places, but no more so than any street in any village in Cornwall. Play area is a massive draw for young families with lots of seating, some under cover. Staff were chatty and nice. Ice creams in play area were excellent. Aim to be here 3-4 hours I reckon. Could do it a bit quicker, could easily stay all day with children.

John C — Google review

What a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. Took my mum who's 87 there for her mother's day treat she loved it. The talk given by staff was great very informative and funny. All the gardeners we bumped into stopped and talked with mum. Just a lovely place and the rhododendron where stunning

Steven T — Google review

These gardens are absolutely beautiful. Seeing the mud maid was a highlight. Only the gardens, farm and part of the woodland are accessible by wheelchair, so we didn't get to see the jungle section. Although, if the wheelchair user requires an assistant, you can get a carers ticket which is free. This made the price worth it for just the accessible areas. Really friendly staff too!

Xanthe W — Google review

Very beautiful. Great for a small walking adventure! We're all adults, but absolutely enjoyed the playarea! There's a giant balloon you can jump on! The rope bridge is fun, and the flowers and plants are breathtaking. Unfortunately I didn't find the sculptures, which is my own fault by not using the map, which they give to you on entry.Would be a perfect location, to send the day exploring, eating a picnick with the kids.

Helen T — Google review

It's a nice park. Beautiful gardens.A few km of the road to reach it, are very narrow so you need to be careful when driving.The ticket is 26 per adult. There is a student discount too.There are a couple of restaurants and bathrooms.I would recommend if you're in the area. Wouldn't say it's worth it if you need to travel long.

A H — Google review

I love these gardens, especially the jungle, its such a treat with the rope bridge and amazing plants and trees. There are so many beautiful areas here including the vegetable garden, the wild flower meadow, the bees, and also now the play meadow. Lovely big cafe too although it was a bit chaotic when we went. Likely the time of year. The type of place to keep coming back to.

Kathy T — Google review

This place was just amazing, enchanting magical and so beautiful.Went just before Christmas and night time saw so much, and it's really big about a mile walk round. Me and my wife absolutely loved it.So magical.Thank you so much 💓

Guilio S — Google review

What a fantastic place. Beautiful walks, which you could do for days if you wished! Car park was full, but once you're in, you can easily feel that no one is there.

Stuart R — Google review

Lovely place to visit, great grounds to walk around, with beautiful flowers and trees around.There are paths of all kind, easy, narrow and hard ones. Well signposted to all areas.A well stocked gift shop. Nice places to eat as well.

Gabby — Google review

Wander aimlessly around acres of tropical style woodland in our own UK. Tree fern forests and palms make it magical like your own jungle, experience the Burmese wire bridge. Food in restaurant/cafeterias all affordable and deliciously home made. Stunning scenery . A Must for all ages .

Terry G — Google review

Its a nice, but overpriced set of gardens and woods walks. At £25 each (July 24) there are equally nice walks that are free. I think it might be better value if you make repeated visits and especially with little kids, as they do have some great activities that will keep the little ones busy.

Bill R — Google review

4.6

(13009)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (8)

4.5

(7020)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (9)

B3273, Pentewan, Saint Austell PL26 6EN, United Kingdom

+44 1726 845100

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Mevagissey Aquarium

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Aquarium

Zoos & Aquariums

Bodies of Water

Located on the west side of Mevagissey Harbour, the Mevagissey Aquarium is a small but charming attraction housed in a former RNLI lifeboat house. The aquarium showcases local species and operates as a charity project, with donations contributing to the upkeep of the harbor. Visitors appreciate its lack of unnecessary distractions like music or decorative elements, and enjoy the simple yet informative displays about local sealife.

It’s great! It’s free! We made a small donation and had a fun 10 minutes

Happy C — Google review

Fantastic little aquarium, free entry. However donations gratefully received. Please support this great establishment if you are in the area. Keep up the great work

Neil N — Google review

Very small but lovely little aquarium full of fish and crustaceans that are caught by the fishermen. Free to enter and donations welcome. Although you couldn’t plan a whole day trip just to the aquarium, it is a good place to stop whilst exploring the harbour town of Mevagissey. You walk in and it’s a small path with 4 or 5 tanks each side. And a large one at the end. Each has fish and other creatures in and is great for kids. There’s a video showing the history of the village and a nice relaxing atmosphere. Easy to access with wheelchairs and disabilities. Overall a very interesting visit

Bob M — Google review

Very disappointed with the person on the counter today. I've visited mevagissey since I was 6 and I'm now 29, always popped in to see what fish are there and always leave a donation, which did not happen today. The person on the counter refused entry to me and my sister as we had no mask. She didn't even ask if we were exempt which my sister is. Was going to argue with her about government guidelines as masks are not mandatory, but I didn't see the point, even the fact that she was not wearing one, so what made her exempt. The fact we are double jabbed and also had my booster before we come away, I was highly upset that we couldn't do something we have always done. Especially since this is the first year we have been back to Mevagissey without our dad who passed away in February. Customer service may need looking into

Rebecca T — Google review

Brilliant little aquarium, free entry. However, donations are happily accepted. Perfect for a quick visit. Multiple tanks and posters that display which animals are in what tank and all sort of information about them - they are very easy to read. Large array of fish and crabs and lobster, many of which are found in the local area. Essential place to visit if you are already in the village.

Luke T — Google review

Very sad to see these poor fish stuck in tiny tanks, particularly as they weren't born in captivity and have been caught in the ocean. Awful place, should be closed down.

Amy F — Google review

Visited on the 9th July,what really made the visit for us was the young man who was working at the counter, when we asked about one of the fish, he walked us around the small aquarium telling us all about the various fish, crustaceans and eels...he was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and made the short visit far more interesting .This place is definitely worth a visit if your in the harbour also it's free so don't forget to put something in the bucket on your way out !

Linda F — Google review

Was looking forward to visiting, but upon entry quickly changed my mind. The majority of the fish are way too big for those tanks, the tanks look unclean, and with it being on the coast you can assume they’re all wild caught.What got me was the dogfish(?) eggs in one of the tanks. As there is only one dogfish, I assume she was caught while pregnant and had to lay her eggs in the tank. These tanks are very obviously not built to sustain any kind of breeding program.We were going to leave a donation but changed our minds because of all this. On the walk back to the town we saw plenty of fish and jellyfish in their natural habitat, a much better viewing experience than this aquarium.Probably technically wheelchair accessible, but the entrance and walkway are narrow and it gets busy. Not worth the effort.

Avery — Google review

Extremely inhumane. Tiny tanks for massive fish all swimming to the filters. Tanks need cleaning more regularly, more stimulation for animals. Heartbreaking visit nearly left in tears, can’t imagine how this is not breaking some kinda animal welfare rules.

Bobbie F — Google review

Love it all especially the lack of unnecessary music and sounds, the simple, easy to read & correct information (i.e the species in tanks etc) also it is lovely to actually see the critters properly, it is all about local sealife. Love the small size and the wonderful use of an old lifeboat station!I much prefer this gem of an aquarium than any of the *big named* supposed aquariums. It doesn't have empty tanks, busy with decorative stuff tanks or any out dated signs. And it is FREE.10/10 for everything 🦀🦐🐙🐚🐟

Jennifer G — Google review

Very bad place forcing massive wild caught fish into small aquariums. This poor eel and many other fish in there are in pure misery. This place should be closed down and reported for endangerment and abuse.

Lilbear — Google review

Nice place to visit. Some interesting marine life. Free admission - small donation welcome.

Cartz — Google review

Took our daughters here for a quick visit. It's only small, I believe it's based on an old lifeboat house, but houses a selection of sea life found locally.It might only be a few minutes distraction for kids (depending just how much they get into watching the sea creatures) but I don't really think you can complain when it's free to get in.

Simon B — Google review

Thought it'd be nice, but to see fish crammed in to tanks is so disheartening. They had an eal which looks as though it was stuck, the fish looked depressed. That isn't an aquarium, it's a place we're you can take a photo and say you've seen some lobsters, I came out of there feeling awful, tanks are so small, some didn't seem to have enough room to turn around. Didn't donated as it was cruel, would be nice to have some nice natural vegetation, not just the logs, the fish were just there to be looked at.. what a shame

Divinefire1981 — Google review

Very interesting and informative visit to the aquarium. I was happy to wear a mask. Free to enter but I put a £1 donation in the box on the way out, well worth it.

Donna S — Google review

Lovely little aquarium by the harbour- clean tanks and lots of native species to enjoy. A great and educational way to spend some time in Mevagissey (free entry but donations were gratefully received!).

Rosie T — Google review

Lovely place to go with and without children You never know what you will see. Cafe for tea. A stroll along the harbour AND the Aquarium WHAT A GREAT DAY OUT .Please support this lovely FREE! Donation only venue. I LOVE IT !! 😁👍💙 Check to make sure its open 👾👌

Hazel W — Google review

3.8

(91)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (10)

4.0

(657)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (11)

27 Polkirt Hill, Mevagissey, Saint Austell PL26 6UR, United Kingdom

+44 1726 843305

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40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (12)

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Bodmin Jail Attraction

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Sights & Landmarks

Museum

Visit Bodmin Jail, an 18th-century granite museum that was once a prison for dangerous criminals. Take a ghost tour or book an overnight experience and enjoy a three-course meal before being locked up behind bars until 5 am. The jail was the site of over 50 public executions between 1785 and 1909 and during World War I it held national treasures such as the Domesday Book and Crown Jewels for safekeeping.

This is worth a visit and is well made. They’ve obviously spent a lot of money with the attraction and things to see. A lot of history is explained and I liked being in the same cells as some of the famous prisoners. I just wish there was more to see, however that’s been converted to hotel. Even being allowed more of the grounds or higher up cells would make it better. The staff was very friendly and there’s a cool Souvenir store there.

William F — Google review

Changed a lot now since it was bought for renovation into a 5* Hotel, but still can see parts of the castle as it was, you can also have a wander around the Hotel to view the magnificent renovation, then marry up the ruins to the new....

John H — Google review

Booked to go here as saw their summer deal advertised for a self guided tour for £10pp thought this would be a great place to go as love a little bit of dark tourism. Didn't research any further.My expectations were that I was visiting a jail nothing more than that. What I was met with on the day was an experience like no other.The tour or as they call it show was a full 4d experience, with effects that blew my mind. You are led through various scenes with a virtual guide. Before being allowed to continue your tour at your own pace. Lots to see, and experience.Your senses will be overwhelmed with sights, sounds and smells to really give you a feeling of what it would have been like to have been imprisoned here.Spent just under 2hrs here, had it not of been closing I would have definitely stayed longer.There is paid parking nearby, and if you are lucky there are some street parking spots alongside the prison walls, watch for the double yellows though, they are faded in places.

Jay — Google review

An interesting mix of history told through modern technology then a chance to visit some original cells and the gallows. Quite scary for young children as some emphasis on it being the most haunted building in England but we really enjoyed it

Jenny M — Google review

The hotel is absolutely stunning with beautiful interiors and lovely old features in the building. Staff were super friendly and the food was delicious. They were also so accommodating for animals and even looked after our dog for a few hours. The wheelchair accessible bathroom in the room was one of the best we’ve had with a lovely open shower and all necessary adaptions. The bedroom needs some accessibility help as the bed was too high and also too close to the cupboard so a wheelchair user has no access to cupboard, fridge and safe, for this we’ve taken off a star.

Hello D — Google review

An interesting look into the history of the prison. There is a lot to learn.It was recommended to buy tickets online in advance for a time slot - we arrived for our time slot and we’re waiting an extra 15 minutes after this to enter - so really questioned why we booked a time and then couldn’t enter then?Parking is a nightmare, there is no ample carpark for the attraction and a local car park must be used.The attraction was very busy, perhaps they should look at limiting their numbers more so you can experience the jail better.Whilst the experience was different and interesting, it would’ve been nice to have seen more of the building without the extreme theming and dark lighting. The most interesting parts of the visit we’re seeing the original featured without themed lighting and props.Overall a nice visit for an afternoon, but there are a few areas that I’d note for improvement.

Ashley G — Google review

Finally visited after about 4yrs of not quite getting there whilst on holidays in Cornwall. No excuse this time as only 10mins away and it was excellent, not what was expected at all. Clever use of virtual reality makes for a very entertaining experience that guides you through different aspects of the jail ending in a final climax at the gallows! Entry is approx £18 per adult but is well worth the price.

Shaun V — Google review

This is such a great place to visit! It's very accessible - both my dad and I use a walker and they have lifts there. You can also take a mobility scooter in there, as long as it's no wider than 630mm, as some of the doorways are a little narrow.I really enjoyed my time there, I just wish it was a longer experience. I think our visit took about an hour.All the staff were so friendly and greeted us all warmly at first sight.

Leah D — Google review

We booked the 'go darker' tour whilst on holiday in Cornwall. Caroline was our guide and did a fantastic job of recounting the history and bringing the attraction to life. We loved the virtual part of the tour and the end set piece of the Moor. We we're there for over 3 hours, so you get good value for money. You'll come away with lots to think about as well as having far more knowledge about the history of our prison system and how it has evolved over the years.Some gruesome stories and torture devices were part of the tour, but this was not frightening for our children aged 10. Everyone in our group came away enjoying the experience.We also loved the hotel section and would definitely consider booking a room if we return to Cornwall. The hotel has tastefully revamped the prison and could be a model to other attractions with how to make a site something fresh and new.Staff were all very helpful and friendly. Caroline was brilliant and an excellent addition to the tour. We'd say it is vital to book a tour guide, as there would have been loads missed without her.Highly recommended 👌

Sean M — Google review

Excellent experience of UK 🇬🇧 HistoryRemember don't stay of the path.When you visit, you'll see what I mean.Please take the time and go there 🙏

Phil C — Google review

It wasn’t what I was expecting but it was a good day out with my family.The tour wasn’t as interesting as looking at the actual jail cells but you learnt a lot of knowledge about past crimes etc.It’s a good quick trip for the family when staying in Cornwall and I would recommend it on a rainy day if you don’t want to be stuck outside. We didn’t go to the cafe but it smelt good and the gift shop wasn’t too pricy.

Avery L — Google review

Really good and interesting visit looking round Bodmin jail. Videos to watch, lots of cells to look round, interesting information facts. Would recommend booking and not going on a rainy day as was extremely busy.Found the original hanging pit really interesting. Quite an Eerie place.Small gift shop at the end that was reasonally priced

Mary B — Google review

Well worth the £15 per person entry fee. The holographic walk through is very well put together. Would have liked to have done the night tour but sadly we didn't have the time. Booking online was easy.Parking is a bit of an issue. Currently you have to park about 5/10 minutes walk away depending on your speed of walking. There's a new pay and display parking opposite the jail but it wasn't open when we visited.

Pip R — Google review

It was very quiet the day we went, but I expect it would get very busy during the school holidays. You enter via the dark walk, a brilliant 4D experience which leads you through to the jail itself. There are lots of interactive exhibits, perfect to keep children occupied. The are your options, we chose a self guided tour, but a guided tour would be very interesting. I would certainly recommend a visit to Bodmin Jail

Lorna L — Google review

Worth a visit. 60million was spent on refurbishing the jail and creating a hotel and museum on the site. The original buildings had been stripped, demolished or were in ruins. The refurbishment is really good but somehow the authenticity of its life as a working prison from the late 1700’s and through the 1800’s is not totally there because of this.

Carole T — Google review

Bodmin jail attraction experience is definitely one not to be missed. We only fortunately came across this experience as it was a semi rainy day and we're looking for activities. We went with our children who thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It's definitely immersive and well created turning stories into hi-tech re-enactments. It's a little spooky and the jail cells with stories about the inhabitants were very chilling and gave a idea of life within these walls years ago. Definitely would recommend any families with inquisitive children. Mine were ages 1, 3 and 7yrs and we're fine with the dark walk through. Book in advance if going during holidays like us as it was sold out.

Sadiq M — Google review

We visited at 5.30pm midweek and it felt like we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Since the renovation its so much better and much more interactive, I certainly learnt much more about the notorious prisoners which were put to death there and the history of the building. I probably wouldn't recommend for very young children as it can get a little intense as you approach the condemned cell and hanging pit (don't want to give anything away). Would certainly recommend visiting.

Fliss W — Google review

Excellent hidden gem.Sign in town is reversed, so use sat-nav.Parking iffy, some on road but go past the yet to open jail car park (council disputes apparently) and there is another small car park.Jail is very historic, old and new bits. Guided tours at 9.39, 13.00 and 15.00 but we did a self guided one and it was still very informative. Downstairs is almost Disney quality history of Bodmin and Cornwall, leading to old jail cells, gallows etc.Paid £18 each and worth every penny. Stayed about an hour and a half.Restaurant and tea rooms, plus gift shop.Not really wheelchair friendly, although there are lifts to get to most places. Steps abound though.

Mike B — Google review

Would definitely recommend a visit, yes it's pricey, but experience was amazing 4 D your guide if you choose the self guided tour, going room by room at start for different stories, before getting to prison itself, some rooms you become part of the experience! Even a section on Beast of Bodmin.

Kerrek 4 — Google review

Wow. Not sure what we were expecting for this but it was amazing! We got there about 10.30 and only had w other people with us at the start. This allowed us to really appreciate and see the whole experience as we walked though. Fantastic effects, creepy stories and then the actual cells. Sobering, interesting and poignant. We enjoyed good coffee, tasty hot chocolate and delicious food in the cafe outside. Definitely worth a visit.

Rachel S — Google review

Honestly not what I expected. From the pictures was really expecting a lot more, from the pictures you would think it’s going to be a lot more of the old prison but all that is left is a few cells which are very dark . The rest of the experience is a theatrical video show which we didn’t really understand.We visited with an elderly person in a wheelchair, the nearest parking is down the road and you have to walk up to the attraction up a steep hill.There is some interesting parts like, mainly the second half.

Jessie B — Google review

Oh my goodness, Bodmin Jail, we visited the weekend for your evening tour, I was blown away, I haven't had so much fun but been scared so much ever.I just want to take a minute to say the whole place looked so festive. As someone who loves Christmas, I took a picture of every Christmas tree and hat I saw.The while attraction is amazing, all your staff were so kind and helpful, I can't wait to come and visit again to do a night time Investigation

Emma F — Google review

Exploring Bodmin Jail was a mix of amazement and spookiness. The cells exuded a sense of history and pain that resonated deeply. It was a powerful experience connecting with the stories of the past prisoners. Definitely a must-visit for those seeking a haunting yet enlightening historical journey.

Bhuwan K — Google review

Myself and my partner took part in a 'Heritage Tour' earlier today - we booked based on the good reviews online and Bodmin Jail did not disappoint!It's a great activity to do, especially if the weather is bad as its mainly inside/undercover. The tour guide was brilliant - clearly very knowledgeable and the tour was very interesting.I'd say it's aimed more at older children, if you have any - just based on the subject matter. On our tour there were a variety of ages, however.Overall - would recommend. I felt it was better value for money than some of the other tourist stuff in the local area!

Sophie R — Google review

Bodmin Jail Attraction is a place worth visiting to broaden your horizons. The tour is both interesting and eerie, as this former prison has a heavy history. Despite its grim past, the building itself is an intriguing architectural landmark that leaves a lasting impression. It's a place that makes you reflect and experience the atmosphere of a bygone era.❗A crucial tip: Be sure to buy tickets in advance to avoid standing in an extremely long queue.

Dmytro M — Google review

This place is everything we were hoping for and more. We purchased the Ghost Hunt experience, which ran from 9.30pm-1am, and we certainly wasn't disappointed. From Ghostly touches to even witnessing poltergeist activity and even capturing a ghostly arm reaching out from the bars in the hanging room. If you are into the discovery of the paranormal world, this is definitely the place to go.Staff are extremely professional, with a great knowledge of the jails history.This place definitely has everything you want to get the hairs on the back of your neck standing up.

Carly P — Google review

It had been several decades since we last visited and we werent disappointed at all. Still quite an authentic well presented plenty to learn watch see do and absorb over several floors .Being winter and an ordinary weekday tuesday the place was almost empty which was great.No queing at all. We chose the self guided tour. Good facilities for the disabled. Clean spacious disabled toilet on ground floor. A good lift to all floors. Competative ticket rates. £15 includes free carer .Lovely friendly helpful staff. Warm welcome. Clean safe and organised tour. Very interesting interactive displays. Lots of tunnels and exhibitions to explore also loads of history fascinating accounts stories and an enjoyable theatre show for all ages. As much of it is in the dark and can be quite errie and scarey not for little ones any younger than around 10 .Very good enjoyable visit. Educative historical facts mixed with folk lore and fascinating details.We visited the gift shop afterwards. Souvenoirs and gifts are as expected mugs pens pencils cards sticks of rock bodmin jail booklets jewellery clothing and the usual expected wares. Very pricey. I bought a fridge magnet for £3.95 and other items of pocket money prices. Suitable for children of all ages up to adults. childrens t shirts are expensive avetage price of £10 +.Pens pencils key rings, mugs cornish souvenoirs etc.All in all a very good display. Give yourself at least an hour or 2 to see everything .

Chrissie M — Google review

Ghost tour was great, very spooky. Tours guide were really good. Especially like the walk around on your own at the end of the tour, may have given some of the other tour goers a fright (by accident of course)

Benjamin M — Google review

Loved it. Gemma, the tour guide, was brilliant from start to finish.The displays, interactive experiences, holograms ,etc, and the overall experience were very good. Great value for money given the extent of the tour and the investment made in providing a true experience of the jail.

Robin D — Google review

Amazing experience and very atmospheric. This history around it is incredible and the conditions were dire. Not recommended for those less able or easily spooked. Lots of dark corridors, cobble steps and uneven surfaces, even water during the shipwreck holographic projection. Made us jump in places too! We got there around 4pm and had the whole place to ourselves, they close late and had a tour booked for 6pm, so we had plenty of time to wander around and explore.

Trish P — Google review

Always wanted to check out Bodmin as my mom always use to say the beast of Bodmin more so when we're staying close thought we would visit, that's when we stumbled upon the Jail attraction and decided to visit a few days later, I did read some of the reviews of people moaning it's like a cheap tourist trap and they charge to much for it but we thought we would make our own minds up as we really enjoy things like this, I'm glad we didn't listen as it was great and we really enjoyed it! Yes at the beginning there is some holograms that guid you through a story of some of the inmates that were housed at Bodmin jail and what there crimes were but I thought it was a really good idea to set up some sort of back story that leads you into the jail at the end or you would just be in and out in 15 minutes if your just looking at the cells and wouldn't be value for money! I think they give you alot of information and incite into what life was like at the jail and it was cool to see some of the artifacts they had found from the old jail and even the list of people who were hung there and what there crimes were, all in all we really enjoyed it and were definitely glad we visited, the parking situation isn't great the carpark is closed so we used the Sainsbury car park as advised we did double check inside and they said we had 2 n half hours free parking as an understanding with the attraction, I definitely recommend a visit!

Kay — Google review

We went for afternoon tea at Bodmin jail, the service was amazing. Edward who met us, customer service skills were 10/10. Very friendly and ensured we wanted for nothing throughout our experience in the Chapel champagne bar. The cakes were delicious and overall an excellent afternoon out.

Ian P — Google review

I've attended many private investigations at this venue, long b4 the hotel and museum. I've been twice to the attraction as the interactive dark walk /museum. Never fails, My children and I love it. We came out of season and didn't really have to wait. Maybe worth checking before arriving peak times.

Cornish ( — Google review

We did the self guided tour. Parking was a tad far from the prison. Restaurant onsite is expensive and not a lot of choice. The jail part was really good, interactive and dark in parts. Enjoyed it. Shame the lights out is only in the evening. Enjoyable all the same.

Caroline B — Google review

Visited first around 2018 and absolutely loved wandering around the levels.We went again back in May 2024. It's changed a lot, not sure if you can wander around the levels to the extent you could do before. We did the scare attraction which was really good fun and well put together with great actors. Certainly worth the money. But I'm not sureni like the modern renovation. I like it the way it was before as it had character and charm, something has been lost now. I didnt take a pics of the new section. Still well worth visiting.

Kimmy T — Google review

Great tour and reasonably priced, I highly recommend the guided tour for a little extra.Wealth of knowledge and really immersed into what life would have been like. I noticed others just walking around reading without getting the full experience. Caroline our tour guide was amazing. It so happened on this day we ended up with our own personal tour as the weather was exceptionally good. Bliss 🙂

Stephanie M — Google review

The beginning was very cool with CGI and practical effects. Interesting seeing the jail and the governor's mansion as well. Gift shop was underwhelming.

Etta E — Google review

Visited over 20 years ago, and what a transformation to now! We took a guided tour which was presented really well. Some gruesome stories to go with an amazing 4D experience. Nice cafe and gift shop added to our experience. Brilliant.

Nicky # — Google review

4.4

(5964)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (17)

4.5

(1394)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (18)

Berrycoombe Rd, Bodmin, PL31 2NR, United Kingdom

+44 1208 76292

4

Lanhydrock House and Garden

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (19)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (20)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (21)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (22)

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Garden

Lanhydrock House and Garden is a must-visit National Trust property in Cornwall, boasting a grand country house resembling a castle set amidst 1,000 acres of woodland. Managed by the National Trust, it offers ample parking for motorhomes and coach parking without height barriers. Visitors can explore the state rooms, nursery, and kitchens within the stately home while also enjoying the well-maintained gardens, cafes, play area, and cycling trails with cycle hire available on-site.

What a phenomenal national trust site in Cornwall. A mix of stately home, with rooms open to explore. There are 3 sections to explore, the state rooms, the nursery and the kitchens.There are gardens to explore, cafes, a play area.For cyclists, there are cycling trails and you can hire cycles there as well. It's a bit of a walk from the parking to the House, but there is a mobile buggy Available for those who may find it a long walk. A really lovely place to spend the day.

Ifat K — Google review

Staff were lovely and helpful. If you have mobility issues there is a buggy that will take you down to the house and garden. You can ask to use one of their wheelchairs to view inside the house. If you phone ahead you can request a mobility scooter to go round the gardens.

Valerie W — Google review

Beautiful house and grounds. Interactive activities like learning dance moves and games room. Best of all were the staff and volunteers. Really helpful and patient. Shout out to Graham who was a great guy and seemed to be busy. A must visit.

Rob F — Google review

Beautiful grounds and house, in such a wonderful setting. Plenty to see, definitely worth a visit. Allow enough time to walk from entry point to house and back.. It's a longish gentle slope but transport available if required.

Jenny E — Google review

Lovely gardens with lots of space and great for a picnic. The house is also worth seeing but they are currently carrying out conservation work so I'm sure it will be better to visit after that is completed. There are lots of grounds including cycling routes that are free for non NT members to enjoy. Large car park but it is quite a walk from the car park to the house and gardens although there is a shuttle buggy than runs between the two.

Paul M — Google review

Too much beautiful things to see in one place. Grounds are dog friendly. House has a little kennal you could leave a well behaved dog there to see the gardens. Stunning walks.

Tracy T — Google review

This is, without doubt, my favourite National Trust house. It is not only a stunning house, with spacious and beautiful gardens, but also staff were amazing. We just stopped over when leaving Cornwall, but it is the perfect day to spend your whole day with your loved ones. Do not miss it if you go nearby!

Laura F — Google review

So very interesting and the volunteers were really knowledgeable. Fantastic tapestry and beautiful furniture. The gardens were an absolute pleasure to see.

Shirley P — Google review

Dropped in here for a couple of hours while the traffic dropped off on tbe A30. Glad we did, huge grounds to explore (bike hire available on site), lovely manicured gardens and we'll kept house. As we were there in the summer, they had lawn games to entertain the little ones too. We'll worth a visit if your in the area (or stuck on the A30).

Neil T — Google review

Absolutely stunning place,, great house to walk around, and most of it is open, gardens are stunning and the walks around the grounds are amazing and peaceful.Great shop and cafe at the house, and a bigger cafe just before you walk down the drive.A must if your in the area,

Marie C — Google review

The grounds are as magnificent as the house! The best part for me was seeing how the kitchen functioned. I had NO idea! The interiors are wonderfully appointed with period pieces and beautiful portraits. There are several wonderful gardens to view and a small church which is still in used by a small congregation. It is very accessible for people using mobility scooters and there is also a tram for people from the car park to the house. There is a nice gift shop and snack shop. This beautiful example of a country house is well worth a visit!

Cathleen A — Google review

Wow, what a wonderful preservation of what a manor/estate house was like at the turn of the century. The family seemed lovely. Beautiful gardens as well. We end up spending 4 hrs there.

Dyanne G — Google review

The estate certainly makes an impression as you arrive. The buildings are stunning and the grounds equally so. Easy to access and get around with good facilities. You can easily spend a few hours here as there is much to explore. If you're in the area I highly recommend a visit.

Dr S — Google review

Oh wow what can I say about this gem. Absolutely loved it. The house was really nicely decorated with period furnature and items and there was a good description of everything so you got a really good insight into the history of the location. Now to the gardens. Just so so nice, really pleasant walks that wernt over taxing or difficult so we'll within the capabilities of most. I would love to revisit this place again in the near future.

Paul S — Google review

What a property! One of the best we have been to. We took the dogs and so took it in turns to venture inside with the children. The dogs had a wonderful walk around the grounds. Dogs are allowed in the courtyard, through the side gate. There is a lovely cafe and lots of seating and toilet facilities.The house is stunning and is beautifully set up to show what life would have been like for the workers and family at Lanhydrock. Great national trust property. ❤️

Zo? C — Google review

Another lovely place to visit. The bluebells were out in the woodlands and looked lovely. We also walked around the extensive formal gardens this time. Camelias, rhododendrons and azaleas were in bloom and provided a great show of colour. Excellent.

Paul R — Google review

Great day out. Lovely dog friendly grounds with an outside cafe and bike hire. House is beautiful and bursting with history; kitchen is amazing. Only gripe is £6 parking fee on top of almost £20 entry. Parking machine does not take notes or credit card.

Richard L — Google review

Never been before until today had a amazing time the house has been the best I've seen yet. The gardens are well looked after and the cafe. The toilets were cleanWill return again soon.Well done to everyone 👏

Doreen V — Google review

Another great National Trust place in Cornwall. The house, gardens and the surroundings are well maintained. There is a lot to see in and all around one of the most complete Victorian country house. A nice little restaurant in the backyard of the house. Do not miss the kitchen area of the house. Just a note to management, that the billiard room misspelled in the visitors' guidance brochure.

T S — Google review

A fabulous house with an interesting history.The grounds were very impressive with walks and areas to bike around.The church was lovely and definitely recommend a visit.There were two lovely tearooms.I would thoroughly recommend a visit.

Clare — Google review

Es ist wirklich ein schönes , sehenswertes Haus und grundsätzlich ist es einen Besuch wert... aber aktuell £20, wenn die Hälfte*** gerade unter Renovierungsarbeiten versteckt ist, plus noch die £6 Parkgebühr finde ich zuviel. *** auf den Bildern daher nur die Räume, die nicht renoviert werden aktuell (es fehlen die Empfangs- und herrschaftlichen Räume komplett)(Translated by Google)It's really a beautiful house, worth seeing and in principle it's worth a visit... but currently £20, when half of it is currently hidden under renovation work, plus the £6 parking fee, I think is too much. *** in the pictures only the rooms that are not currently being renovated (the reception and stately rooms are completely missing)

Kerstin B — Google review

Eight months ago we visited here and gave it a 5-Star review. In that review we said “The extensive grounds surrounding the main house and gardens are free to visit and have extensive bike and walking trails to explore. The house itself is well worth a visit too, with a single ticket covering the house and gardens. We found the whole experience great value for money which is something not too often found in Cornwall, and I speak as local not a visitor.”We finished that review by saying “we spent so much time in the interesting house and immediate gardens we didn't get time to explore the larger gardens” and we promised ourselves a return trip.Today we fulfilled that promise. Yes the gardens were excellent but lacking many blooms but that’s just nature. The house however was a crushing disappointment. My son visited some days earlier on our recommendation but he said he wasn’t impressed which confused us a little. He did mention restoration work was underway, so before making the journey today we checked the website to see what parts of the house were open. The website explains about the Long Gallery ceiling conservation work being carried out and that the furniture and items from this area are moved away from the conservation work for protection and displayed on racking throughout the mansion route. What it doesn’t mention is that this totally spoils the main house feel. The house currently resembles a store room. There is no feel of this ever being the Victorian family home we knew and loved. I am sure in future when the conservation is finished it may return to the place that was well worth visiting but for now, it’s only a sad shadow of what it was but even worse, they are still charging the same entrance fee to see what is in my opinion, a store room. So at present, it is not value for money.

Sundance630 M — Google review

One of the biggest and most interesting national trusts we've visited in a long time. Loved the conservation experience which meant we got to see the ceiling up close.You can see so much of the house and it felt like it was atill preserved in a very true to life way.The gardens and grounds were amazing, so much care and attention must be needed to keep them looking so good.The usual good quality cafe, although we timed it well as long queues after we left.Highly recommend

Ruth F — Google review

Lanhydrock House and Garden in Cornwall is a stunning Victorian estate. With beautifully restored rooms and lush gardens, it offers a glimpse into 19th-century luxury and a peaceful outdoor escape. A must-visit for history enthusiasts or those seeking a serene day out 🍃.

Naba — Google review

My favourite NT property. A very busy cafe (obviously!) but a lovely quiet wooded walk is a welcome break from the throngs. Deducted a star as the map of the walk was not very useful. Better map please! I’ll be back the next time I’m in North Cornwall anyway, but how many people have already been lost?

Jonathan H — Google review

It has enormous gardens with ample walking/cycling trails and beautiful house.It shows the rooms and lifestyle of the family that used to live there. Beautiful architecture.It’s well worth the visit if you’re a National trust member.It has a cafe as well and second hand bookshop.

Neha J — Google review

A must-see for everyone of all ages.So much history if that is your interest.Or, the parkland to take a bicycle out into.The gardens never disappoint.Whatever the time of year you visit, there are always beautiful flowers, ferns, and magnolias amongst all the Camellias, that flower from February.We love it here, it us also National Trust, so that is a bonus if a member.

Sharon G — Google review

Absolutely incredible National Trust venue. All of the staff were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The Gardens are stunning and the House is immaculately kept. A must see for all!

STEPHANIE H — Google review

Love the house, the beautiful ceiling which is being cleaned, which means you can climb up closer to it. Had a lovely cream tea in the cafe. The ground is big and great for dog walking .

Yvonne B — Google review

Lovely National Trust property, with house, gardens and extensive grounds to explore. Dogs are only allowed in the outdoor ground and not the main house or gardens so you’ll need to tag team the bow wow. Plenary of parking but if you’re not a National Trust member you’ll need to pay extra for this as well. Plenty of place to eat and drink. Well worth a visit

Stephen B — Google review

Such a big beautiful place! So many trails and different terrains. There's a cool abandoned swimming pool with some beautiful dragonflies. This occasion was especially amazing as we spotted a couple deer as well as what could possibly be "the beast of bodmin moor". It was up on the field behind the manor house.

Gemma S — Google review

Pure English delight. A beautiful place to walk, take in the breathtaking Cornish countryside, rolling hills, woodland trails, formal gardens, and stately home. Finish with a tasty cake, hot chocolate, or coffee in one of the two fabulous coffee shops. Dog friendly, child friendly (worth the visit just for the play park). Definitely one of our favourite National Trust parks.

Martine C — Google review

A wonderful day at Lanhydrock House and Gardens. The sun was shining and the house, although currently going through a restoration project was very interesting. A real asset to the NT. The volunteers were very knowledgeable and made the visit a highlight of our holiday in Bodmin.

Michelle M — Google review

Interesting house, staff dressed in period costume gives a lot of atmosphere. We particularly enjoyed viewing the restoration of the ceiling plaster decoration which is quite fascinating.We went on a beautiful sunny day and the grounds are very scenic.

Jane D — Google review

Managed to get free tickets online to visit this wonderfull house,and when we visited , they were in the process of restoring the ceiling , and visitors were allowed on the scaffolding to get a close look at the ceiling , this restoration is going on until October 2024 , and you will never get this opportunity again,lovely well kept building, parking was 6 pounds for the day

Andy J — Google review

Went on a rainy day to "pass some time". It turned out to be well worth the visit. I will return when the weather improves. The gardens are spectacular 👌

Steven G — Google review

A beautiful house, with a cafe, bookshop and gardens to wander around.Some fabulous kitchen rooms to wander around,(ground floor) really immersive experience- and several bedrooms to see(steep stairs ) A real sense of history was expressed and the staff on site were fabulous with questions, all brilliant, knowledgeable and super friendly - perfect representatives of the National Trust.There is a church (has lots of steps up to access) small, clean but beautifully kept. The grounds are stunning. A mix of formal and gentle planting, with fields and loads of dog walking/running fields everywhere.There are gravel paths all the way through the gardens and grounds making it easy to access.This day out took 3 hours to complete, but given there are walks and bike rides on the way into the grounds from the main carpark (completely different place to the disabled carpark) if you wanted to hire bikes and roam the upper sites you could spend the entire day here.There is a cafe opposite the bike hire and another near the house.Plenty of clean toilets are available and a bag room to leave heavy bags before exploring the house.This site has a buggy cart that runs between the house entrance and the top site constantly because the walk is arduous and in the heat, very taxing! Overall, a wonderful day out and very picturesque.

Serena — Google review

A fabulous garden and place, highly recommended if you are in the area ,definitely a 5 stars venue. I had to deduct 3 stars due to the frosty reception we received by an elderly bald man at reception: we were not even given a map despite us mentioning we traveled 6.5 hours and were visiting LHG for the very first time. We were made to feel like second class citizens as we had our puppy Louis with us and the venue clearly isn't puppy friendly at all. We were really lucky as we made lots of friends while waiting at the cafe to take turns to visit and house and gardens and the visitors told us about the church and gardens and walks available at the higher grounds as we were on our way out!!! A true example of such a fabulous venue and its reputation can be easily ruined by poor staff and no care for the paying customer what so ever. Overall a great place and highly recommended

Didi L — Google review

Nice garden and grounds. The house is especially worth a visit at the moment because they are restoring the plasterwork in the long room and you can climb the scaffolding to get a close look.

John H — Google review

This is quite a property - National Trust managed. Parking for motorhomes alongside the coach parking, no height barriers. £1.50 ph or £6 the day - free to members. Short walk to reception, then a 10 min down hill walk to the house. Buggy transport available (suggested donation £1). This is a huge property, so allow at least a couple of hours. We had nearly 4 hrs wandering, house, church and gardens. Now springtime, the magnolias and rhododendrons are spectacular. We've missed the best of the daffodils. There's a small bag policy - if too big, bags must be left at the bag lockers when going round the house. The kitchen and nursery rooms are huge, very interesting and full. There's a children's play room with chess, jigsaws etc. Currently the 'ceiling tour' takes you up into the most amazing views of the long hall ceiling. Walking along scaffolding platforms you find yourself within reach of the most interesting art work. This alone was worth the visit. Furniture can still be seen, albeit stacked in cabinets and displayed on shelves. The church is situated alongside the house, and worth visiting. The gardens are a must. I found myself looking up the family history on the Internet, realizing that I hadn't really been shown as much as I would have liked round the house. We took the buggy back up ... well worth a visit, plenty to see inside on a rubbish day, and lots of hard paths if a bit wet underfoot.

Polly W — Google review

A luxurious, grand manor set within the lush, green Cornish countryside. The walk down from the carpark is a meandering, flat path that takes you around the estate of the house. Picturesque scenery couples your walk on the path. The house itself is a portrait of victorian life, an ode to a gentrified history. It is somewhat accessible, with a lift indoors. A beautiful view accompanied by a cafe is the left of the house. Overall, a thorough recommend to family's looking for a quaint walk and great view.

Harvey — Google review

4.8

(1805)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (23)

4.5

(3342)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (24)

Treffry Ln, Bodmin, PL30 5AD, United Kingdom

+44 1208 265950

5

King Arthur's Great Halls

Mentioned on

24 lists

Community center

Sights & Landmarks

Architectural Buildings

Arthurian enthusiasts must not miss a visit to Tintagel's King Arthur's Great Halls, a Grade II* listed building situated at the heart of the village. Constructed in the 1930s for the Order of the Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table, this historical attraction is dedicated entirely to Arthurian legend. It has served as a filming location for numerous TV shows and movies centered on these myths.

If you love the tales of King Arthur then this is a fantastic place to visit. The building has the most fabulous stain glass window's.

Elizabeth B — Google review

The hidden scale of the building when you get to the main hall is really impressive as the front of the building doesn't convey this. Superb collection of stain glass windows (art) which we spent quite some time admiring. Great value for the couple of hours we spent there. Jon the curator was a wealth of knowledge and really enjoyed talking to him.

Dave M — Google review

A really great place which is extremely beautiful with fruitful content! You will understand the story of King Arthur with Merlin and numerous stained glass windows around the church. The staff is so friendly amd welcoming to visitors! Seeing so many exhibits with £8 (adult) is cheap. Everyone who is interested in the legend of King Arthur should come to visit!!! P.S. It will probably be better to visit here before the Tintagel Castle to give you more fantasy:)

Olivia — Google review

Worth a visit, the intro and hall are really good with plenty to read. £6 an adult, could be expensive for a family, but definitely worth a visit

Pete H — Google review

Brilliant place to visit, highlight of my Cornish holiday. Great staff, a must see while you're here.

Miles F — Google review

If you're prepared to read, there's a staggering wealth of stuff here, detailing any player in Arthurian lore you could ever want to know about, and many you probably had no Idea existed.With the exception of the narrated spotlight show in the first room, the second is a bit more haphazard in it's presentation of additional exhibits. But even if you simply take in the dominating stained glass creations in the second, gigantic hall, you're sure to leave with a renewed appreciation for just how far someone with a lot of money can take their fandom.Good gift shop, too. Got a spooky book.

James B — Google review

An interesting place to visit when you are in Tintagel. It consists of two halls. The first is used to narrate the story of King Arthur through a series of paintings. The second is the Great Hall which includes a huge number of strained glass windows all with derailed background information and various other items relating to the Arthurian story. An impressive space complete with Granite throne! £8 entrance fee.

Cymru J — Google review

Fantastic little place tucked away in the village of Tintagel. A perfect little homage to the Arthurian legends, complete with stained glass windows depicting Arthurian legends, as well as other stained glass windows showing the crests and shields of the different Knights of the Round Table along with their stories. Didn't catch the tour guides name, but he was enthusiastic and helpful, and we were lucky enough to be the only people in the halls at the time.

Simon R — Google review

Had a very nice surprise here, well worth the visit. The stained glass windows are amazing and the history of King Arthur and his knights were spoken by Robert Powell. The guide was lovely, friendly and helpful.

Janet M — Google review

Wow what a place been today and wowed me completely staff know everything the hall is fantastic full with stained glass windows and beautiful pieces of rocks found across special places. Absolutely brilliant a must visit in Cornwall and great priced!

Footballandgames — Google review

If you’re in Tintagel these Great Halls are a must visit! Wonderful telling of the Arthur legend from Merlin himself, the most beautiful great halls and stained glass window collection. What ever your doing in Tintagel don’t miss out on a visit to the Great Halls interesting and fun for all ages and families! Thanks to the wonderfully polite and helpful staff too! Highlight of my trip!

Jez G — Google review

Fantastic experience. Lots of interesting information and glorious stainless glass windows. Definitely worth a visit. The curator John very helpful and knowledgable

Gerry H — Google review

Beautiful attraction. I’ve been Tintagel since I was child and have only just discovered this gem.Definitely a most visit. Go before you visit the castle as it gives you plenty of information on the Arthurian legends that will help enrich your experience.

M — Google review

Very unexpected visit, but pleasantly surprised with the informative and warm welcome. For £8 per adult, we loved the interactive pre-show, and spent as long in the great hall as we wanted. Stained glass windows were the real gems!

Aliya A — Google review

If you go to Tintagel you must visit King Arthur’s Great Halls and the fellowship of the knights of the round table of King Arthur. You would never guess how big it is from the main house. First a nice light show and the story told by Merlin then you make your way into the great halls which have incredibly beautiful stain glass windows all around and many artefacts and medieval flags and of course the round table. It’s a lot of fun, very good value with a really nice gift shop with lots of great stuff.

Tallulah F — Google review

Visited here with my mother at the start of October to celebrate my birthday as I am obsessed with Arthurian Legend and lore and had read great reviews of this place and I must say I was not disappointed! This place is absolutely breath-taking! Filled with superb artwork, models, weapons, paintings, and the most brilliantly vibrant stained-glass windows. I spent around 3 and a half hours exploring and absorbing the place, during which I had one of the most Divine and spiritual experiences of my life, which I was informed by the guy who runs it is a common occurrence among those who visit the hall. On the topic of the guy who runs the place, John was a lovely and welcoming man who regaled us with many stories and legends surrounding the place, and was clearly very passionate about his job, all round a very pleasant and down to earth chap and i hope to meet him again someday. To summarise, a BRILLIANT place to visit, and quite possibly the highlight of my trip to Cornwall. Thank you!

Kyran L — Google review

The most unsuspecting front to an inside of intrigue and master-craftsmanship. I implore you to visit.The Great Halls had so much wonderful history and original art it stopped me in my tracks and my partner had to tell me to ‘stop catching flies’ with my mouth, it being held so widely agape. The stained glass windows were the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Any fans of the pre-raphaelites and Arthurian myth will fall deeply in love with what you’ll find. Not just this but John, the gentleman at reception was truly kind and offered another level of passionate insight into the place… and the intriguingly intertwined histories of the knights of the Round table and the knights Templar…

MysteryMunro — Google review

Great little place! The owner was very friendly and talkative; interesting presentation. Definitely pop in if you're in the area.

Tenebre L — Google review

Such a great place to visit. So much to learn and see. Gentleman at the front is lovely and remembered us from last year. We will come back for a 3rd time with even more people.

Leigh W — Google review

Lovely place, very interesting history. Made to really welcome.

Frances W — Google review

Discovered this by pure accident after a visit to tintagel castle. What a fab discovery it was! Lots of info and displays and the great hall and stained glass windows are stunning! Definitely worth a visit!

Michele N — Google review

Incredible place to visit for anyone interested in the history of King Arthur and the Arthurian legend. For only £8 it is a bargain and the staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. If you are in Tintagel then you need to visit here.

Callum H — Google review

So glad I found this place and just before they closed. I got welcomed in and got to experience the great halls all to myself. Loved learning more about the legend of King Arthur. Staff was so friendly and enthusiastic. Couldn’t believe how big the great halls were and all the history. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day in Tintagel

Leanne W — Google review

We visited the Great Halls today and I must say it is well worth the visit. We found the gentleman there to be very informative and knows his stuff. The whole place is so well kept and mesmerising, even got my 15 year old son intrigued which is not an easy task. We definitely pop by again if we are ever back in Tintagel.

Nikki W — Google review

Very interesting place. The guy at the gift shop was a great salesman. I learned a ton about King Arthur and the knights of the round table.Not sure kids would enjoy bc it's a lot of reading and mainly stain glass windows. If your into King Arthur then for sure visit.

Sharon N — Google review

4.7

(277)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (25)

5.0

(917)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (26)

Fore St, Tintagel, PL34 0DA, United Kingdom

+44 1840 770526

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6

Davidstow Airfield and Cornwall at War Museum

Mentioned on

2 lists

Heritage museum

Museums

Military Museums

The Davidstow Airfield and Cornwall at War Museum offers a unique and immersive experience. Despite the initial appearance of ex-military huts, the museum houses an impressive collection of individual displays showcasing military equipment, period uniforms, and daily life artifacts. The exhibits provide a glimpse into the lives of people during wartime, featuring items such as weapons, radios, air-sea rescue equipment, and even domestic scenes like kitchens and laundry areas.

An amazing collection of war memorabilia, presented in an engaging way. Great for adults and children alike with plenty of hands on opportunities. 100% recommended.

Ben A — Google review

Very friendly couple who have put their heart and soul into restoring the site. A very eclectic and interesting exhibition with many items in have not seen in any other exhibition. A good layout. Well worth watching the videos as they show the history or a detailed explanation of exhibits.

Abi S — Google review

This place is amazing. The people running it are so passionate and you can see how much work they've put into this place. So much to see throughout the 20 areas. Only £7 per adult too which is not bad at all! Thursdays they do airfield tours too I believe.

Tayla L — Google review

Bargain price of £6 per adult, nice collection of lots of different memorabilia. In my opinion its more suitable for adults rather than children. There are lots of things to read through with some interesting stories. There isnt a cafe but you can buy a cold drink and a couple of snacks if you need to. All in all a great little place to visit.

Chris G — Google review

Great day out at a small museum that's just off the main road. Your greater by the owners at the gate and entry with a warm welcome. Love the home videos and voice overs and makes for a lovely charming atmosphere. There is a large collection on site of aircraft, vehicles, weapons photos and uniforms etc. Lovely day out if your in the area, and on certain days there is a tour of the airfield.

Christopher H — Google review

It’s a good little place to go. I’m on holiday and need places to go as it’s not very often I go to Cornwall. So I don’t know any places. Friendly staff. Got a salute on arrival which I’m assuming is what they always do. Guy in the shop were mint. He were also friendly. Good memorabilia’s and displays. Recommend if into old military/army stuff.Had alot of weapons. Used but disarmed. Real may I add. Old machines like rocket launchers and muzzles. Even a jet.Old military vehicles and armoured jeeps. Good collection of small models and the first few rooms were quite busy but fair small. Fit alot into small room. 20 different spots. Not gonna reveal any just incase your reading this if your gonna see how it likes. But there’s a hangar with jets and jeeps in. Rooms with models and real ww1/2 weapons and many more. There’s even a little custom bomb shelter with loud music inside. Not music but a video played really loud about staying in and then loud explosions out of nowhere.Glad I went. And it’s not too expensive. Recommend as it’s fair nice. You can spend easy 3 4 hours in there. We only spent 2 as we had to go other places. Recommend tho. Reviews are true. 5 stars for sure !

Jdjdjdj H — Google review

What a gem of a find, don't be put off by the exterior on arrival. A vast array of exhibits and memorabilia well worth a visit.

Ian S — Google review

Really interesting museum run by enthusiastic volunteers in some of the old airfield buildings. Good welcome and friendly staff. Info about the airfield and life during WWII. Lots to see, an eclectic collection from household goods to a couple of whole aircraft and some vehicles, street scenes, control room, undersea finds display, Lara Croft, lots more. There are several flight simulators, it would be a great project to get some of them going and let people try them. The most impactful display is the party going on in the officers' mess - all ranks and everyone seems to be able to get in!The "self-service NAAFI" is a bit disappointing, just drinks and crisps, and needs a QR code for honesty box payment to go online.Visitors: it appears there is another museum on/ about the same RAF station, accessed from the outer car park, whose staff weren't directing traffic through the red gates into this one, so try to check which you are visiting, where you want to be and which reviews apply!

Steve C — Google review

As you drive in the staff are exuberant and enthusiastic.We got a salute from the member of staff their and once we parked up. We were chatting to him and were given additional information and there is quite a lot to see here in different hangers and outside areas.The only downside was the cafe was not open due to covid-19 and only crisps and ☕ so possibly don't go there when you're feeling hungry!Well worth a visit when in the area and discover more about the airfield and it's role in World War II.

Geoff C — Google review

We spent all day here and there was so much to see. Both my children wanted to stay longer but they were shutting. Was our second visit and we still saw things we hadn't spotted last time. The staff are great too. Shop very reasonably priced and lots available.

Jenny S — Google review

If you're interested in all things, war, this is a fabulous museum to go to .Go through the gates and stop ✋️ at the guard on the gate (it was the owner when we went ) he will tell you to go through and park he is a funny chap) . Watch the video and wander around the buildings that have been restored ... The whole experience was fantastic and a really good price to get in

Nick H — Google review

If you want an authentic historical visit that demonstrates the hard work of volunteers to retain some important history this is it! The film to get you going was particularly good. Self produced by the Cornish enthusiasts with no trappings of modern tech, dubbing or air brushing! Authentic Cornwall!

Richard C — Google review

Top notch hidden gem. The people that run it are so nice & supremely knowledgeable. Well worth a trip.

Paul R — Google review

Dog friendly, lots to see and tasty cheese for sale too! We had a rainy day and looked for dog friendly attractions we could go to. This popped up so along we went. From the friendly greeting at the entrance, to the cinema, the exhibits and the NAAFI we had a great time. Spent a lot longer here than we thought we would and all really enjoyed it!

Rachel S — Google review

An amazing collection of military and war related artefacts from uniforms and weapons to vehicles and aircraft! Add to that the history of RAF Davidstow and St Mawgan and you can easily spend half a day here and still feel like you could come back ans discover new things.

Stephen G — Google review

What a fantastic little find. Stumbled on it by accident but so glad we did. What a load of interesting items there and well worth a walk around. The staff were so lovely, all volunteers, and it was a pleasure to talk to them. We will definately revisit when back in the area, and take more time to walk around. All thanks to one man's dreams along with his wife. Well done for keeping our history alive.

Carol F — Google review

A great place to visit whether rain or sun. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Self service NAAFI, make sure you have change for this (although you can get some at the shop).

Mark C — Google review

An amazing collection!I've been to alot of collections and museums related to military and airfield ect and this is right up there with the best of them for its size. The variety within the collection and the way its displayed is amazing certainly worth a trip!

Aaron — Google review

We went took a wrong turn and ended up here instead. What can I say apart from brilliant! Greeted with a salute on entry, the staff and volunteers are clearly devoted and from the word go, this place was nothing short of amazing. It’s quirky but the work that’s gone into the museum is clearly a labour of love. We spent two hours here but could’ve have done with another 30 mins. Definitely recommended and we’re going to come back in the summer for the airfield tour with ‘Marlene’!

Fiona S — Google review

Little jem so much to see Steve and staff great people always smiling

Robert H — Google review

What a great museum. Its like a tardis as it doesn't look as big as it is from the outside. You're greeted by the jolly volunteers who obviously love 'working' there. They are quite happy to chat and explain things to you if you ask. You get a map with easy to follow pictures and numbers and there are arrows to follow on the floor. There is a lot of stuff in there and some of it is things that you don't see in other museums. We enjoyed our time there and would recommend visiting if you are in the area. It's also a good price too. Thanku 😊

Kelly M — Google review

Working with Veterans to better their transition back into civi street. In these stunning surroundings of Cornwall

Darren E — Google review

Fantastic, probably one of the best military museums we have been to. Air raid shelter and WW1 trench the highlights. Staff very friendly and knowledgeable. We spent about 4 hours here. Price is very fair for entry compared to others.

Kfelgate87 — Google review

What a little gem! Was amazed at the amount of war memorabilia that had been collected over the years. A lot of information for you to peruse, you could easily spend a couple of hours here.The dedication from the people that rebuilt the site to the volunteers that support this place. A wonderful, friendly welcome greeted us at the main entrance too! Very dog friendly.place. A wonderful welcome at the gate.

K M — Google review

I always pay a visit to Davidstow Airfield and museum, each time my wife and i come to Cornwall. My be because I'm ex military. Great museum, it has all things military, RAF, NAVY AND Army. The museum consists of lots of huts with different themes and stories to tell, hut one is the cinema were you can begin your tour, seeing how it was all put together. There is ample parking and all wheelchair accessible along with toilets. We paid £6 each which i think is a good price, all help pays for the museum's upkeep. I thing its a great place and give Davidstow Airfield and the people that made it all possible 5 stars. I recommend you give the museum a visit.Davidstow Airfield revisited june 2024. Still an enjoyable visit as a Ex military, found a few changes, all good, never get tired visiting and chatting with the friendly staff and volunteers. Still give it 5.

Terry M — Google review

Wow what an excellent experience. A salute on arrival and enthusiastic staff. The false initial impression is of a series of ramshackle ex military huts. BUT on entry into the huts it's a sight to behold! An abundance of individual displays of military equipment, photos, period uniforms and clothes displayed on mannequins.It's like looking into the past. 20 odd different displays to the highest standard. It's not about the battles, it's about the people their articles of daily life from some weapons, radios and air sea rescue. Even life at home right down to the kitchen sink and ladies doing the washing and there's one lass smoking beside an old petrol pump.Well worth a visit. Modest charges, ample parking and a self service coffee shop. The staff are great and you're saluted again on exit.

Mike R — Google review

Defiantly recommend really reasonably priced and the staff are lovely and really put their heart into it. Tea and coffee is available with a honesty box. Little play area for the kids. Nothing like the big museums where it is all about the money the staff really care for this place and it shows

Nicky J — Google review

What a fantastic collection of wartime history. Very warm welcome on arrival by the owner and his volunteers, even a salute!2 hours at least suggested, we could have spent 4 easily (we arrived later in the afternoon) The work to construct this exhibition is excellently filmed, videos of separate exhibitions are also well displayed. Amazed at the scale of small and large items, all Services are represented. The 'Naffi' is great. Well worth the visit.

Daniel D — Google review

Well worth a visit and good price for entry. The museum has done a good job at taking you back to a time where a generation pulls together

David J — Google review

Great exhibits very friendly and welcoming staff. Most of the site is wheelchair accessible albeit a little difficult at times as some of the floor is uneven. Even with this we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and really loved all the exhibits.

Becky W — Google review

This wonderful museum is run by volunteers, and it shows! Everyone we interacted with was welcoming and enthusiastic. The collection is eclectic and it’s not as ‘polished’ as other museums might be, but my son was fascinated by the things on display, we had a great afternoon looking around and learnt a lot. A real gem of a place.

Carolyn T — Google review

If you’re visiting Cornwall and half interested in history, or with a family and looking for something to do for 90 minutes, this is a great spot.I drove 1 hr to get here and it was worth it

Rian L — Google review

4.8

(1151)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (34)

5.0

(1408)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (35)

Nottles Park, Davidstow, Camelford PL32 9YF, United Kingdom

+44 7799 194918

7

Polperro

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Mentioned on

+47 other lists

Sights & Landmarks

Scenic Walking Areas

Nestled along the captivating south Cornish coastline, Polperro is a charming fishing village with a rich history as a smugglers' haunt. Its narrow streets wind through the hillside, adorned with picturesque white-washed fishermans cottages that have inspired artists and poets. The shimmering turquoise waters and historic harbor attract artisans who showcase their creations in galleries and studios. Visitors can explore secret beaches, enjoy spectacular coastal views, or embark on fishing trips around the bay.

4.5

(1104)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (41)

Looe, UK

8

Clovelly

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Mentioned on

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Visitor Centers

Clovelly, located in Devon, England, is a charming privately owned harbour village that has been managed by the Hamlyn family since 1738. The village features steep cobbled streets leading down to a picturesque harbor and is known for its historical buildings. Visitors are required to pay an admission fee, which contributes to the preservation of the area. The village offers unique attractions such as Quince Honey Farm and Tunnel Beach, as well as outdoor activities including mountain biking and surfing lessons.

3.5

(2921)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (47)

Bideford, UK

9

The Milky Way Adventure Park

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (48)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (49)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (50)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (51)

Mentioned on

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Theme park

Water & Amusement Parks

This amusement park has attractions for toddlers and young children, such as a rollercoaster and railway, as well as an indoor play area. There are also attractions for older kids and adults, like a rollercoaster and dodgems. The theme park has falconry displays, exhibits about memorabilia and games for children up to 6 years old. There are two restaurants on-site: the Star Light Restaurant and the Galactic Cafe.

An unexpected gem!We all really enjoyed our day at The Milky Way Adventure Park. We had two younger children (7 and 6 years) as well as our older niece and nephew (15 and 13 years). All of them had a fantastic time. Special mentions for David the falconer. The bird shows were really good. He has a brilliant demeanour, funny and engaging whilst being really informative. His birds are incredibly impressive in flight!The dodgems were a lot of fun. Ninja stars also brilliant for all ages and very tiring!Some of the activities incur small costs such as the penalty shootout, but this was well worth it in our view.Everything is provided with a smile and the staff were very helpful and encouraging with our younger children.I'll be honest, before arriving I expected things to be a bit cheap and cheerful. It was absolutely the opposite. Great value and lots of fun, for us adults too!

Mark H — Google review

We have been here loads of time over the years and always have a great time.A great easy going fun day out for the family. All the rides entertainment is included in the admission price - entry is reasonable for a full day of activities.Food and drink are well priced, but always best to bring your own and enjoy out on greens.Staff are friendly and relaxed..definitely recommend this for a family day out.

Mass B — Google review

First time on holiday with the kids to Cornwall and saw this was close by so checked it out. To say it was a brilliant experience is an understatement. Staff are really helpful and friendly, plenty of stuff to do for both kids AND adults which can be rare. It's been the highlight of our weekend and we cannot wait to come again next year to visit!!

Charlotte H — Google review

A nice day out for the whole family, spread out over a good size area so there were shorter waits and lots of space to move around. Nice Starwars exhibition of memorabilia. Nina stars course is like ninja kids so little ones liked that, a couple of rollercoasters for bigger ones and lots of other things like pottery painting and target shooting. Would recommend!

Daniel F — Google review

Amazing, our second visit and will remain on our holiday itinerary for as many years as we continue to holiday in Devon. Merlin's Got Talent and the Bird Display were fantastic. All the staff are so nice and helpful. So much to do, must remember to get there at opening time as there's so much to do, we stayed until closing and didn't even make it around the whole place! A very happy 1 and 10 year old (plus a 34, 42 and 62 year old!). Thanks again guys, always a pleasure!

Gemma B — Google review

So glad we found this place. Its a small theme park but it had a lot to offer. A couple of small rollercoasters, a maze, indoor play area, a place to paint ceramics, birds of prey show, a space raider ride, a big slide and a mini ninja stars obstical course which I loved as well as my nieces. If you are in the area, I recommend paying it a visit and expect to stay all day as there is a lot to keep the kids occupied.

Clare B — Google review

It was ok I lot better for younger kids . They wasn’t much there . Bummer cars ,slide , caterpillar ride . A small roller coaster. The best bit was the Star Wars collection that was in there that a man had lent them it was a huge amount of memorabilia . Take a pack up with you. There’s benches outside. They had a little maze too . For young kids it would be a good day out

Carla R — Google review

Small family friendly theme park. Good parking little old fashioned and rides more for smaller children but great fun and nice to walk around. Thoroughly enjoyed the bird of prey show (not normally my thing) the guide/bird trainer was funny, interesting and a good showman !

Carole D — Google review

What an absolute treat for toddlers! We came on a weekday so it was fairly quiet but it was awesome. Age appropriate rides and slides and shows all really good. Amazing customer service, all of the staff were friendly and helpful from the moment we arrived (excellent explanation of where everything was and how the park operated) and helpful staff on all the activities. Highly recommended for toddlers and we will come back.

Andrew G — Google review

Fantastic, fun day out. Staff were very friendly, parking was easy, no hassle entering (booked online) rides were fun, the maze was entertaining, loads to do for all ages, the falconry show was amazing very interesting. Overall an amazing day out for the family and a good price.

Andy T — Google review

Visited today with daughter, son in law and 5 grandchildren. Great day had by all. A little bit of something for everyone. Lovely staff and very good food available at reasonable prices.

Lesley P — Google review

An interesting adventure park dating from 1983. Well kept and clean. Helpful, friendly staff. Includes several indoor play areas, entertainment halls, dodgems, later shot ride, Dr Who & Star Wars displays, small guage railway, outside maze, small roller coasters, external slides, bird of prey centre, cafes, gift shop etc. (too many to list). Plenty to do but with limited opening hours (10am-4pm, when we visited) it's best to plan your visit so you don't miss out on the things that matter most to you. Enjoy.

Al J — Google review

Fantastic little park with lots to do. Great family day out and it wasn't packed for our visit allowing us to go on the rides as much as we want 😁. The park was very clean and tidy and the staff were incredible! We watched two birds of prey shows, again the man doing this was so fun and funny. Couldn't have wished for a better place to visit on this holiday and only a 5 min drive from our holiday park. I would highly recommend a visit if you are staying local.

Kirk B — Google review

Second time visiting this little gem. It's reasonably priced as it's not the biggest or best theme park but it's excellent for young kids. I would say between the ages of 4 and 11. Lots to do, easily filling 5 hours. My favourite is the bird display, the chap is excellent and is really passionate about what he does.

4front L — Google review

I have been visiting the area on and off my whole life but this is the first time I've made it to The Milky Way Adventure Park. It didn't disappoint and the whole family had an awesome day today. We arrived to a smily face behind reception who had the perfect level of enthusiasm which set a wonderful tone for the rest of the day. The shows were extremely entertaining and educational. There were plenty of jokes to keep both children and adults engaged. The indoor play zone, the donut slides, the rides, the hedge maze, the dodgems and the falconry centre. That's not even all of it, that's just everything we managed to fit into our day. Every member of staff we dealt with was polite, professional and all seemed to genuinely be happy to be there. I honestly cannot rate the day highly enough. I wish we lived closer so we could visit again soon to do everything we missed and re-do all the best bits of the day. Keep up the great work. The whole team is doing an amazing job 🥰

Katherine O — Google review

So - it’s the Easter Holidays and it hasn’t stopped raining the whole time. You have 3 grandchildren aged 9, 3 and 18 months, what do you do? Visit Milky Way 3 times where they are all completely entertained for the whole day, even then they don’t want to leave. With re admission tickets giving you 50% off (as many times as you like, until 2025) it’s a no brainer! Wonderful park, which is spotless, great rides, lovely staff, birds of prey centre (fascinating shows - indoors in the wet) it’s the best place to be.

Colin S — Google review

This was such a good day out for a family with mixed ages. We initially thought it would be aimed at younger kids but there was plenty of fun for older ones and adults, especially if you include the wake park which is walking distance. We especially loved the roller coaster, hell slide and dodgems. Everything was old school in just the right way. Plus the staff were all amazing - friendly, fun and switched on.

Ryan B — Google review

We've been here twice over the last 6 or 7 years. It's a great little place. Staff are fantastic and very helpful and friendly. There's a new space ride where you shoot lasers at targets which was fun and a new ninja play area.It was ok for our 10 year old but she ran out of stuff to do as there's only 2 small roller coasters and the dodgems to ride on.My son who is star wars mad loved the star wars memorabilia.

Ryan C — Google review

Highly recommend The Milky Way for a fantastic day out. We came today and the weather was typical for British Easter holidays. This being our first visit I wasn’t sure what to expect but we stayed over 6 hours with a 1 & 4 year old as so much to see and do.Absolute highlight was the bird and science shows. Kept both girls mesmerised and us grown ups!Love the fact they had separate areas for under 5s so the girls could run and play without us having to worry every few minutes that a big kid might knock them over by accident (happened often in other places)Food was so reasonably priced for a place like this and delicious too boot.All the Staff are so helpful and friendly. Easter bunny experience was delightful and the workers so patient with our shy one.If you haven’t been, honestly you’re missing out on the best day ever! We are definitely going back soon.

Verity C — Google review

We took our Four year old and nearly two year old here for a day out whilst away in Devon.On a week day.(We also used a discount code when booking online)The weather wasn’t very promising so decided to visit here as there was a large selection of indoor activities for the kids.We were not disappointed. We had a lovely family day out.There were plenty of parking spaces when you arrive although the car park was a bit bumpy for the buggy.As you walk into the entrance the lady’s on the desk are very helpful and tell you what’s where and give you a park map and explain how everything works. Very helpful.We went on every ride except the large rollercoaster due to the height restrictions for the kids.There is plenty to do, the kids loved the dodgems which we thought was brilliant as they do child sessions where there is no bumping allowed. The falconry display was brilliant.The indoor soft play areas were a firm favourite with the kids and the enclosed younger section of soft play is ideal for parents who fancy a coffee.The park was very clean and tidy and the staff were very helpful and friendly.A great day out for those with younger kids.

Simon L — Google review

The kids absolutely loved it. I have to say this is one of the best value adventure parks I've been too and we were only here for half the day. Granted we came here off-season which I'm sure makes a big difference to how busy it is. Food options were also reasonably priced.

Mark D — Google review

All staff were incredibly polite and helpful. Great day out. My son and I loved the Star Wars exhibit. The bird of prey show was amazing and the gentleman was passionate and dedicated. The magician/merlin show was also amazing. Lots to do and very committed workforce that creates a relaxed and lovely experience. Very good for rainy days as most inside.

Richard B — Google review

It's a family friendly adventure park. It would be difficult to hold teenage attention for more than a few hours but for half a day there's probably enough.It was generally tidy and clean though some of the rides could do with a lick of paint.The staff were all friendly.The birds of prey show was great and absolutely the main attraction for me. Very informative. Hopefully you'll not have a northerly wind!Access was simple, parking seemed plenty (though we did come out of school holiday time - no school aged children with us).The Dodgems were good fun 😊.

James T — Google review

As a family we love visiting the Milky Way. There is so much to do indoors and outdoors, its fantastic value for money. Its clean, its not filled with loads of extra stuff to buy and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable.We particularly enjoy the shows, something different every time.

Lisa M — Google review

Great fun for all ages, kids loved the rollercoasters and rode multiple times! Blast quest was super fun as well as the massive slide with the donuts. They really enjoyed ninja stars and the soft play area. Great fun for adults too who can join in many of the activities! The whole area was clean with plenty of parking space in the car park. Staff were friendly and happy to help.Would definitely recommend 👌

Amy S — Google review

We’re regular visitors. Our kids 9 and 7 LOVE it and never get bored. Great as a rainy day option but equally as good on a sunny day as there’s great outside activities too.We LOVE Merlin, he does fantastic shows throughout the day - funny, engaged with the audience and even educational (just don’t tell the kids!). He’s also so friendly and kind, a real asset to the place.Dave does the bird show, when outside it’s incredible to see Eddie the Eagle, Bones the vulture and some of his other birds soaring around. It is just as brilliant inside as the birds swoop so close to your head!In addition to all of this there’s 2 soft play areas (little stars for under 6 but by no means small area. It’s amazing my kids would still go there if I let them!), ninja warrior course, indoor laser shooting rollercoaster, 2 outdoor rollercoasters, small train ride, dodgems, Star Wars ‘museum’, bouncing pillows, outdoor doughnut ride, paint a pot, laser rifle shooting, good cafe at reasonable prices, bird of prey area and probably lots more.Well worth a visit. You’d easily spend all day there, the shows are definitely worth watching so factor that in too.

Lisa N — Google review

The Milky Way Adventure Park is absolutely fantastic! Our two boys, aged 6 and 10, enjoyed all the rides and attractions, the food and drinks on offer are great, the place is well maintained, clean, the staff are super helpful and friendly and everything was perfect! Credit goes to David for the indoor and outdoor bird of prey shows, and Merlin for the Magic and Science shows! A great day all round and would highly recommend!

Chris C — Google review

Really enjoyed the baby story time here. Reasonable price for what you get :)Also the baby sensory play room - it was enjoyed by all of us

Denise T — Google review

Came here as a kid and now taking my own. It was great and as much fun for my kids as I remember when I was their age. There is something for all ages. Biggest jumping pillow we've ever seen. The staff are super friendly and great fun. Will definitely be back again!

MisterMyke ( — Google review

Nice day out, lots to do and see, and great fun for adults too 😀. The staff were superb The young lady at the reception desk, the gentle dude operating Ninja Warrior Course and all staff on interaction were very helpful👏 Will be coming again very soon.Don't be expecting Milky Ways and Chocolate Fountains everywhere 😋 unfortunately I did.

Samuel P — Google review

What started as a "something to fill a morning" ended up as one of the most fun days of our holiday so far. I can't recommend The Milky Way enough to any family looking for a fun day in north devon! From the staff at the check in desk right through to all the ride staff, everyone was welcoming and happy. Our kids (12 and 8) loved the rides and shows (Merlin was brilliant) and our whole family was amazed by David's bird shows! Both David and Merlin obviously love their jobs and this shines through! After watching the short video about the history of the park and how Trevor still pitches in I was still shocked to see him mowing the falconry pitch and was even more shocked when he stopped to advise us of where the best seats in the outdoor arena are. Overall we had a brilliant day at the park and will recommend it to anyone who will listen!

Joel E — Google review

It was really enjoyable. It was a very good day out with children nice and clean place, free car parking fun for everyone... inside and outside , Milky Way train ride , Star Wars, Soft Play, sand pit, shooting, football,painting, etc... if you are DevonDon't forget to try farmer Tom's dairy ice cream 😋 ...

J R — Google review

Absolutely a firm family favourite for us. The reason for our weeks stay in Bideford. We visited in term time to keep costs low and expected the park to be run by a skeleton staff with rides open on rotation, but no! Everything was open with a 30 minute lunch rotating between the rides! We had so much fun! No queues, loads of rides on everything :o)The park was immaculately clean everywhere. Staff were super friendly and engaging, all clearly enjoyed working at the park which is really nice to see.The daily shows were brilliant. Our favourite being the outdoor falconry display which was excellent, informative and amazing to watch, even entertaining the smallest of visitors.If you haven't visited with your children you are missing out!If we lived anywhere nearby we would be annual members and there all the time.

Michelle W — Google review

Great place with so much to do for children and adults. We were a group of 6.7yrs to 65yrs and everyone had a great day.The science show and birds of pray showers were amazing. Food was a good price. Definitely worth every penny .we spent the whole day there. Lots to do inside and out so great in all weathers. Highly recommended 👌

Carrie — Google review

Having visited today, the entire family had a fabulous day. Very clean facilities, very reasonable pricing on food and drinks, and above all amenities, the staff and their attitudes where so pleasant.The bird show for me personally was a highlight today. All in all a wonderful day spent at the Milky Way :) even the weather held out for us today luckily.I visited little stars with my 4month old 2 months ago which was just as pleasant.Thank you 😊

Joanne O — Google review

Been here a couple of times over the years. On first impressions, you think it's a bit small, but there is so much to do! We easily spent six hours there, and both my granddaughters were fully entertained (and they both have very different tastes)The shows are spot, and the guys who do the entertaining are fun and very informative. The bird of prey show is something else! and the chap who does it exudes enthusiasm and imparts so much information about a subject he's clearly very passionate about.Money well spent and allow for a full day.

Paul H — Google review

4.6

(2831)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (52)

4.5

(2953)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (53)

Bideford, EX39 5RY, United Kingdom

+44 1237 431255

10

Dingles Fairground Museum

Mentioned on

2 lists

Museum

Cafe

Charity

Gift shop

Dingles Fairground Museum is a unique attraction that offers a blend of traditional fairground rides and a museum showcasing old vehicles, caravans, and steam organs. The fairground section features classic rides like bumper cars, ghost tunnel, and carousel rides which can be accessed by purchasing tokens. Additionally, visitors can enjoy various penny machines including one arm bandits and other gambling games. The museum area contains interesting displays with information boards but may feel somewhat empty.

Fantastic place to visit for the whole family and all ages. Adults can ride with children on fairground rides from the bygone era. Complete with museum, gift shop and cafe. Buy your ticket once and come back as often as you like for a year!! Great value

Cheryl S — Google review

Wow this is a very special place to visit. The whole atmosphere was just brilliant. We looked at everything and then we tried a few of the vintage rides. Both enjoyed it immensely. Great way to spend a few hours and it's all undercover. Made my holiday thank you.

Lorraine S — Google review

Lovely,some amazing old fairground rides had a really great time,well worth a visit 😀

Nobby K — Google review

Five stars - would be six! It's that good. Antique rides, some fairly uncomfortable by modern standards; hang on! And a good if quick ghost train. Helpful staff, especially young woman who did coffee and ghost train, wish I could thank her personally. Door staff sorted sorted my ticket chaos out patiently. Some wonderful showman's caravans.

Stephen S — Google review

One of the best places to visit. Unfortunately it's closing soon. So be quick. You can buy tokens for the rides when you first go in,but there's machines dotted around inside that you can buy more from with your card.Friendly happy staff. A good food area. It's all clean.Lots of old fairground memories too.Plenty for children to do.A massive deckchair outside for the obligatory photo.Please visit if you. The tipping point machines take 2 p coins. There are change machines inside too.Sad to see this amazing place close. We've made a lot of happy memories here.Thank you to all the staff over the years.

Fiona T — Google review

This morning we visited Dingles, what a wonderful hidden gem. Amazing to see all of the fairground rides working, all of the team were friendly, helpful and went above and beyond to assist and ensure my granddaughter was comfortable and happy on the rides.Thank you so much for a wonderful day

Zoe H — Google review

Great family day out. The rides are a lot of fun and they look magnificent. It's a very large collection with some really old items on display. Recommend for all ages.

John G — Google review

This place was great, the age of some of the rides was incredible, lots are nearly 100 years old. We all loved the rides, playing the old arcade games and reading about the funfair history!

Joanna L — Google review

We visited here as a last resort as the weather was supposed to be terrible and there is nothing else to do indoors in the area. We had a great day, we spent 3 hours here and definitely could have spent longer, the fact this is closing is at best confusing and worst devastating. The staff were amazing and so passionate about the rides, the rides themselves were so much fun with people over 80 and under 1 all enjoying them.

Amy B — Google review

Lovely way to spend a few hours. Staff were great. Enjoyed looking round the museum then having a go on all the old rides.

Beth B — Google review

It is a lot more than just a museum, with several working rides and a coin arcade to enjoy. There are clean toilets including a disabled loo. Picnic tables outside too. A good 2 to 4 hours of entertainment and all indoors for those rare Devon rainy days 😜

Movie ( — Google review

Great place. Did the afternoon session to get out of the rain. Got the family saver ticket that included entry for 2 adults 3 children and 20 tickets, 2-3 tokens per person per ride. Very reasonable. Had to buy more to go on all the rides. £5 for 5 tokens using contact less machine. Food van reasonably priced for burgers and chips. Clean toilets. Bring your 2ps! Great selection of machines new and old. Kids and adults both enjoyed. Would recommend for something a bit different

Sophie B — Google review

Dingles fairground museum is a nostalgic wonderland. The atmosphere is phenomenal. The staff are very friendly, and their enthusiasm for their job is plain to see.Visiting the museum feels like stepping back into a 20th century fairground and all the magic that comes with it.It's amazing that you can appreciate the beauty of these rides AND get to ride on them.We enjoyed every second, my two 5yo girls said it was the best day of their lives, and my wife's face ached from smiling.It almost felt bittersweet that the museum's collection will be broken up in August, and the Devon museum shut down, possibly forever.Get down there now while you still can.

G O — Google review

One of the best attractions in Cornwall. I'm so very very very sad it's going to be closing. It's like the end of an era. It's been amazing to go there and actually ride the rides. I'm so happy you've been there and so sad you're closing. I really wish it could be reversed.

Cat G — Google review

Absolutely loved it here! Lots of fun for a 4 year old on her birthday! She had the best day, the adults had so much fun too, the staff are lovely. Would highly recommend.

Helen B — Google review

This is a lovely place to take a wide range of ages. My Dad loved looking at the old vehicles and travelling caravans and steam organs. My oldest two enjoyed the rides and 2p machines and there was plenty for my little niece and nephew to do. I think in honesty you'd want to take little ones to get the most out of it. A huge part of the fun for us was taking the little ones on their first rides.The place works on a tokens system which make a family saver ticket good value.It has lost one star because I'm honesty you could tell it had been "hit by the times" in our most recent visit. Many of the organs were not in operation and there were many staff so waiting for and accessing rides was quite a bit more clunky than before but don't get me wrong the staff worked as hard as Miss Rabbit from Peppa pig! They put people's safety first and tried their hardest to make it a good experience.We did eat there and it was a brilliant traditional funfair feast of burgers, hot dogs and candy floss which made it feel even more like the good old days.Rides are on average 2 tokens per person so they go quickly when you have two hours to kill we needed 60 tokens for four kids and their "responsible adults" to access the rides. Just to try and give people an idea!I would say go because the more people go the better it will get and it would be heart breaking to loose a lovely place like this. It isn't dear and it is fun let's keep it alive!

Amy P — Google review

Very enjoyable visit. It's a shame it's being relocated to the Midlands.

Hayley F — Google review

Really interesting and fun museum. It's a great shame the collection is moving at the end of the season, but at least it's not lost for good. Go while you can!

Mark T — Google review

Really good fun day out for all the family . All the fun of the fair without pissed up youths wanting a fight . Definitely worth a stop and even better with the gift aid enabling you to go back free of charge for the year

Andy P — Google review

We stopped by on our way home and it was such a good idea. The staff are lovely and really seem like they love working there. The museum section was really interesting to see and the rides were great!I do think that the food stand needs to have one more person working on it to take orders so that the line can move a bit quicker, we ended up leaving the line so that we didn't miss out on the rides!Will definitely visit again 😊

Jessica J — Google review

Fabulous attraction for all ages and well worth the entry fee. Being all indoors is a massive bonus.Rides suitable for all ages, beautiful restored and historical pieces in the museum area.The best thing about the place is the atmosphere, which is because of the staff who bring the place to life. They are all extremely welcoming and friendly.

Richard L — Google review

Great fun and lots to see. Unfortunately it will be closing later this year so if you want to ride on the dodgems, all the fun of the fair go before October

Julie . — Google review

Absolutely loved it here will definatly be going again. All staff are so helpful and lovely and the rides are very fun especially moonrocket.

Kat A — Google review

I get around on a mobility scooter and was pleasantly surprised of how much room there was. There was a guy who started of on the speedway. Then on the hook a duck and then on the carousel, he was great on all, he was a big help to me getting on and off the 2 rides I managed to get on, a big thank you to him.

Debbie H — Google review

Out in the middle of the countryside but worth a visit. Basically this museum is in two parts. A fair ground that contains a lot of traditional rides including bumper cars, ghost tunnel, carousel rides, slot games and the like you can pay to use. And a museum which is a bit empty but contains organs, some non functional rides and caravans with info boards. There are also penny machines including one arm bandits and other gambling games that are actually a lot if fun. The downside is it's pretty expensive, most rides costing 3 tokens or 3 quid. That said if you have visited once you get a season to jet that means you don't pay entrance again, so technically it's free to walk around but the rides are charged separately. Also it's open in two sessions, an am and pm, so no chance to plan a whole day if that's your plan. However given this is run mostly by volunteers this is absolutely forgivable. The flip side is it's pretty unique. There are toilets and a place to eat on site. Was nice to experience a blast from my past.

Rik — Google review

Unfortunately closing soon, but a fantastic place to visit. The rides are not only interesting but many are probably more fun than their modern counterparts. The rocket and the dodgems are both musts, but make sure there's plenty of others going on the dodgems at the same time...

Adrian H — Google review

4.6

(1202)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (54)

4.5

(832)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (55)

Milford, Lifton, PL16 0AT, United Kingdom

+44 1566 783425

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11

Plymouth Hoe Holiday Apartments

Mentioned on

1 list

Indoor lodging

Sights & Landmarks

Points of Interest & Landmarks

The Plymouth Hoe Holiday Apartments are a luxurious self catering holiday accommodation in the heart of Plymouth. The property overlooks the Royal William Marina and is dog friendly.

Self catering holiday apartment, dog friendly and in a great position next to the Hoe and Barbican.

Alan M — Google review

I accidentally called this number looking for a different company of the same name. The woman who answered was abusive and extremely rude towards me and my company - she has never met or spoken to me before and knows nothing of my business but felt she was in a position to criticise me personally and professionally. I wouldn't stay here and would advise others to avoid it as well if this is the way she feels is reasonable to speak to entire strangers.

Gilly S — Google review

noted in the Theatre Royals dig's list as 'Highly reccommended'

Wafer G — Google review

A lovely clean well looked after apartment.

Susan G — Google review

3.7

(3)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (63)

4.5

(3483)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (64)

229 Citadel Rd E, Plymouth, PL1 2NG, United Kingdom

+44 1752 417728

12

The Barbican Kitchen

Mentioned on

+17 other lists

$$$$affordable

Brasserie

English restaurant

Restaurant

Neighborhoods

The Barbican Kitchen is a classic, internationally influenced brasserie in a famous distillery. It offers fresh fish and chips as well as other British seaside town staples like pies and pasties. The area around the restaurant has been restored after the Blitz bombings, so it's charming and cosy with great views of the marina.

A real gem in the South-West!We have visited Barbican Kitchen 3-4 times now, on our visit to see family in Plymouth, from London. We always make a point to have a date night here. It is our most favourite place to eat, even amongst the Michelin-starred restaurants we have been to. We just love the cosy, unstuffy, relaxed atmosphere of this restaurant. The ingredients are always the best quality, seasonal and fresh- this is reflected on the pleasantly ever-changing menu.We love trying different plates and love the recommendations from the staff. The prices for plates are more than fair - they reflect the quality of the cooking, the ingredients and the service. We know that if this were in London, we'd likely pay more than double our bill for the same food!The variety of options are truly exciting. Portion sizes are just perfect, if not generous. There is something for everybody and every 'food-mood' you are in. My partner has thoroughly enjoyed their beef burgers and loves their grilled steak options!I have a personal affinity for the 'catch of the day' and the other fish dishes on offer. I also often find myself dreaming about my next encounter with their sticky toffee pudding...A special mention must be made for the staff that work here (won't name names for privacy reasons). Attentive, not intrusive or pressurising and incredibly welcoming. Always vigilant of when we need a top-up of water!We love how friendly, polite and genuinely informative the staff are here. They go over and beyond to make sure that you are well looked after. They are the real gems of this place along with the exquisite food; just seriously lovely people that you want to see again.Well done, Tanner Brothers!See you soon!

R S — Google review

Great food and the truffle mayo and parmesan fries were the best ever!! Staff friendly and professional. Only down side was the mashed potato hubby had, was on the cold side of aired - admittedly they replaced it straight away with an individual bowl of the same, unfortunately this too was aired at best. That being said hubby was happy with rest of the meal, with the steak cooked perfectly.

Hilary F — Google review

Not a cheap place by a long shot. But you get what you pay for, we'll worth it. Food was amazing. Service spot on.Would definitely go again for next special occasion.

Jem J — Google review

Had been before, enjoyed, come back again and enjoyed. Very reasonable menu, reasonably priced, well prepared and presented. Not mind blowing, but bank busting either. Pleasant ambiance and friendly service. Enjoyed the evening, would recommend and will be back.

Richard C — Google review

Went here for a meal prior to a night out. 7 of us enjoyed fabulous food. And great service.The food was divine.Thank you for your service. We will be back soon!

Philip P — Google review

We chose this place at random. Excellent decision! Lovely friendly staff and a good atmosphere. Good choice on the menu too.I had the ox cheek which was delicious and almost melted in my mouth. My husband had the hake which he thoroughly enjoyed. We treated ourselves to pudding, I had chocolate fondant and Simon had the cheeseboard.Overall a great experience and if we were to visit Plymouth again we would definitely eat here.

Rebecca A — Google review

Exquisite meal here last night, which also happened to be my first visit at The Barbican Kitchen.It is on the pricier side, however the quality of the food is amazing and very well presented which makes it worth it.I’d recommend the caramelised onion and goats cheese tart and butternut squash risotto…. both were divine.The truffle and parmesan fries are also a MUST - they’re the best I’ve had!Service was friendly and attentive, and the restaurant itself was cosy and inviting.Highly recommend if you’re looking for somewhere just that little bit more special.

Megan G — Google review

31 May 2023The Barbican Kitchen is located in the same building as Plymouth Gin Distillery, and has been one of our favourite since we've studied 14 years ago. It's owned by Tanner brothers whom used to have an amazing Michelin star restaurant (sadly closed down) nearby.It was a natural choice for us to dine here on our last night in Plymouth, and it really did not disappoint! I had pressed plum tomato terrine and seared wild sea bass and hubs had chicken liver parfait and slow cooked Westcountry lamb shoulder... all of which the ingredients were so tasty and didn't need much sauce. Tomato were bursting with flavour, sea bass and lamb were really really nicely done.

Minako I — Google review

Excellent food. The cod was particularly good. Good wine though the mark up is becoming more and more painful wherever you go. Good service not at all intrusive, staff let us get on and enjoy the evening. Restaurants seem to be much quieter in evenings.

Stephen D — Google review

This is independent post, but I’m my self I’m a high end restaurant director.Quote:I recently had the pleasure of dining at a restaurant that provided an exceptional experience from start to finish, even though I was dining alone. The maître d’, who was incredibly kind, courteous, and attentive, truly set the stage for a memorable evening. From the moment I arrived, his warm and professional demeanor made me feel welcome and comfortable, ensuring I never felt out of place.The quality of the food was outstanding. Every dish I ordered was prepared to perfection, with impeccable presentation and exquisite flavors that delighted my taste buds. The timing of the courses was spot on, ensuring that I enjoyed each dish at its best without feeling rushed or having to wait too long.The cleanliness of the restaurant was also impeccable. The dining area was spotless, and the attention to detail in maintaining a pristine environment was evident. This level of cleanliness, combined with the elegant decor, created a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.What truly stood out was the maître d’s dedication to ensuring that every aspect of my dining experience was flawless. His attentiveness and genuine care for my satisfaction were unparalleled, making me feel like a valued guest despite dining alone.In summary, this restaurant exceeded all my expectations. The exceptional service, high-quality food, and immaculate cleanliness make it a standout choice for anyone seeking a top-notch dining experience. I highly recommend it and will definitely be returning.

Navid A — Google review

Just had a really lovely dinner here. Whilst the menu didn’t look too inspiring, the quality and presentation of everything we had was superb. The service was excellent - friendly, knowledgeable and without any rushing. Would definitely recommend and will come back.

Richard S — Google review

Barbican Kitchen is one of the great restaurants in Plymouth that we do not hesitate to send our guests to, it has great food served in a great atmosphere. Definately worth a visit on your next trip to Plymouth! : )

The H — Google review

Sharing some photos of a memorable meal at the Barbican Kitchen. There was a relaxed informal atmosphere, excellent food and friendly, efficient service. I was pleased to see that the menu has a varied list of vegan choices as well as vegetarian and meat-containing options. Good to see that there is a set menu as well as à la carte options.July 2023: another excellent meal with good atmosphere and excellent service. Please see the photos of hummus, sweetcorn risotto, ribeye steak and chocolate mousse.

Andrew M — Google review

Great food. Duck egg starter was absolutely excellent and pork belly main also. Attentive, but not pressured service. Price reasonable as well for quality. All round recommend.

Ian B — Google review

Food was very tasty however prices were on the high side. There was a good range of dishes on the menu, however service was a little slow and the waitress wasn’t the most welcoming. Probably would visit again but for the food only. It is however in a pretty location and decor is nice.

Tobias — Google review

3 of us had the spider crab as a starter.Fabulous!All mains were good too.Service was excellent.Consistently good. And a firm favourite.

Jan T — Google review

Wonderful restaurant, nice and relaxed atmosphere. Service was great, staff were attentive, very friendly and professional. Food was delicious, good value for money and generous portions!

Leah B — Google review

Amazing food, service and setting. Tucked away. Its a real gem. It has a lift as well.

Matt C — Google review

A great place in a lively part of town. Offering a great selection of food, generous portions and all perfectly cooked.We had squid and parfait to start, squid was delicious and tender. We were lucky to have the Chateaubriand, there was just one available (worth calling ahead)Definitely recommend booking ahead.

Mass B — Google review

4.6

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4.5

(1740)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (67)

Black Friars Distillery, 60 Southside St, Plymouth PL1 2LQ, United Kingdom

+44 1752 604448

13

National Marine Aquarium

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Aquarium

Nature & Parks

The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth is a popular tourist attraction with a waterfront location. It features many enormous tanks and aquariums, as well as the cafe offering panoramic harbour views.

We had a great time in here, plenty to see, do and read about. Lots of seating areas to just relax and sit and watch the fish. Ramps and lifts for disabled access / prams. There is a cafe for refreshments. At various times throughout the day you can watch talks about different creatures. Very enjoyable, entertaining and good for learning about the environment. Must prebook to go in, can’t just walk up and go in.

Claire D — Google review

National marine aquarium is great for a few hours. Well set out and a lot of exhibits for children and adults. For some reason I was allowed to convert a normal ticket to a years ticket for free. A nice surprise. You won’t find anything else quite like this in the UK if you are into sea creatures

Geoff — Google review

We had a delightful visit today. The staff was pleasant and attentive. The aquariums were alive and teeming with underwater wonders.The entire place was impeccably clean, and it was evident that the animals were well taken care of with dedication and love. This added to the overall experience of observing the thriving and healthy creatures in the aquariums. The larger exhibits were incredibly fascinating, captivating us for extended periods as we constantly discovered new things. While the price may be a bit high, the fact that it's valid for an entire year makes it well worth it, especially if you live within driving distance.

Daniel A — Google review

surprised my partner with a diving experience for their birthday, something neither of us had ever done, as well as our first time visit to Plymouth. It was so surreal being in the water with all the different animals, especially Friday the turtle.it’s amazing what the staff of this aquarium are doing not only for their creatures, but for the area of Plymouth and the world.We would like to thank all the staff of NMA, more noticeably Chris, our host, who made our experience 10/10. He was such a character, and knew so much about each of the different animals, especially the rays which are our personal favourites. he took many photos which added to being able to reflect on our experience, giving us both great memories.We enjoyed many laps around the aquarium seeing everything it had to offer. I would recommend this experience to anyone, was definitely worth the 5+ hour drive.

Shannon W — Google review

Had a great time here. Quite busy, 12-3 on a Saturday. Very good wheelchair access.Spent ages just watching the huge tanks, better than TV! Staff all very helpful.

Sharon H — Google review

Was really good, went here for my girlfriend's birthday and we both loved it and will be back. Highlight is definitely the massive tank, where you get three or four views into it, including a massive, floor to ceiling, curved window that allows you to see the whole thing. On top of that, you also get free return within a year when you visit, all in all super impressed!

Matt B — Google review

I've made the online booking, and it was easy to enter the building. The staffs were really helpful. I have opted for the morning 10 to 11 slot, which was less crowded. Aquarium is good and well maintained. However, I felt like 25£ per adult is too much, but kids or toddlers would definitely enjoy this place.

Akash S — Google review

Been waiting to visit The Aquarium for some time. Finally got to go with my daughter & throughly enjoyed a couple of hours or so there. Lovely to be able to sit & watch the fish in the larger tanks as well as talking to some of the staff there.

Midnightstar ! — Google review

Really fun place to visit. Great for adults and kids. There were a few areas that could have done with a bit more info. Lots to see and do, even a boat wreck to see with the sharks!Only negative was the cafe, food looked past it’s best, with a very limited menu so we ate elsewhere.

Alison R — Google review

Absolutely amazing experience! The tanks are very well designed and their marine environments perfectly compliment the beautiful fish inside them. The shark tank was great as was the huge 'cinema' tank with seating to relax for awhile and maybe catch a talk or two from the very knowledgeable staff. All the displays have tons of information and the language is accessible to all ages. Definitely recommend a visit. Please beware the café and bar are a bit expensive, so budget that in.

Graeme H — Google review

Fascinatling, especially very big aquarium with sharks and stingrays. So many different species of fish and sea creatures. Had a wonderful few hours. Definitely will go back in a future.

Briga H — Google review

Amazing for the kids. And oldies alike. Amazing collection and very well presented in a modern aquarium. They let you make multiple visits during one year of buying your tickets. Worth every penny

Suḍāka D — Google review

Went in summer holidays so very very busy. Ticket price 25 pounds per adult !! and add parking your car in a very tight car park 8.50. All indoors, cafe and toilets. Had a nice day but would say go in winter months.

Amy H — Google review

Absolutely amazing day out with the family. Would definately reccomend heading over in the afternoon when things are a little quieter (though we did arrive after the talks and feeds!). There was still plenty to see and do in each zone (including fun little activities for all ages!). Highlights include the shark tank (ofc), colour your own sea creature, and our very own little Octopus talk from the fact filled Millie-Jay (ft. Roger the Common Octopus) who answered every question we threw their way and really made the trip that little bit more special.The free return within a year ticket is an absolute must, anytime we are in Plymouth we love to pop in!

Faye S — Google review

Excellent aquarium! Both my 3.5 year old and 3 month old enjoyed the sights. We probably spent about 1.5 hours including a cafe break. Cafe had a good selection of savoury food and cakes etc. and was reasonably priced. Ticket prices include a pass to come back as many times as you like over the next year.

Abi H — Google review

Worth a visit. Loads of information were displayed and my son enjoyed learning more about ocean life. Count on a minimum 2 hour stay. We definitely will use a free return ticket this summer.

Inese — Google review

A wonderful collection of marine nature. We visited in the year it opened 1998, and it was marvellous. Having just visited in 2024 it did not disappoint and is as exciting, educational and enchanting as ever. The staff are all very cheerful, helpful and knowledgeable. We will be back hopefully sooner than 2050!

Fraser B — Google review

We came to see the Beatles by Candlelight and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The string quartet were very talented and entertaining, the atmosphere was wonderful.Having the Eddystone Reef tank as a backdrop was magical. I highly recommend seeing one of these performances. We can't wait to come again

Vickie G — Google review

This surely must be the jewel of Plymouth. What a fantastic place and venue. Most weekend's you'll find the aquarium turns into a concert venue and puts on Candlelight concerts featuring: Vivaldi, Coldplay, Taylor Swift etc. Great staff, food and now offering a ticket deal where you buy one ticket and get access for the whole year.

Marc S — Google review

First visit having seen the documentary. Great use of space and exhibits. Good that there is more than one viewing area as we visited on a weekend and with families it was very busy. Very good information and signage, best take your time viewing as not able to backtrack easily to re-see things you may have missed.

Donna S — Google review

So what do you do when you have guest? Well you go to the Aquarium is what you do. Great location, excellent staff and the fish are well behaved HA! At first you do think it's a little pricey, however the tickets last a year and you can visit again and again.So give it a go, we will again.

Mark D — Google review

Very nice place to go around, BUT it was very expensive, just the two of us . The price was £ 41.00 .but saying that it is worth a day out. The staff are very friendly and helpful. When you get to end, you can sit down in theIn the cafe and something to have a drink and food .

Graham E — Google review

A breathtaking experience and a wealth of knowledge!Myself and my other-half visited the NMA after watching the “Secrets of the Aquarium” BBC series. She is a huge fan of marine wildlife so it was a no-brainer for a belated birthday present!Upon arrival the lovely staff at the gift shop provided us with our annual pass, received after admission, and we were off for what would become 4 laps of the incredible site.With so many informative signs and descriptions of the animals we quickly came to learn a lot of interesting facts about the hundreds of species showcased throughout.Our day was capped off with the main event - the snorkelling experience.Led for another lap of the aquarium by Chris - a seemingly endless fountain of knowledge about each species and environment - we benefitted from some lesser known details and bits of trivia which made us love marine species even more!Once the guided tour was over, Chris brought us to the top of the biggest tank for our snorkelling experience. The pre-booked experience - usually 20 minutes in duration - was very generously extended by 5 minutes by Chris as we got to spend more treasured time face-to-face with the animals.Highlights of which came with meeting one of the stars of the BBC series - Friday the Turtle - as well as a personal bucket list item of mine coming face to face with a shark! I was both awestruck and terrified although the latter was unjustified due to the incredibly safe set up of the experience.Once our time was up and we re-surfaced, Chris informed us he’d taken lots of photos for us to have physical memories of the amazing time spent in the tank.All in all, our visit to the NMA was a true pleasure and we shall endeavour to visit many times more in the future - regardless of our 4-hour commute from our home!Thank you, staff at the NMA - most notably Chris - for the amazing experience and for keeping the site running for everyone to come and get closer to our seas and wildlife!

Haydan D — Google review

Entry price is decent considering you get a 12 month pass to come back £25, this place is brilliant loads to look at the tanks are placed enough apart so you don't have to be pushed around, the big huge tank is beautiful with sharks, sting rays and fish, so much information on how to keep our oceans clean, I highly recommend a visit it was fantastic!

Kay — Google review

A good 2 hour experience and plenty of close up action to large fish, rays, sharks and a cheeky turtle called Friday. Hang around for the interesting talk about sharks - get there at least 15 minutes early for a seat.I honestly thought The Deep at Hull and the Blue Planet Aquarium near Chester were better and the shop here wasn't very good but the kids loved the fish displays and your ticket gives you free entry for a year and all ticket proceeds go to charity.

David W — Google review

Good for all children, big and small! Parking is close by which is not too expensive but not the cheapest. This is not run by the aquarium, so they have no control over it.Lots of great exhibitions showing loads of marine animals from over the world.Extras you can do are private feeding and backstage passes.

Matthew R — Google review

AMAZING!!We done the snorkelling cage experience and it was so so incredible! We had chris showing us around and giving us so much knowledge and information on the animals and took the most incredible pictures of us in the cage and the animals surrounding us. I feel like he went above and beyond and we were so lucky to have him showing us around.Thanks Chris!!

Alice B — Google review

Fantastic day out - staff obviously love their jobs and I can see why.Amazing place to spend time - clearly they are passionate about the Aquarium and the animals they care for...Saw this on Secrets of the Aquarium and was determined to see it for myself... my son and his family along with my sister, her daughter and I had the bestt day out there...Interesting, informative displays, excellent facilities and a perfect chilled put vibe... 👌Perfect

Louise S — Google review

4.4

(5968)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (75)

4.0

(2805)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (76)

Rope Walk, Coxside, Plymouth, PL4 0LF, United Kingdom

+44 300 102 0300

14

River Lyd

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River

Nature & Parks

Waterfalls

The River Lyd has carved a stunning one-mile-long chasm through the rock in Lydford Gorge, located near the picturesque village of Lydford. The gorge is considered to be the deepest in the southwest region and can only be accessed via a 1.5-mile rugged hike along the riverbank, passing several bubbling whirlpools, including the notorious Devil's Cauldron before reaching its thundering waters.

such a beautiful walk! great Sunday activity

Jessie S — Google review

Beautiful, serene, will be back!!

Danny P — Google review

A pleasant enough half day with mixed scenery and some focal points to build in en route. You need to be able to walk freely though.

Rob — Google review

place is pretty cool been here a few times with my mum and sister on holidays

Jacob J — Google review

Nearest thing you will get to being Indiana Jones in Devon, fabulous steeps in to the rock only for the sure footed, in the gorge itself

Adrian P — Google review

Scenes change as you walk through the gorge from peaceful to dramatic.

Irene S — Google review

National trust nice walk

Russell P — Google review

Really beautiful 🤩

Zehra B — Google review

Looks like a place to go to

Nigel T — Google review

4.6

(13)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (82)

4.5

(1143)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (83)

United Kingdom

15

The BIG Sheep

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Theme park

Water & Amusement Parks

The BIG Sheep is a family-friendly amusement park in North Devon that offers rides, an indoor playground, and animals galore.

Always a great day out with so much to see and do for children and adults. The staff are fantastic, helpful and friendly. The animals are beautiful especially the lambs, pigs, goats, puppys ....Tractor ride is a must, ( the driver's jokes are very good).Put a day in your diary; you will love it.

Geoff A — Google review

Lovely day out, went on the last Saturday of half term, thought ticket prices were a little expensive for what's there. But enjoyed feeding lambs and seeing all the different sheep. Soft play was pretty good, limited table space though. There are rides available, but we didn't use them, so I'm unsure if they are an additional cost or not. We paid extra for a pumpkin (£2 - which was reasonable compared to other pumpkin picking places), and the pumpkin activity tent was nice. Its a shame my toddler was more interested in puddle jumping and leaf throwing rather than anything else there 🤦🏼‍♀️🙈. Gift shop has some quite reasonably priced products.

Char — Google review

Really good day out for the family. We went with our 1 year old and they had a fab time getting up close and personal to the animals. Lots of wash stations around for when you have touched or fed the animals.We felt the park need a few more signs at the enterance area to know where everything is especially with a buggy.Staff friendly and entertaining in the shows. The jokes and banter just made the shows even better. Some parts could be more interactive for the younger children but they were short and sweet so you didn't get bored.Gutted the animal safari wasn't open today but apparently they are renovating that area, so it's good to hear they are improving things. On that note some areas need a new lick of paint.Cracking soft play area for kids and adults!! Lots of variation but beware adults that you don't get stuck in the under 3ft area. There aren't many exits and areas are low.Cafe had a range of drinks and cakes. Slightly overpriced good but super tasty hot chocolate.

J W — Google review

Great day out! We went on a Wednesday and had a brilliant time. We'd managed to time it well so that we saw the sheep show, the dog and duck show, and lamb feeding all within a few hours.We had great weather, which certainly helped, but there was plenty to do for a family of 3 (my daughter is 2). The dog and duck show was really good, and the facilities were really clean considering the farm setting. There were rides, a roller coaster, and bouncy-castle-esque pillows for two different age groups.The petting area was by far the best part. Cows, puppies, lambs, sheep, pigs, piglets, goats, and even chickens and ducks are all there to feed. I think we may have struggled to fill the whole day with activities if the weather wasn't as good but still would've been good for a couple of hours.The cafe was cute, the food was good (if a little dear) and the staff were lovely.Highly recommend as a day out and the gift shop cleared my wallet. No regrets.

Sam S — Google review

Lovely day out with the family. The kids absolutely loved it. We visited during our short stay in Devon.The sheep show was entertaining even for the adults.. the kids got to feed the lamb for a few seconds as there were so many children who wanted a go. The train ride which is around 5 mins long is good but the place is a little rundown which was evident on the train ride. Could do with a tidy up. No tractor rides when we visited in feb but the kids enjoyed the soft play indoors. Food ok priced. A bit expensive for what it is. My two month old had to pay £1 which I think it’s not fair as she was asleep in the carrier the whole time. Maybe start charging from 9 months onwards?

Betsabe W — Google review

Was presently surprised by this place! - great value for money, and once in food, drink and even the shop are all reasonably priced!Staff are very helpful... your overwhelmed by sheep at the end of the day though!- dog kennels are provided! - we used them, although they're very basic, they certain do the job, and it's much better than leaving her in a tent/ caravan whilst on holiday! ...... more places should offer this service.

Kyle C — Google review

We went as had a voucher for a percentage off and I'm glad we did as I would have been disappointed paying full price. We walked straight in and then went where we thought the main stage was and where to go after following everyone else. We ended up in a new tots outdoor bit, which was really nice but a bit of a confusing place to find ourselves. It's not very clear where anything is and we thought we was possibly not still on site as we walked past the bottom of the roller coaster and the path was gravel and weeds etc. It's difficult to push the pram up there. We ended up asking a member of staff who was the only one we saw when we was up at the tot area and they mentioned the new maps are not very clear. But we had to go back to where we came through and go between the toilets. There is no signs anywhere to explain this and we stopped several groups of people venturing up to where was was to let them know. Once we got into the pain part of the park it was alright. In the main show area we fed the lambs and watched the ducks get guided by the sheepdog. Chris the staff member was fantastic for both and so was Jess the dog. It was rather quiet when we visited but can imagine it would be difficult to get on anything when it's busy season. The indoor soft play was good, but only a very small area for toddlers. We went on both the train and tractor ride..both not really worth it but the staff were pleasant for both. The train ride goes around the park and you see different nursery ryhme characters but they all need some TLC. The tractor ride you go off up to the fields and back down again but the only animals you really see are the pigs, some donkeys and goats. Feels like again you could do more. It's a shame as it could just do with some small improvements and I would probably go back, but I wouldn't bother unless I had a money of voucher again to be honest.

Suzanne M — Google review

We had a great day here despite the rain! The staff were lovely, helpful and the shows were good fun. My daughter enjoyed the train ride and the well stocked shop! We loved the cheeky goats and feeding the lambs.

Emma D — Google review

Great recommendation by one of the locals to visit the Big Sheep with the family. Awesome if your kids are below 12 years of age and our looking to learn about animals, enjoy the rides, play in the soft play area and have a great day.With 3 kids under 7 years of age, this was a fantastic outing. The sheep pen was fun watching all the different sheep types and their novelties. Followed by the ducks being hustled across gates and into their pond (fun tricks).Plenty of open space, with trampolines and free play outdoor area for the kids. The soft play was neat and clean too - good variety to keep the kids occupied.The Swan boating/paddling was fun too, a must do with the kids. There are some semi-adult rides with the large roller coaster and swings too.Finally the sheep racing was great fun and excitement.A great day out overall, will definitely recommend!!!

Neil D — Google review

Lovely place for children and adults alike. Lots to do including feeding lambs. Sheep jockey racing. Tractor rides and train ride around site. Lots of sheep. Cows and ducks and llamas to look at inside a nice open barn. Plenty of places to eat.

Shirley S — Google review

A brilliant place to visit with a variety of things to do, from animal shows (ducks, sheep), fairground rides and rollercoaster, plenty of things to play on and see. A great soft play for the kids with some giant slides and ball pools etc. The much hyped sheep race at the end of the day is fun if over a bit quick. Overall a great day out with a lot to keep everyone in the family entertained.

Richard W — Google review

Fabulous day out for nanny. mum and 3 grandkids. So much to do and see. Lots if wonderful rides. Animals. We all loved the sheep shearing and the interaction between the staff and guests was warming. Our grandson is so looking forward to next visit.

Zoe G — Google review

Fun family day out - plenty to do and see to keep the kids entertained (7 & 11).The eldest is probably close to being too old for most of the activities - worth bearing in mind if you are planning a visit.4 stars because the indoor play area with the drop slides is the main attractions - there isn’t that many rides and it isn’t always obvious navigating your way round.

Bryn D — Google review

This is a great day out for younger children with the rollercoaster to add a little spice for the grown ups and older ones. Plenty to keep them busy all day long with excellent live animal shows, which were quite funny too. Plenty of picnic tables around the place, so easy if you want to bring your own food. For me the food offer could be better as I'm dairy free but I realise it's hard to cater for everyone's foibles and the decaf coffee was OK and oat milk too.We'll be back with the other set of grandchildren before too long.Great value.

Jerry S — Google review

We had a brilliant time at October half term. We pre-booked using Tesco vouchers and arrived for10am so no queue.The kids loved it all : the rides which they could all go on, the shows which were very entertaining, the indoor play area and the animals.We had six hours of great fun and it wasn't too busy - no queues and loads of well published things to do.A super day out for all the family :)

Daphne P — Google review

Grandkids loved it , they had a blast, especially the sheep and duck herding shows. All of the staff were great everyone was friendly even if they were busy and under pressure.And as grandparents we had a lovely time too.

Kevin J — Google review

See a sheep race with jockeys, feed the goats and sheep with milk, and learn about different breeds of sheep from around the world. Plus calves, piglets, guinea pigs, rabbits, donkeys, and llamas. Very friendly staff. Ride the roller coaster, spin on the chain carousel, or paddle in swan-shaped pedal boats. Fun for the whole family.

Andrzej R — Google review

This was a great day out - thankfully tesco vouchers meant it was free for us. The guy who did the sheep show was brilliant - this was the highlight for us, definitely a good amount of humour for the adults! My kids are 9 and 12 and I was worried they would be a bit old for it, but we loved the Swan boat pedalos and feeding the sheep. We also decided to do the laser tag - we paid £5 per child for a 15 minute game - and they got over an hours play with lots of other kids. Us adults went and got a coffee whilst they played! They had the best time and recommend doing this for your older kids!

Hannah O — Google review

Great family day out 👍 plenty of parking. Arrived at opening time and no queues. The Duck Trails were very good indeed and very funny. Visited during half term and got to carve out our own Pumpkin for free ( book tickets online). If you're staying at Bideford Bay Parkdean wait to check in and they will give you a flyer for money, which is a bonus. The soft play area is good for Children and a nice area for adults to sit and have a coffee. Reasonable price for food and drinks. Plenty of activities for children (the tractor ride was great) and feeding the lambs was a highlight. Spent a good 5 hours here and could have stayed longer. Staff very friendly and chatty 🙂 Buy some food for the animals (it's only £2.00) and get to feed lots of different animals 🙂

Nina G — Google review

Had a great time here with our toddler! The sheep show and duck race were very entertaining, plenty of activites to do to occupy for a good few hours, the farm animal petting area or soft play area with big slides (indoors), we're both great, we even saw some brand new lambs being born! various outdoor bits too! World famous? Not so sure about that, but it's definitely well worth a visit for an afternoon!

Mike M — Google review

Took the kids to The Big Sheep over the weekend, & we all had a lovely time. Loads of interaction with the animals: No one had to wait to get on any of the rides as it was not that busy even though it was a lovely, warm day.

Tina G — Google review

We have been to The Big Sheep now for a few years in a row and it is still great. Subtle upgrades and changes each year and the staff are all really friendly. Got talking to John and Jess for a while today and have promised to send him some exciting footage of the boss-man caught a few years ago (lol)! Thanks for a great time again. Tips, buying tickets online saves a little on admission.

Tim S — Google review

Great place. The kids loved it. Lots of shows throughout the day which were amusing and well performed. They have a roller coaster, spinning swings, bouncing pillows and more outside. Beautiful settings. Loved the sheep racing. There is an animal house, train and other stuff to do inside and offer a free return ticket, valid for 7 days, if the weather closes the outside attraction available upon request at the service desk.

Lorie R — Google review

We all Loved The Big Sheep!! We visited as a large group of 13 aged from 2 -70. There is loads to do here. A fantastic selection of farm animals to see and pet/feed, A rollercoaster, laser tag, swan boats, bounce bags, softplay, a family train ride and great animal shows throughout the day. The animal show make the day. Gives you something to plan your day around and they are great. There isa sheep show, teaching you about all the many types of sheep. There is a duck heading show and the main event is the sheep racing!! Even a small brewery and gin distillery!! Food is reasonable priced for a theme park. A great day out and would highly recommend visiting!!

Tom H — Google review

The Big Sheep exceeded all expectations! With thrilling rides, adorable animals, and friendly staff, it's a perfect family destination. The park's entertaining shows make it a must-visit. We had a fantastic time and can't wait to go back.

Dean R — Google review

We visited The Big Sheep with our 4 year son whilst on holiday in the area for Easter. It was still term time in the area, so some of the attractions here were not open, but it was a toddler takeover day, and our son loved it!We were also really lucky to see a lot of baby animals in the barn and bottle feed a lamb.The staff were all friendly and the craft activities etc set up for the little ones were lovely. We had a lovely time as a family. The only downfall was that it closed early at 2pm.It's cheaper to book online, but you can pay when you get there.

Sara A — Google review

Great place to take the kids. Get there early when attending an event. The kids fest was amazing. Happy faces all round. Lots of activities for all the family to enjoy. Loads of parking on arrival and I do love the pet crates available to cater for your pet to feel relaxed. Great with all the marquees and event layout. The main stage had lots of entertainment that really made the day eventful. Lots of seating throughout the park to sit and enjoy your packed lunch as well as café’s to get food. The face painting was really good and the queue was huge. Will go again one day.

P E — Google review

Lovely little place I would say more for younger children my eldest (13) was pretty board only enjoyed the roller coaster my 2 youngest (1 & 9) loved it, they really enjoyed the animals and loved bottle feeding the lambs and we brought animal feed to feed the other goats and lambs, they all enjoyed the play zone didn't eat there as thought it seemed expensive but McDonald's was only 10 mins down the road! Friendly staff, not the biggest spent about 3 hours there watched the animal shows they were good, think it's expensive for entry considering the size of the place but we all had fun ☺

Christina N — Google review

Fab day out for our little one.She loved feeding the sheep and seeing all the animals. We also went on the tractor ride and it was so Soothing she fell asleep! The soft play is big enough that your not all on top of each other and there was plenty to do for the different age ranges. Great day out, reasonably priced with plenty of parking.

Tanya M — Google review

Wonderful place. Lovely friendly lady on the main desk, what a welcome and farewell she gave. Animals seem super well looked after, really great place for toddlers, our was amazed at everything. The staff are all pretty lovely and accommodating and the rides seem well maintained. Great soft play area, food was a little pricey but seems in line with everything these days m.Highly recommend if your in north Devon

Mark W — Google review

More than just sheep! Great day out. With lots to see and do my grandchildren and me loved this place. The live shows were well ran by Zoe who was entertaining and informative .Lunch was very good Cornish pasties.The sheep racing was a real fun way to finish entertainment.

David W — Google review

Brilliant place to take the children, probably up to age 12. Great sheep show and duck herding. Plenty to do all day. Lamb feeding with bottled milk. Sheep, goat and alpaca feeding in the barn. Staff hosting the shows are knowledgeable and funny. Great day out for the family.

Kim S — Google review

Lovely family day out, and the baby sensory room is just lovely. Food was inexpensive compared to other attractions. We got to see a sheep giving birth. Loved the animals, and the indoor play area makes it an all-weather attraction. Staff ate lovely and very knowledgeable.

Amber J — Google review

This is such a good place to visit , very friendly staff and lots to do from all ages !! Depending where you stay too there is discount codes to get up to 25% off

Stew A — Google review

As always a lovely visit to The Big Sheep. We were lucky to see a sheep in lambing and see the farmers support a Ewe during birth and difficulties she was having during a tricky labour. So lucky to hold the 8 week old puppies, 3 day old chick's and a baby Goat.Lots to see and do and all included in the entry price.Reasonably priced gift shop and the brewery is interesting too.We have visited so many times and will always come back.

Donna G — Google review

A really good day out for our 3 and 6 year old, who enjoyed the rides, the petting barn and the indoor soft play. The different shows through the day were also excellent. Highly recommend.

Mike S — Google review

Absolutely fantastic place.Wasn't too sure of what to expect.Great food, really fun for the kids, some rides, more for the small kids to be honest but ours are from 4 to 11 and they all loved it.Food honestly blew us away, thought 7.50 wad expensive for the pasty but when I got it. Wow, I knew why. It was huuuuge! Tasty, hot, fresh and getting the nicest cheesy chips was a mistake 😆 almost blew up from the portion sizes.For rides, there's a few. Nothing too crazy, little rollercoaster, pedalo swans, however the best was definitely the duck show and the ultimate suprise, the sheep race!Now I'm not one to gamble but wooboy, I was about to make a name for myself right here with the sheep race. Shergar smashed it and got us a winners cup. Kids and everyone loved it 😆Animals were cute as anything and great to be able to explain to the kids how the animals help or what we can do for conservation.Highly recommended and book in advance to claim some clubcard points!

Rifat H — Google review

4.5

(2873)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (89)

4.5

(3042)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (90)

Abbotsham Rd, Abbotsham, Bideford EX39 5AP, United Kingdom

+44 1237 472366

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16

Woolacombe Beach

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Mentioned on

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Beach

Outdoor Activities

Woolacombe Beach is a long, sandy beach located in North Devon. It's known for its surfing waves and expansive views, as well as its dog-friendly policies in the summer. The beach is also popular with kitesurfers and surfers due to its consistent waves and breaks.

Fantastic sandy beach which is a surfers paradise. There's an added bonus of beach tent hire as well as beach hut hire. These are ideal if you're wanting to spend the day at the beach and will be in and out of the sea. There are surf lessons available, aswell as surf board and wetsuit hire. Dogs are allowed off the lead on half of the beach, which is actually the nicer area as it tends to be a bit quieter. Fab day out and a gorgeous beach

KLD84 — Google review

One of the countries best beaches - but it gets full, if your prepared to walk a ways you can find space and enjoy this two mile beach. The car park is six pounds per day so you can arrive when ever you want. The sand dunes at the back of the beach look spectacular. The Eid off the sea can be cold

Graham S — Google review

Such a big beach and lovely to walk along or sit down to relax. Part of the beach is dog friendly and the other half is not so all are welcome. There is a cafe down there also if you want a bite to eat. The only thing is that the parking everywhere is a bit of a rip off ranging from £5-10 depending on the time of day for whatever duration you choose to stay, even if for an hour or 2. Overall would visit here though if you haven't.

Holly O — Google review

I'm Brazilian and it's been hard for me to like the beaches here. But this beach has met my expectations! Fine sand, very nice sea water, fresh breeze (not cold), clean large beach and can still have barbecue. The parking is facing the beach equipped with bathrooms and shower as soon as it leaves the beach.On the date I visited, it cost 12 pounds and after 16:00, 06 pounds... closing at 10 p.m.That was my experience in August when it was 26 degrees🌞

Wylliane K — Google review

A lovely beach. Smooth sand and clean water. Good amenities close by and a nice place to spend the day.

Julian P — Google review

A beautiful beach very calm excellent sand dunes lots of people enjoying the waves surfing and using body boards. Great views and fresh sea air very tidy beach well worth a visit. Excellent for a little exploring in the sand dunes for kids.

Garden ( — Google review

Fantastic beach great for all the family once you get past the first 100m of crowds. We'll worth parking on marine drive and enjoy the cafe.

Simon B — Google review

Absolutely beautiful beach never been down here if you go further there is a car park right at the end of the shops for £8 all day and you can walk down towards the beach. I have to say the sea is so blue that you just want to dive in absolutely beautiful. Must come down if you have never been to this place.

Kim ( — Google review

This is a lovely sandy beach you could spend a day here it has sand dunes walkes but so peaceful miles of sand

Gillian C — Google review

Beautiful beach! Very clean and tidy and dog friendly too.We interesting display by the car park telling you all about the history of the area in the last 200 years.

Jason O — Google review

The most amazing beach. We were so lucky to catch such a beautiful sunset on the beach one night too, which I will remember for a life time.The beach is clean and has facilities near by. Large car park and the beach is so large it never gets too over crowded.A must visit!

Georgina B — Google review

Wonderful clean, sandy beach with dedicated dog areas. The dogs loved it and do did we... So much so we visited twice during our week in the area

Michelle D — Google review

Clean beach, lovely spot to swim, surf, build sand castle's, beach sports for the family. Parking is closeby and good cafes around. Toilet's and shower's may require better facilities management so that customer and guests can leave a positive review in the future. More cleaners required and amenities like toilet rolls to bins and soap

Shamini B — Google review

Great beach, think it's about 3 miles long in length, soft sand and great for kids, lifeguards are on hand as well. There are beach huts to hire if you wish, Walking distance from the carpark which can be expensive if you want an hour as it's £10 a day before 4pm then £5 after no matter how long you want to stay. Shops and restaurants nearby and toilets.

John H — Google review

It's a great beach for all sorts of outdoor activities. Parking is the issue during busier times, but there is plenty of room on the sand.

Lazarus — Google review

Considering dogs are allowed on the whole of Saunton sands and instow beach you have to walk half a mile just to let the dogs off, instead of walking to the left why not let dogs have the whole part to the right of the stream plus parking was £10 and we were only on the beach 40 minutes cos u couldn't carry chairs and walk 3 dogs half a mileVery poor

Anthony J — Google review

Excellent beach you can walk miles. The sand is clean there are some lovely beach huts to take in the view. I believe it’s a good surfing area.

Alec G — Google review

Stunning, clean, flat long stretch of sandy beach in beautiful north Devon. Perfect for running or walking the dog as there are compact bits, kids swam on a particular hot day. It's great for paddle boarding. Seen two life guards vehicle on beach.There are plenty of car or caravan parking spaces available in front of beach. Remember it's not free parking lol. Over all one of the great beach I have been to.

AJMAL K — Google review

Nice beach lots of room in the week can imagine it's busy on summer weekends but worth a visit

Ian — Google review

Visited Woolacombe Beach while I was in the UK and had a mini tour with two fantastic Rangers from the Trust. This spawling beach was a practice site for the US during World War II. A rich history, trails well kept, and a site used by many for recreation.

Dr. O — Google review

Gorgeous beach. Feels like you are abroad! Massive and has a grass bank to sit on. Great day out with friends. Have plenty of food places for chips and icecream. The toilets/ changing rooms are clean and kept to a high standard

Casey P — Google review

A fantastic beach, beautiful, clean, golden sands, loads of space. Water is crystal clear and the waves are brilliant fun. One of the best beaches in the UK.

Tim S — Google review

Great beach split into dog and no dog sides ,Food stalls and bins on the beach life guardsVery clean can get very busy but there is plenty of space parking available on the road and carpark at 10 for all-day or 5 for after 4pm

Troy B — Google review

Calm and clean sandy beach. Pet friendly. Easy access from parking. And one of the best place to see the sunset, make sure to take beach rug/mat or chairs (and some wine too if you wanna make it more memorable and romantic😍) There is a nice pizza takeaway in the parking too.

Viral M — Google review

Great day out great venue, been coming with the children for over twenty years. Now children all grown up they still come with use. Great place to walk the dogs. Great venues locally for food plenty to choose from. Plenty of parking as well.

Andy O — Google review

Beautiful wide flat sandy beach with wonderfully friendly staff in the shops leading down to it. Public toilets, surf hire, every kind of bucket & spade you could want all within easy reach.Fabulous food offerings from Baked in the airstream on the beach to the wood fired pizza truck up in the carpark.Plenty of parking available and an awesome place to watch a great sunset!

Jessie S — Google review

Fabulous beach. Surfing, lifeguards attentive and vigilant. Toilets, litter bins in various spots along the beach. Food options. Clearly signed areas for: emergency access, dog free areas, dog on lead, off lead and surfing zones. A great day out.

Clare E — Google review

One of the best beaches around uk for relaxing and surfing. You cannot go wrong with this place. Very very busy in high season but definately worth trying. Lifeguards are on duty on both sides of the beach which is divided for dog friendly or not. Plenty of car parking spaces within very short walking distance. Surfing equipment avalible, as well as ice cream coffees and quick snacks.toilets are avalible free of charge on each side of the main entrance.

Michal S — Google review

One of the best beaches I've ever been too. Extremely clean and very very big. A great walk is from one end to another and end with a good lunch at either end.Lifeguards great as always and water very clean. No litter visible

Olly S — Google review

An immense sandy beach ideal for a sunset wander. Nice cafe above and ample parking.

Ben A — Google review

A beautiful beach with golden sands. .Sections to the left are available for dogs to use.Toilets by the car park.Carpark right next to the beach.A very wide 2 mile beach, best seen when the tide is out.

Jamie W — Google review

4.8

(3149)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (105)

4.5

(3831)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (106)

United Kingdom

17

Hope & Anchor, Hope Cove

Mentioned on

2 lists

$$$$affordable

Pub

The Hope & Anchor in Hope Cove is a charming and rustic pub that offers tastefully decorated rooms and a cottage, all with stunning sea views. The staff's warm and welcoming demeanor has noticeably improved, with Jazz receiving special recognition for her excellent service. The food was generally delicious, although the French fries were disappointing as they were either overcooked or reheated, resulting in them being hard throughout.

Absolutely loved this place. The food was great, the rooms comfortable and clean and the atmosphere friendly. The staff really went out of their way to make our stay as enjoyable as possible, especially Louise and Jasmine. And Hope Cove is a beautiful setting. We will definitely be back.

Linda B — Google review

We recently had the pleasure of visiting the Hope and Anchor in Devon and I must say, it was an absolutely fantastic experience! From the warm and welcoming atmosphere to the delicious food and drinks, everything about this place is top-notch.But what really stood out to me was the Wednesday night quiz hosted by the amazing Frankie. She is an absolute gem and made the night even more enjoyable with her fun and witty personality. Her quiz was both challenging and entertaining, and she did a fantastic job of engaging everyone and keeping the energy up throughout the night.The Hope and Anchor is clearly a place where people come to have a great time, and that's exactly what I had. The staff were all friendly and attentive, the drinks were delicious, and the food was out of this world.Overall, I would highly recommend the Hope and Anchor to anyone looking for a fun and welcoming atmosphere with great food, drinks, and entertainment. Frankie and her quiz are just the cherry on top of an already fantastic experience. This place definitely deserves a five-star rating!

Sam H — Google review

A great location for lunch or evening meal, especially in the ☀️ with plenty of outside seating with sea views. A good selection of drinks. A large number of indoor tables and seating over several levels in an old pub style interior. Makes a good destination for a walk from South Milton to Hope Cove and back with this as the stop over. Only downside - it's another St Austell brewery pub so options are limited to the brewery choices of food and beer. You can also stay here in rooms all year round.

Papa J — Google review

Really tasty roast dinner! We booked in advance, got a lovely booth table. Food was served quickly. My son has cod and chips and it was really light and fluffy. The roast dinner was sublime. The bed was cooked perfectly. Amazing roast potatoes and brisket croquettes. Staff were polite and friendly. Only downside was not local ice cream, like Salcombe Dairy. But overall really lovely lunch!

Hayley R — Google review

Came for an evening out, for my dad’s birthday. We sat outside in their terrace overlooking the sunset of the beautiful beach. The staff were very friendly and helpful the waiter who served us, called Sam, was very attentive and and helpful. As well as Jaz at the bar, who was very helpful. Lovely evening!

Bryonie M — Google review

Popped in to get a drink as the weather was pretty miserable on the Saturday even though it was forecast to be 19c and sunny 😅Lovely pint of cider and the pub is dog friendly too.Lovely clean toilets.We did consider eating here but thought the menu was limited.That aside Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff.I can imagine very busy in the summer with good weather.Of the two pubs at hope cove we thought this the nicer of the two!

Katy H — Google review

During a holiday in the area we visited this place twice. Once for lunch and again for dinner. It was surprisingly good. If we return to this area we will definitely eat here again. The view, atmosphere, service and food were all of a high standard. It is not outstanding, but it exceeded our expectations and was good value for money.

Phil M — Google review

We arrived on time for our table on the evening of Saturday 21st September.No booking.I had cocked up and had accidentally booked the Sunday.Even though there was a wedding function they pulled out all of the stops to get us seated, and on finding out that it was my daughter’s engagement and birthday on the same day she was given a bottle of chilled Prosecco to celebrate with.Nothing was too much trouble - we can highly recommend and will be back.Thank you for making our evening special.

Neil A — Google review

Great room, comfy bed, lovely see view, food at the restaurant is lovely. Breakfast menu is vast and tasty. Service always with a smile and just a really lovely retreat. I would absolutely stay again and I really enjoyed my visit to hope cove. Thank you, noushien x

Noushien K — Google review

This was our first visit for a year or so. The most noticeable change is the friendliness of the staff; they seemed genuinely pleased to serve us. Special positive mention must go to Jazz. The food was slightly let down by the French fries which were either over cooked or re cooked and hard all through. So have deducted one star - that said Jazz insisted on replacing them even though I’d finished the burger - so she gets five stars. Special mention went also to the Lemon Poset and the Chocolate Mouse which got good reviews.

Chris G — Google review

Walked down, eaten or just gone for an evening drink on many occasion. Fantastic location in the ever beautiful Hope Cove. Dog friendly and super friendly staff with seating indoors, on the terrace or outside. Food is served promptly, hot and tastes delicious. Good value for money.

Cozycats C — Google review

Nice pub set in a fantastic little cove. Nice outdoor seating area with a live dj when we were there, nice atmosphere.Great place to stop after lovely coastal walk.Slight grumble which I'm not sure was the pub or the local harbour but every now and then a horrid drainy smell wafted across the outdoor seating area. Put us off staying for lunch. Only 3 ☆ for rooms as I didn't stay.

Paul C — Google review

Visited a couple times over the weekend and we're really impressed with service and quality of food and drinks, on top of the fabulous views. Special thanks to Sam who went the extra effort to go downstairs and get us drinks and the fantastic waitress who served us upstairs on Sunday night.

Clive T — Google review

A friend recommended this wonderful pub to us, so we decided to book a table for Sunday evening. Not knowing anything about this place, they surprised us with one of the best table in the house. The staff was super friendly and attentive. The food was delicious. I had the lamb scotch egg as a starter and the Hale Fish and chips for my main, which was perfectly cooked in a gluten-free batter. I'll be back for sure if I'm in the area again.

Steven B — Google review

Visited for 3 nights with my daughter. Room was amazing, looking straight out onto the amazing sea view. Great location in the village with easy access to both beaches. Staff were very friendly and couldn't do enough for us.

Hayley C — Google review

We stayed here for 3 nights as we were attending a nearby wedding. We absolutely loved it. The staff were all lovely, the rooms were really comfortable with great amenities. We really enjoyed the breakfast which was varied and really high quality. We also had a delicious roast dinner on our last evening. We hope to stay again in the future!

Kelly G — Google review

Dinner for four upstairs. Lovely waitress giving excellent service. The seafood platter for two was disappointing given the availability of seafood. Truffle chips good, fish and chips good. Sticky toffee pudding to die for! The menu is quite extensive and we need to return! Lovely location!

Steven G — Google review

Fantastic food lovely staff very helpful and friendly. Dog friendly too. Desserts where cracking Only complaint the rice pudding could do with being a bit more creamy !!! Would def recommend to go for a meal and will def be going again

Snowy B — Google review

Provided an excellent service for our pre-wedding get together. Included amazing food and drinks in a dedicated space with a beautiful view to match. Staff were all very helpful and attentive. Will definitely be going back.

Richard J — Google review

We had our Sunday roast here just this weekend and it was unpalatable. Considering I was hungry I was hoping that I would at least be able to enjoy the food but I didn’t . The parsnip wasn’t even cooked properly, the roast potatoes are tougher than a leather shoes!! What kind of restaurant is this that can’t do a simple decent Sunday roast. For a £19 roast I expect it to be decent.

Jayne I — Google review

The service was absolutely first class. My wife, son and I visited yesterday and were greeted by the manager with friendly banter. From then on we were taken to a lovely table with a sea view and the waiting staff were terrific. Courteous and quick! The food itself came out quick, it was lovely and hot most of it all tasted amazing! Best roast i’ve had in ages. We will be back and next time stay the night!!

John W — Google review

My boyfriend and I stayed here for a couple nights, and it was amazing!! The deluxe coastal room was beautiful, and had a lovely view! The staff were all so kind and welcoming, especially Shaun, Jaz, guy with blonde hair tied back and the girl running breakfast (couldn’t catch their names).The food was also yum, crab fries were the best! Will definitely be returning :)

Milly M — Google review

We have visited this pub for over 35 years.I'm sorry but it is not a pub just a simple eating house.We booked for Sunday lunch and sadly disappointed.The young Australian lad who served was great.That sadly was the only good thing.If you state that you sell pink beef,stick to it.

Andy L — Google review

We stayed near hope cove and visited The Hope & Anchor on two occasions, both times the food and service were outstanding, we were made to feel very welcome. Sam looked after us on our second visit and he was brilliant, nothing was too much trouble. We had a lovely table overlooking the cove. We can highly recommend the hope & anchor and will definitely return when we next visit Hope Cove. Thanks Sam for making our visit so memorable.

Oliver C — Google review

Excellent Sunday lunch at the Hope & Anchor. After a long journey from Cheshire, we were met with a warm and friendly welcome. We were given a lovely table overlooking the bay. The service was excellent and the food really hit the spot. Great start to our short holiday in Hope Cove

Mark B — Google review

Walked down for dinner. We are regular visitors to the area and had stopped coming but the food was back to being delicious. We ate upstairs which means you can see the sea and we also appreciated the service. We were greeted warmly and promptly shown to our table and our server was engaging and reliable. A good experience worth repeating.

Nick M — Google review

4.5

(1479)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (107)

4.5

(1205)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (108)

Anchor Cottages, Hope Cove, Kingsbridge TQ7 3HQ, United Kingdom

+44 1548 561294

18

National Trust - Overbeck's Garden

Mentioned on

18 lists

$$$$affordable

Garden

Nature & Parks

Historic Sites

Overbeck's Garden is an Edwardian country house located at the Salcombe estuary mouth, boasting lush and subtropical gardens with stunning sea views. Formerly owned by Otto Overbeck, a renowned inventor who created the Rejuvenator machine, the property contains countless curios and quirky historical collections. The garden itself is home to a diverse collection of exotic plants such as palm trees, banana plants, citrus trees and olive trees that provide visitors with a hidden paradise to explore.

A fabulous place to visit if you love plants. There's lots of different areas to enjoy and it is so well kept. The views are spectacular too! It is a bit of a trek up the hill so best to book parking if necessary.

Debs M — Google review

Pleasant day out in an interesting garden where (in my opinion) native plants are mixed with some more exotic ones.If travelling by car, the walk from the NT car park is about a mile with the last bit down to Overbecks more of a trail than a path.

John C — Google review

Wonderful subtropical gardens. We walked from the NT car park in East Soar. About a mile. Downhill there, but of course uphill coming back! Good tip though as very limited parking on siteThe gardens are quite compact so can be easily visited in an hour. A food & drink "bus" at the entrance was perfect for refreshments before we walked back to the car. A must do if you're in this area of Devon.Beware though, no dogs. I understand why, as it is compact with some narrow passing places, but some visitors were caught out whilst we were there.

Mark B — Google review

Nice garden bit of a hilly walk but no problem. Difficult to find and very small car park, so arrive early. Lovely views

Charles E — Google review

Wow what a beautiful garden, very well kept. It is a hidden paradise! Absolutely breathtaking views and a wonderful selection of interesting plants. Great nature hunts too to keep any children entertained. Due to the hilly location it might prove challenging for anyone less stable on their feet.

Miss B — Google review

Lovely gardens. Well worth a visit. Free to National Trust members. Plenty of parking. Great views.

Tim H — Google review

Stunning sub tropical gardens with superb views. Follow the recommended route to see everything.Catering van outside for tea, coffee and snacks. House closed at present for structural work.

Roger D — Google review

Absolutely loved our trip to the gardens. Staff were super accommodating, venue is beautiful and looked after extremely well. Has one of the best views of Salcombe estuary and the coast. Highly recommended and on the 'must see' list when in Salcombe

Alex B — Google review

Really lovely NT place with stunning views (when the weather plays nicely! 😉) and an amazing array of plants, shrubs, and trees. Listen out for the Polyphon as you wander the grounds...a real treat.

Andy G — Google review

Absolutely beautiful gardens and views across the estuary. House wasn't open when we visited but that didn't spoil our visit. Would advise not to park close due to the narrow roads and limited parking but definitely worth the walk up from south sands. Nice little outside cafe which sells lovely cakes. Absolute beautiful gardens and cant wait to return as it really was one of our nicest National Trust gardens we have been too and could have sat there all day ❤️

Maria C — Google review

Overbeck is probably one of the most interesting delightful and diverse gardens I have ever visited. Set on top of cliffs overlooking the Salcombe estuary creating a microclimate suitable for subtropical plants not usually found growing elsewhere well in the UK.You will not be disappointed with this garden whatsoever the time of year

Stephen F — Google review

A beautiful garden with stunning views, full of unusual plants. We spent a good hour or so wandering around. Well worth a visit if you're in the area. Plus, it's a short drive on to Salcombe!

Jackie P — Google review

Lovely gardens. Would be great if the house could be open too

Richard B — Google review

As printed in brochure lovely little nook. Great place to just relax, unwind and breathe. If you have trouble going up steps or step inclines you may want to give it a miss. The car park only had room for about 10 cars so be wary as very narrow lanes. But check out my pics for an idea of what to expect.

G M — Google review

Surely, one of the most beautiful gardens in England. On a par (at the very least) with the Abbey gardens, Tresco, and Coleton Fishacre, nearby.Views of Salcombe are amazing.Simply wonderful.

Peter H — Google review

It’s considerably more than a tropical garden, there is a woodland walk, but the hot herbaceous boarders are at their peak spiciness as are the terraces of agapanthus. All areas were immaculate too.Don’t miss the beautiful small greenhouse with some lovely found nests retrieved from the garden. It’s also a rare pleasure for a garden to facilitate a picnic and what a view!The staff were some of the friendliest NT volunteers I’ve met too.

Alison M — Google review

South Devon at its best, the journey from Salcombe is sleedt an experiance and is topper op by this beautiful place. Very friendly staff too.

Robert-Jan P — Google review

Had this location on my list for quite a long time, finally had the chance to visit! Such a beautiful and peaceful place, very clean, well maintained. Unfortunately the house was close due to renovation when I visited, better luck next time. Didn’t know that the entrance had a price, £8.50 per adult, the parking is £6 all day, or if you’re lucky will be free if you find parking at the beginning of the entrance. If you are visiting Devon, Overbeck’s Garden worth visiting!!💚

Maria S — Google review

Beautiful gardens, packed full of colourful flowers and some tropical species. Well thought out, planned but still has a wildness to it. Great views across the estuary. Well laid out with signs to follow. Feels bigger than it is. We parked out at east soar carpark and walked across fields, straight path down hill at the end which was rugged, not difficult.

Anthony E — Google review

This is an absolutely fabulous garden. It is well worth driving down the very narrow roads to reach it. There is a huge range and quantity of sub-tropical plants. There are plenty of benches to sit on and the views are to die for. We entered the grounds armed with delicious coffee and pastries from the extremely well stocked catering van parked at the entrance. This could well be the best garden I have visited.

Bob C — Google review

So good. Lovely amazing gardens. Lovely snacks and refreshments from a small cafe with outside seating. Highly recommended.

Mick R — Google review

It was such an amazing feeling up there, It felt like a tropical country the enriched flora and fauna are simply phenomenal. Its history is even more surprising and holistic. Incredible effort from the gardeners and volunteers for keeping it so natural. The only disappointment was the house was closed for renovation but let's hope it opens soon.

Aami A — Google review

What a magical, beautiful place! 🧡 Worth all the time you can spare to enjoy this tropical heaven!

Roxanne P — Google review

4.5

(834)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (109)

4.5

(694)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (110)

Shapitor, Salcombe, TQ8 8LW, United Kingdom

+44 1548 842893

19

Tunnels Beaches

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40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (113)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (114)

Mentioned on

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Outdoor Activities

Wedding venue

Despite its unusual name, Tunnels Beach is a beautiful and peaceful beach resort that is perfect for swimming in a tidal pool and enjoying the views. The beach has finely carved Victorian tunnels connecting it to sheltered bathing areas, a cafe/bar, and even a tidal pool.

Amazing location that mustn't be missed if you enjoy wild swimming! £3 entry is worth the experience. Changing and toilets available. Small coffee/gift shop. Check tide times for the best time to go. Highly recommended

Martin G — Google review

Great out of the way beach. We only saw the ladies beach, as the men's beach was closed for a wedding.With half the attraction closed to the public for a private function, the entry fee should be reduced to compensate, or at least inform customers when they pay. Rock pools and waves crashing on the rocks, made a nice day on the beach.

MrFEFZY — Google review

Well maintained. Toilets that double for changing rooms, which is fine. No shower. But none of that is why you're here. You're here for the tidal pool, and it is ace. Brave the temperature and you'll be rewarded with a bracing swim, great view back up the cliffs and out to sea. The pool really is best 3.5 hours after high tide. A bit of history and whimsy.

David T — Google review

Amazing place, great facilities, toilets and a small coffee shop, wedding venue so part of the beach might be closed to public, but it doesn't affect anyone. Reasonable entry fee, shops nearby if you need supplies. We parked in the national park free parking, approx 10 min away, but there's lots on street free parking available.

Patricia S — Google review

Had a wedding here- amazing food and venue. Thought it was great!Stayed 3 nights in the bath house.The bath house accomdation rooms- we were lucky to have a room with two windows which open to let air in. Many of the other rooms either had no windows or windows opening into the main dining area which was hot. I think I would have had a few sleepless nights being warm if I was in one of those rooms.The rooms- the noise does travel from the floors to the rooms. The house itself has been decorated beautifully. Good a TV in the room/ shower was great.Also, perhaps a baby gate for the stairs to hand in the dining room and bath mats.Lastly, there was no information on recycling. I don't know if North Devon council compost food/what you csn recycle at kerbside but giving the large house and volume of waste it would be good to be able to recycle as much as possible!Location is great and parking to hand.

Jean J — Google review

Been to the tunnels beaches a few times and it never disappoints. The water is lovely and there are places to explore around the rocks. Even when it's busy we have always managed to find somewhere nice to sit and relax.

Chris H — Google review

Tunnels Beach is an absolute must-visit on a lovely sunny day! The beach is stunning, and the tunnels add a unique and interesting element to the experience. The water is crystal clear, with pebbly beaches with sun loungers on hand on use. It's the perfect spot for a relaxing day at the beach or to explore the rock pools.

Jade S — Google review

Would highly recommend a visit to here … very nice beach and relaxed atmosphere, tickets are about £3-4 per person to enter and this allows you to re-enter all day. There is a small shop there that sells drinks & food halfway through the tunnels and they also rent beach chairs for £2 for a whole day. In general the beach was clean, it was not overcrowded and had a great feel to it. Unfortunately they do not allow dogs onto the beach though so if you have dogs don’t go here!

Daniel T — Google review

Great bit of history in beautiful surroundings. Very well kept, tidy. Toilets and changing facilities near the ladies beach. No showers.Gentleman's beach is not always open due to weddings. There is a cafe with some hot and cold food and bits and bobs. Clean beach and water with nice tidal pools.

Gaby F — Google review

The jewel in the crown of Ilfracombe. Beautiful hidden beaches with take away refreshments and toilet facilities. A wonderful, safe tidal pool too. Perfect wedding location.

Mick M — Google review

This hidden gem built in the 1820’s .. is a series of three tunnels that lead to an 8’ ft sea swimming pool. A £3 entrance fee gets you in for the day. It closes at 6PM so go early and spend the day. A beautiful natural pool looks amazing surrounded by the cliffs

Graham S — Google review

loved it. I'm definitely going to visit again. Cafe staff lovely, cups of tea & pasty very good. Only be lush if they could dumped 100 ton of golden sand on the beach , as I hate shingle & stones 🤣😁

Suze F — Google review

Historic, fairly quiet family and beautiful beach in Devon. There is small amount which £3 need to pay to enter into this beach. Cafe, toilets, gift shop and changing rooms are available. Four tunnels add a unique and interesting element to the experience. It's 200 years old beach.There are pay and display car parks available near to tunnel. Remember it close at 6PM. This is an absolute must visit beach. Highly recommend

AJMAL K — Google review

Was taken by surprise by this - wasn’t expecting the spectacular views. Cost £12.50 for us (family of 4) to enter.One of the beaches was closed due to a wedding, however we did enjoy what we did see - it is obviously a popular spot but it wasn’t too overcrowded.Would recommend beach shoes for children if you do visit as beach is rocky as is the water if they paddle.

Bryn D — Google review

The Tunnels. Wow. What a venue! I can’t say that we have been to any other wedding venue with your own private beach!The location alone is enough to make you interested in The Tunnels but when you get to look around the venue it’s all beautiful. The ceremony space outdoors is great, amazing views to the side and backed with cliffs made it a great space for photography.We love the multiple levels at this venue. It really allows you to enjoy the views. The reception room for meals and the evening entertainment has huge panoramic windows which, when you have a location like this, is exactly what you want.The sunset on the evening we were there was gorgeous. Being able to watch it from such a great view while chatting around a fire pit has to be one of the top ways to end your wedding day right?!We are both huge fans of Devon and love being by the coast. If this sounds like you then you should definitely look at The Tunnels for your venue. The location, venue and staff are all amazing. You won’t be disappointed.

Ivy P — Google review

Second time visiting here. Came here in early July. There's a small entrance fee of £3.75 but it's pretty quiet when we went and it's quite unusual with the tidal pool so we didn't mind paying the fee. Luckily the ladies beach was open (normally weddings are there) and it looked beautiful with the plants and aqua blue waters. The tidal pool is fun to walk around if you have good balance. The water was cold but a few people tried to swim in it. Relaxing cove with interesting aspects about it. Cafe, toilets, deck chair hire and museum included which makes the visit more comfortable. Highly recommended

Wei H — Google review

Didn't know what to expect. But wow, to see all the history and even walk through the history makes you feel like you've gone back in time nearly 200 years. To see the pond slowly reveal itself is amazing. So much to read regarding events and disasters. The old water pump is only just about still standing. It's a great place to go. Buy one of their books about the place too, less than £3 and worth every penny... go you will enjoy it.. Worth the £3.50 to get in.. and the ticket lasts the day so you can go and come back as many times as you like on the day you've paid for...

Tom P — Google review

This is a wedding photographers dream venue! I love the uniqueness of its setting and how the spaces inside and out provide the perfect backdrop to the ocean. Outside ceremonies are superb! Great team who make sure everything is on point for the day's celebration and couples can arrange to have their preparations in Bath House or the Courtyard apartments. With access to the beach when the tide is out it gets even better in the evening when it is closed to the general public and you have the place all to yourself in the evening, meaning if you do get lucky with the weather it's one of the best golden hour and sunset spots around! Super atmosphere for a party into the evening as well. Can't wait to go back! Here's a few frames from a Springtime wedding.

Simon P — Google review

This view is gorgeous , the water is so clear and blue. The staff when going in were very informative and give loads of information about the history. The water was lovely and clear

Casey P — Google review

Impressive victorian hand built tunnels leading to 2 unspoilt stoney beaches, little shop at the second beach serves reasonably priced drinks and you can hire deckchairs for £2 (plus £1 deposit) nice clean toilets and changing rooms above the shopPlenty of rock pools and rocks to explore, wear beach shoes to get the most out of if

David M — Google review

What an absolute fabulous bit of history, impeccable kept up. I love all the plaques of history of the town and tunnels. Well worth the visit and what wonderful surprise when you come out of the tunnel to the beach.

Dyanne G — Google review

The location of this venue makes it special. We enjoyed our visit there as wedding guests where clearly the organisation had gone to great lengths to ensure all enjoyed the celebration. Spread over 3 floors the facilities are unique

James M — Google review

This was a short but lovely visit, the tide was on its way out, the sea was blue and the bathing pool could be clearly seen.

Julie A — Google review

Lovely staff ..just make sure you catch the correct tide !! We went when the tide was in and there was not much to write home about !! Also the cafe was shut..they had just opened the beaches after the winter closure .. so a bit disappointing overall. I think the staff should be more informative as to tides and cafe opening times etc. We stayed for 15 minutes and left.

Tamsin D — Google review

My now husband and I got married at Tunnels Beaches in April 2024 after visiting the venue (the only one we visited) back in September 2023. As soon as we arrived at the venue we were sold, there truly is no other venue you like it in the UK, it's just so unique and gorgeous.Jamie (the owner) and his team were a dream to work with throughout the planning process, with Jamie often replying to any silly question we had no matter the time or day. We booked the courtyard onsite accommodation too which I would really recommend as well as it's the perfect spot to host a paella party on the night before!The wedding day went off without hitch and despite rain all morning we were so lucky to be able to get married outside on the beautiful terrace. The food was incredible and the venue staff made every effort to make things light, easy and run smoothly.We really hope someone we know chooses to get married here as we'd love to return. The town itself is also awesome and provides the perfect backdrop for friends and family to enjoy a lovely weekend in Devon. We'd totally recommend the circular walk followed by the Wetherspoons roof terrace the next day to shake off the hangover.Thank you thank you thank you to the tunnels team and if you're considering getting married here... do it and have the most magical day of your life!!

Emily M — Google review

Amazing, Victorian natural pools 🏊‍♂️Beautiful place!Lots of history presented on info boards, small cafe with shop on site.Low entry fee but well spent for maintaining the area.Just keep in mind that there is also Conferences/Events Room next to 'Gentlemans Pool' and this side can be closed off from entry when something going on there.

Mart W — Google review

Absolutely beautiful! When the tide went out the rocks appeared....Great for paddle boarding, snorkeling and swimming. Just be mindful of the rocks if the tide is in. It was fairly quiet on the beach but parking can be somewhat of a nightmare but you will eventually find a space. There is lots to do if you've had enough of the beach. You have the tunnels, arcades, rides etc. Great place to visit 😊👍

Lisa W — Google review

We got married at Tunnels ten years ago and couldn't fault them. We have visited three times since, including a visit for our anniversary yesterday. It's a really lovely site and well priced. The tunnels are interesting and the kids enjoyed playing around the rock pools and beaches. We will definitely return.

Vicky M — Google review

Nett, aber viel zu TEUER!Was für eine Frechheit? - Dieser Ort bietet einen Strand mit Steinen und ein paar stinkenden Fischen, die das Meer bei Ebbe nicht zurück ins Meer gespült hat. Ansonsten: NICHTS.Aber die Dame an der Kasse zockt ganz gewaltig ab. Zugegeben: der Strand sieht auf den Bildern noch vertretbar aus, aber für den Preis sollte man lieber im Pub 3 Pints Bier genießen!(Translated by Google)Nice, but way too EXPENSIVE!What an impudence? - This place offers a beach with stones and a few smelly fish that the sea did not wash back into the sea at low tide. Otherwise: NOTHING.But the lady at the checkout is really ripping me off. Admittedly, the beach looks reasonable in the pictures, but for the price you'd be better off enjoying 3 pints of beer in the pub!

Alexander V — Google review

Lovely secluded beach, £3.75 per adult to get in but lots of beach and a tidal swimming pool. We would have come earlier and stayed longer if we knew how nice it would be!

Alex W — Google review

Very interesting place to visit. Lots of information about how The Victorians used the beaches. No parking but there is street parking would recommend getting there early in peak season. There is the old bathing pool for swimming etc was very seaweedy but nice all the same. The views were incredible but the actual sea was very rough and not safe to swim in which was a shame. I would say a good historical visit but not the best for actually wanting to enjoy a beach day. And was nearly £4 each for entry.

Laura C — Google review

This was one of the best decisions we have ever made, of course after deciding to get married!Tunnels Beaches itself as a venue is breath-taking. In the wind and rain, as well as the sunshine (all of which we had within an hour!), the views are incredible, the beach is stunning, and the venue itself is comfortable and quaint, with all the modern comforts.The staff are incredibly accommodating, with special thanks to Anita, Jax, and Naomi, all of whom took the time to listen to our various requests and accommodate everything above and beyond. They were enthusiastic and lovely, and really helped to make our day special, especially accommodating our wish to have the ceremony outside, even when it looked like it would pour with rain!The food was delicious, and we can wholeheartedly recommend everything we had, ESPECIALLY the freshly barbecued jerk chicken. There is enough variety for everyone, from older folks with more specific tastes to those who will eat anything and everything, and it was difficult to convince ourselves to leave room for cake!We also had the pleasure of staying in two of the accommodations - Runnymede and Woodlands. These were two very different but incredible buildings, with Runnymede (recently renovated) offering a traditional, wooden feel, although equipped with modern and impressive bathrooms and kitchen, and Woodlands providing a similar, but more sleek and modern design. The rooms themselves are spacious and the beds comfortable, with both kitchens being comprehensive and easy to use.I can safely say that the higher price is very much justified, and I certainly would say that, if the price is the only thing holding you back, you should absolutely book Tunnels while you can!

James C — Google review

Beautiful view. Tide was going out so it exposed the craggy features beyond the private beach.Sand is dark but sadly the visit we made was on an overcast and rainy day.It's a great venue so I highly recommend it.

Steve A — Google review

One of my allll time favourite venues to photograph at. Would come here for weddings every week if I could! Great staff, the most amazing views and surreal location, you cannot go wrong marrying at tunnels!Love, Leonie May Photography

Leonie M — Google review

Well worth a visit, reasonable admission price, loads if information. Beach and tidal pool. You can also hire a deck chair. Small food and drink outlet and toilets. A real gem in Ilfracombe.

Niki J — Google review

Amazingly beautiful and breathtaking. :DLot to see and walk around so it should be at least half-day activity.It does have entrance fee, but 3.75£ is really not much for unlimited time a day. ;)

Anett Á — Google review

4.5

(1851)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (117)

4.5

(1775)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (118)

Bath Pl, Ilfracombe, EX34 8AN, United Kingdom

+44 1271 879882

20

Public Art: Verity

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (119)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (120)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (121)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (122)

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Sculpture

Sights & Landmarks

Monuments & Statues

Damien Hirst's public sculpture, Verity, is a 20.25-meter tall stainless steel and bronze statue of a pregnant Amazonian figure with a sword. The sculpture overlooks the historic harbour of Ilfracombe in Devon, England. It has received mixed reviews from art critics for its uncompromising nature and resemblance to the Statue of Liberty.

Absolutely stunning piece of artwork by Damien Hirst. Parking (payable) available right next to her, but do walk around the harbour and admire her from afar too.

Tara S — Google review

Wroth visiting for the wonderful piece of art! Love the story behind it and what she represents. I highly recommend visiting if you are into looking at art installations!

Chloe W — Google review

Really beautiful sculpture, amazing detailPairing right next to it

Izzy W — Google review

Just beautiful, especially when you realise what this sculpture represents. I love Verity and have visited her everytime I've come to Ilfracombe.

Nic W — Google review

What an amazing statue. Standing so tall and strong. It's beautiful and gross at the same time but when you really look at it it's amazing.

Lynn B — Google review

This is a piece of public opinion dividing art!..stunning large sculpture of Verity in the harbour looking out to sea. Thought provoking and debate making work by Damien Hurst. I can imagine how much this could have caused some concern when erected by the local people as some would feel the sculpture rather graphic. Personally I really enjoyed seeing her set against the sea with a church on the cliff top to the left of the harbour bringing further reason for conversation. Parking in the harbour area and several other tourist information signs for other parking with views of the sculpture. Outside attraction so except for the parking charge free to view. Disability access throughout and public toilets in the harbour car park with disabled access.

Her I — Google review

The stature looks awesome! It's cool to see the baby inside her belly. I like that she symbolises truth and justice cause it fits. The scale in her hand shows justice and the torn skin the truth (cause you can see everything (literally!))Also the cliffs there are stunning and you can make a historic tour on a lifeboat! And a parking area is there too.

Greenapple A — Google review

Very impressive sculpture but a bit weird.When stood below, the size of the sculpture is insanely beautiful. Stretching up into the sky above you. However its a bit weird in terma of subject matter and shows the inside of a pregnant woman. I know its art but I think its a bit weird.However from this point the views of the harbour are stunning and not to be missed.

Phoebe H — Google review

Beautiful sculpture. If you walk around the bay and pick the coastal walk heading towards Hele Bay you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the harbour and Verity herself.

Karla B — Google review

A beautiful statue one of the best I've seen in the world. And a great place for it with the sea in the background I imagine it looks even better in stormy weather

Stephen W — Google review

Visited Ilfracombe yesterday and came across the sculpture of Verity, quite a thought provoking statue, I had to look at it from all angles, such an amazing piece of work ❤️ I can't wait to look up the background into the statue, thank you Damian Hirst for such an amazing piece of art

Vivian B — Google review

Well worth a visit verity is wonderful. Make sure to view it from all sides.

Terry D — Google review

We visited 'Verity' on a holiday in North Devon. It is a somewhat controversial statue liked by some people, disliked by others and thought about by others. It is a pregnant woman standing on a pile of legal tomes holding the scales of justice by her side and a sword aloft. It is constructed using stainless steel and bronze with a polymer strengthened glass fibre sword. To many people seeing the statue from one side is too much, you can see a foetus inside the body as the skin has not been included. Damien Hirst, the sculptor describes it as an allegory of truth and justice. It made me think, and that is a good thing, in my view statues should be more that a pretty object.

Gerard H — Google review

4.4

(272)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (124)

4.0

(2684)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (125)

Ilfracombe, EX34 9EQ, United Kingdom

I'll never travel to Exeter without this trip planner again

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40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (126)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (127)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (128)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (129)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (130)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (131)

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21

Castle Drogo

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Building

Sights & Landmarks

Castles

Castle Drogo is a medieval-style castle located three miles northeast of Chagford, England. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for Julius Drewe, a self-made food millionaire, and constructed between 1911 and 1931. The castle was meant to have all the amenities of a country house but has not aged well over time. Currently undergoing extensive renovations that are expected to last six years, parts of Castle Drogo remain open for tours.

4.0

(1176)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (135)

Drewsteignton, Exeter, EX6 6PB, UK

22

Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (136)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (137)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (138)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (139)

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Nature & Parks

Park

Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park is a fascinating destination that offers both education and entertainment for children. This exceptional spot provides opportunities to encounter various animals, including furry, scaly, and creepy crawly creatures. Additionally, visitors can enjoy an indoor theatre and children's entertainment. The woodland and waterfall walk on Dartmoor is a challenging adventure that allows kids to explore ancient woodlands and observe wildlife while climbing over boulders.

Really beautiful place. They have 3 walks, red, blue and purple. The purple walk is definitely not for the faint hearted but stunning if you're fit and able. The blue walk takes you around the beautiful forest area. The red walk takes you to the waterfalls.Also a nice cafe and gift shop and animals as well.I would definitely go back, it's beautiful.

Helen H — Google review

Great place for children and fit adults. The area is beautiful and the Falls are attractive. If you find walking over rocks and tree stumps difficult then this may not be for you. The animals, birds, reptiles and insects on display are brilliant.

Geoff A — Google review

Amazing, good day out, take a harness for babies, no pram. There's a small cave half way down and you can find bats in there. Be careful of the spiders in there, many false widows! Highly recommend this place.

Daniel R — Google review

Well, this place really did surprise us, a great fun, active, day out, set in a fantastic scenic forest, which you can choose your own path, depending on whether you want a good workout or an easy stroll, but whichever you choose, trekking through the forest with the falls right there, is brilliant. To add to the day, is the animals and creatures area. Let's not forget the delicious ice-cream from the cafe on site. All in all, excellent value for money

Steve B — Google review

Fantastic day out with the kids. They enjoyed the activities which kept them motivated to follow the trail. We did the blue trail which is ideal for anyone of walking age; we want to return with the older children to do the other trails. Lots to see and do. Talks from the animal keepers, opportunity to feed meerkats and see the snakes up close. The animal enclosures and buildings are wheelchair/buggy friendly but as the reserve is based around natural landscapes, the trails are not.

Samuel S — Google review

This is a must go if you are in the area. The tickets may seem pricey, but for the amount of stuff there is to do, it is so worth it. If you come before 1 p.m., you can do a Feed the Meerkats session (£1 pp). It was quite fun, especially since the keeper was nice and explained everything quite well. There's a bunch of other animals to check out, and the walks are really good as well (we did the blue trail, which was really pretty). It's definitely a place to visit!

Harshvardhan A — Google review

Had no clue what this place was. Just stopped off on a drive with the kids and spent three wonderful hours here. Cost us £30ish for a family of four but well worth it for the conservation efforts the staff and owners of Becky Falls put in. Would go back again for sure. Kids loved it (they are 12 and 13 by the way).

Mark M — Google review

Really enjoyed our time here.Fed the goats for 50pWonderful variety of walking trails. Lovely climb up alongside the waterfalls. Wonderful even in wet weather. Warm restaurant with animal feeding times throughout the day. Meerkats, invert house, rabbits, pigs, goats, owl and chickens.

Sophie L — Google review

Amazing place. Don't want to spoil the surprises but a nice selection of animals to see but the star of the show are the falls and the trails down and back up. Red and blue blue trail is nice and easy, red trail definately.more strenuous as you go further down the river and it's not too bad going down but would want a relative level of fitness to get back up without it being too much of a struggle. The full route including the purple route, is the longest and goes the furthest down to the bottom, bit of far more difficult of a trail and it recommends good footwear. Which I found essential. No flip flops or loose fitting footwear on there and a good level of fitness as the ground will be quite difficult at times right alongside the rocky stream. Even if you don't do the full route, and just do the blue and red and leave the more difficult purple route, it's still a lovely, well worth it visit and walk. Highly recommend and bringing a picnic along is a great idea but there is a cafe at the top before you start and when you end of you want some refreshments or bites to eat. 5/5

Kelvin W — Google review

Lovely place to visit, had a lovely day there, see all the animals and done some lovely walks. See the falls and had a lovely cream tea in the cafe on site. Parking was good. Booked on line for tickets really easy to book etc.

Lynn S — Google review

Quite unique. Animals too see, picturesque views everywhere. The walks down the stream are stunning, with easier trails for those that need it, finished off with a visit to the cafe on the way out. A nice way to spend a good few hours.

Andrew C — Google review

Loved the trails here. The Cafe also served lovely food and the gift shop had some amazing products . Really friendly staff and all very helpful.

K A — Google review

Came to Devon for the weekend and Becky Falls gave us the experience we came for! We did the purple trail with a two year old. Not majorly difficult if able bodied but can be slippy if wet! Great day and the sound/views of those streams are captivating!

Amy-Louise P — Google review

4.5

(1635)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (140)

4.0

(794)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (141)

Manaton, Newton Abbot, TQ13 9UG, United Kingdom

+44 1647 221259

23

Quince Honey Farm

Mentioned on

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Honey farm

Nature & Parks

Cafe

Farm

Quince Honey Farm is a working honey farm that offers honey factory tours, an exhibition on honey bees, nature trails and play areas for children.

Very informative tour with lovely guides. Learned so much about bees!Cafe offers a wide selection of delicious food, many dishes incorporating honey.Excited to come back in a few years to see how the gardens have developed.

Megan C — Google review

Bees are amazing. Fact.No bees, no life on earth.This place is great. We went because I think bees are pretty dope little critters but this place has so much more to it.Enter through the gift shop and there’s a cafe in front of you. We had lunch there. The service was really pleasant and the food was delicious.We bought out tickets for the gardens which are really special and designed specifically for bees.We took the tour which was really well paced and they offer insights into all aspects of the bee life and the products they create. You get to roll a beeswax candle and keep it, learn about the flowers that are bee friendly for you garden in the tour (my wife took lots of notes), plant and keep some seeds, hold some giant bugs, and look inside a couple of hives.Fascinating day with more than we expected. Really relaxed with passionate staff. Thoroughly recommend.

Robert R — Google review

Lovely family full day out! Come rain or shine is what is says and it certainly delivers! It rained on and off all day and there were lots of fun activities in the sheltered areas to keep both children (5yr old and 2 yr old) nice and busy! Will definitely be coming back on a nice hot day as think the garden will come into it's own and the children would love the outdoor play area too. Thank you for a wonderful day full of memories

Lucy L — Google review

Wonderful visit and would recommended absolutely.Did the tour to start, tasted honey and made a candle. Everyone so friendly and very knowledgeable.Had a fantastic lunch, Great quality food, really quick and lovely surroundings.Did the bee experience in the afternoon which was great getting hands on with the bees and learnt so much.Love the shop and bought loads of great goodies.Thanks for a fab visit and will come back next time we visit Devon.

Michael D — Google review

Had a visit in a wet and cold April afternoon. Kids loved the soft play and grown ups loved the food in the award winning restaurant. Interesting well planned tour around the gardens and factory made it a good value day out. Stayed for 5 hours!

Penny B — Google review

Lovely few hours spent here. You can take your dog and enjoy a well equipped gift shop pertaining to bee household good quality items. Drinks honeys, chutneys, lemon curds and marmalade all made from the bees 🐝 lots to choose from. Lovely staff .really lovely large comfortable cafe and outside area. You can pay to have a tour around the grounds taste honey and watch candles being made. Worth a visit.

Dawn S — Google review

Such a fantastic place and so informative the staff are all kind and willing to help. The candle making was a really fun activity to do. You got a tasting of the honey and you got a full talk from a bee keeper and all about the bees. The cafe was really nice as well and huge portions.

Cooking Y — Google review

Really lovely place to visit. Lovely lady doing excellent talks about the bees. Looking forward to coming back in the summer

Stephen B — Google review

Fantastic place to visit, highly recommended! This place is completely voluntary and self supported, in other words, the don't have govt funding, so rely heavily on public support. They are doing research into bees and have a high knowledge base. They keep their own bees and produce their own honey. There is a cafe here which serves breakfast up until 12 with plenty of seating indoors and outdoors.They have a shop here where you can buy all sorts of bee related products too. You can buy a tour of their facilities, which if you do, make sure to put 3 hours of your time aside. This is a brilliant tour and highly informative, all for a very reasonable price. They also have their own honey extraction and bottling factory. There is a playground for energetic children

Desiree M — Google review

We couldn't bee-lieve it when we arrived. Minutes off the A361, Quince Honey Farm is a wonderful, easy to get to family day out. The staff are welcoming and friendly. As soon as we were in, only £10 per person, so for a family attraction makes it an amazing experience on a budget, we were told all that the day had in store. We got there just in time for the bee keeper talk, all about the structure and inner workings of the hive, which was fun and informative. Shortly after the same bee keeper talked us through the process of the honey factory, with a cheeky tasting at the end! For an extra £2 per person the bee keeper gave us another talk of the many uses for bees wax showing us how to roll our own bees wax candles to take home. All the talks were fun and interactive and our bee keeper was brilliant. We stopped for a bite to eat in the nectar cafe, so sadly missed the plant potting talk. After all the activities we ventured into the indoor play area so the more energetic and younger ones could blow off some energy, with a small cafe offering an assortment of hot and cold food and drinks. With a quick trip to the outdoor play area for another round of playing we headed to the beautiful gift shop to get our hands on more of that delicious golden goodness to take home.Quince Honey Farm we will be back for another jar or two!

Weekend W — Google review

My fiancé and I went to the honey farm for my birthday along with our miniature schnauzer. We tried to book the beekeeper experience online and it looked booked so we called to see if there was space and the manager, Karen could not have been any more welcoming or helpful. She moved a few things around and even looked after our dog in her office during the experience which was one of the most amazing things (they’re VERY dog friendly)! Sam took us to a beehive on site and talked us through the whole process including letting us get up close and personal and answering our barrage of questions. It was an experience I’ll always remember and gave me so much more to want to discover! All of the activities and events that the staff host throughout the day are well worth the time and it doesn’t feel chaotic or crammed despite the fountains of knowledge they provide you with. As someone who is passionate about bees and nature, I cannot recommend this place any more highly. The staff go out of their way, the food in the cafe is delicious and the activities are informative and fun for all ages.Don’t miss out on what could be the best day of your holiday!

Robyn S — Google review

Fantastic day out with a toddler in tow, the indoor Play Hive was a real hit!!Found it really interesting learning about the bees and seeing them in action.Food in the restaurant was excellent and tried the famous Quince Honey Farm Honeycombe Cream Tea!! STUNNING!!Staff were pleasant and polite throughout!! Talks given were of a high standard and you see the passion was there!!

Fiona T — Google review

What an amazing day! Staff were super knowledgeable and passionate. We spent 4hrs going to all the talks, shop, cafe, candle making. Could easily have done a whole day to make the most of the soft play, outdoor play area and meadow trail. Highly recommend!

Holly — Google review

The best dog friendly attraction! We were worried before entering that our puppy would just be a nuisance to people but she (and all the other dogs there) were so looked after, plenty of poo bins and water bowls scattered around the place. This place isn't just dog friendly, it's dog welcoming! We ended up having a great day, full of facts and fascinating things to look at. We followed the schedule of activities, something which I would recommend, and thoroughly enjoyed Caroline's (think that was her name - Sorry!) humour as well as how knowledgeable she is. We don't have kids but she was incredibly good with the ones in the room too. Loved the honey tasting after finding out how it is made and seeing some of the bees in action. Well worth the entrance fee and the gift shop is fantastic with reasonable prices too. 100% recommend if you're looking for something a bit different to do with your pooch!

Abi H — Google review

Due to time constraints we never had time to do the whole tour, but the shop exceeded expectations. So many different types of honey and lots of pretty homewares and bee themed items.Was even better that they offer samples of the honeys for you to try before you buyI can thoroughly recommend.

Emma L — Google review

If you went to the old building, go again, a lot has changed and for the better!What a brilliant place. Absolutely fascinating tour with a lovely keeper who was not only knowledgeable but super friendly and approachable.We loved making a candle and bee friendly plant pot.Families will have a great time and there is a huge indoor soft play and outside play area.The shop and restaurant is free and does some lovely gifts and we had a great lunch.

Phil C — Google review

Outstanding place for a visit. Not too expensive, the gardens are the rivals of the RHS, the talks were interesting and accessible for my young children as well as me and the grounds are well laid out to leave everything accessible for all ages.Food in the main cafe is pricey but not overpriced - the quality is well worth the extra you pay.Special mention to the two women who ran the activity sessions (we attended the beekeeping demonstration, curious creatures, honey tasting and candle rolling. They were enthusiastic and engaging and really made the day for us all.

Dan H — Google review

A beautiful place with lots to do and look at, great for kids as well with indoor and outdoor play areas. The cafe food was amazing and the chef came out to check a few things with us due to allergies - extremely efficient and friendly chef! The shop is full of beautiful things to buy. The educator today was full of enthusiasm, he made the talks interesting and also funny, you also have the opportunity to roll your own candle and you get to take home your own planted seed to attract the bees. Quince Honey Farm is now in my top ten of places to visit, we had such a wonderful time and couldn’t believe how long we spent there, almost a full day.

Lindsay W — Google review

We came off season and it was very quiet, which meant we were the only family on most of the activities, Our own personal tour!The women who did the activities was fantastic, she was very engaging and so good at interacting with our toddler.The food in the cafe was great! Really recommend.The soft play was good, quite large in terms of height so easy so parents to clamber around.The biggest hit of the day for my toddler was the set of tractors/diggers and spades.

Sophi — Google review

Absolutely loved our visit. Staff really knew their stuff and their passion for bees was contagious. Cafe food was very tasty and worth a visit just for lunch. Bought our own body weight in honey and other goodies in the shop.....Will definitely revisit 🥰

Sarah C — Google review

Winter, raining and we didn't see any bees 🤣 The two kids had the best time, so much for them to do. All the staff were so friendly and helpful, lots of interactive activities. 10/10, we will definitely be back in the summer.

Holly D — Google review

This is my go to place for lunch whilst in Devon twice a week for a program of medical treatment. The staff are super friendly and the food amazing. The shop is an excellent place to buy cards and presents too. Will definitely make time on my final appointment to have a full tour of the honey farm!

Helen F — Google review

Such a great day out!There was so much information about bees! Beautiful gardens! So much included in the cost of the tickets: Free information talks about beeswax, Bee care, Curious creatures, Candle rolling, wild seed and Soft play!!! There are also some toy ride on tractors. We loved it and it was great with our 2yr old. Would go back again. Cafe is also great! Handsome breakfast!You will walk away wanting to keep bees!

Megan U — Google review

We visited as my wife thought it looked nice. I have to say it was better than nice. Staff are great, informative and entertaining sessions that allow kids to get hands on while learning about bees. Play areas are plentiful with indoor soft play included in full price and outdoor play areas. Our kids (nearly 6 and 2) loved it. Nice food available in the restaurant. Weather was lovely while we were there but even on a rainy day a lot of the talks are indoors so you should be good!

Aden H — Google review

Absolutely delicious Christmas Eve Brunch, great atmosphere and friendly staff, would certainly recommend also the shop was looking lovely bought three jars of honey from there. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all 🧑‍🎄🌲

Carol H — Google review

Fun day out even on a wet day.Staying locally we knew the weather in north Devon was going to be dull so, we looked to see what was nearby for a young family.Cafe is very spacious and offers a great variety of food, I had their own version of a cream tea with honey instead of jam. It was delicious.We seemed to miss all the talks and workshop but they did seem to be running frequently.If we are ever in the area again we will definitely go back.

Daniel P — Google review

Excellent food and coffee. Brilliant staff and a well stocked nicely presented shop. Our grankids loved the indoor play and the general atmosphere is relaxed and calm. Looking forward to the bee experience as we've heard it's very good.

Zoe G — Google review

Super impressive working honey farm. Lots of activities to get involved with and learn about including bee biology, bee keeping, honey harvesting, wax candle rolling and more, all included in the entry price of £15. Additional hands-on bee keeping activities were also available. Great attraction with modern facilities and a well stocked and reasonable gift shop.

Ben C — Google review

4.5

(2036)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (142)

4.0

(899)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (143)

Aller Cross, South Molton, EX36 3RD, United Kingdom

+44 1769 572401

24

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (144)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (145)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (146)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (147)

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Zoo

Outdoor Activities

Paignton Zoo is a large zoological park in Devon, England. It has a wide range of animals, including many endangered or critically-endangered species. The zoo also features a variety of exhibits and activities for visitors to enjoy.

Booked tickets online so straight forward process on entry. Easy to follow map. Plenty of animals to see. Lots of work also being done around the zoo. Park area for children and plenty of picnic benches. Missed seeing the train that use to go around the large pond. It was just nice to be able to visit on such a nice day after so long.

Sharon M — Google review

My wife uses a mobility scooter, on this occasion we hadn't charged it sufficiently and it powered down. Luckily we were just inside the zoo. I spoke with a chap at reception who supplied us with a wheelchair and stored ours securely during our visit. Extremely helpful and pleasant, I think his name was Jamie.Just for information, the zoo is particularly hilly and has several inclines, only the most robust of mobility scooter would cope with the terrain.We enjoyed our day, ate in the restaurant and once again the chap that served us was very pleasant and helpful. The food was good too.

Clive H — Google review

This trip was my first visit since Duchess the elephant passed away in 2019. Before that I used to visit almost weekly and take a stroll around the zoo.4 years after my annual membership comes to an end, I visit again, however, this time I was more disappointed than happy.A lot of sections were closed off for renovation -which is great for the animals - but i think the list of animals that we couldn't see would outweigh the list of animals that we could see.We stopped in the restaurant for some lunch. Possibly a little over priced but it did taste good.Overall I think Paignton Zoo is an expensive day out. If you plan on making a family trip, I'd recommend bringing your own picnic to save on costs and booking tickets in advance.Positives: the car park is extremely big and free.Walking around the zoo is great excersize.The renovations shouldn't take too long to finish and the animals will have nicer enclosures :)I wish Paignton Zoo all the best.

A J — Google review

Great zoo. Been to Paignton many times but this was a first visit to the zoo. Great offer of kids go free with paying adult meant we paid £40 for a family of five. We spent three hours there but could easily have done more. Be prepared for lots of walking and some steep slopes. Several enclosures were going through renovation but there were still plenty of animals to see. Would definitely visit again.

John N — Google review

It was a nice day out however we were slightly disappointed by the lack of animals. A few of the enclosures were empty with no sign of why, whilst others were empty with signs stating that work was being done. This was fine.The fact that the park is so big and hard to navigate made the day slightly more frustrating. The guide (map) was £3.50 on the way in which is a clear money making scheme and there were no maps on the way around to see where we were or where we were going. We ended up walking up dead ends, away from all the animals and this was extremely frustrating as someone who is 8 months pregnant trying to make the most of the school holidays with her children. We missed a number of animals simply because we couldn't find our way to them. Yes we could have bought a guide, but £3.50 for something you throw away when you get home, on top of the price of food and tickets, was unreasonable to me. Other zoos I have attended provide these free on the way in and provide maps whilst navigating the area.Ice cream was overpriced, but to be expected for an attraction area such as this.Gift shop is located on the way in and way out, another clear money making scheme however the items in the gift shop are nice and have a good range.There is a lot of walking included in the visit and a very small amount of it is flat, this is something people should be aware of if walking or in mobility scooters as the land is sometimes uneven.I'm very unsure if I'll be attending this zoo again as I have found others that are more beneficial and animal focused.

Jasmine M — Google review

Great zoo to visit. Hadn’t been since I was a kid and it was still great. Hard to see some animals as they weren’t being social due to the weather. The animals are clearly looked after well and they are improving the place all the time. The place is quite hilly so be prepared to walk. Book online before you go to save a bit of money.

Dean H — Google review

Surprisingly spacious zoo with so much to do and so nicely laid out!The zoo itself was super clean too and we went on a busy weekend.Make sure you bring your walking boots though as it is super hilly but well worth the trek!

Sian A — Google review

What an amazing zoo, we had such a wonderful day! Really lovely enclosures and seemingly happy animals! Friendly staff, good choice at the Island restaurant and very nice gift shop. We visited on a Tuesday in winter so it was very quiet with no queues and no problems seeing all of the animals!

Shelley F — Google review

Really nice place it does have slopes. Friendly staff who are always happy to talk about the animals. Food is quite expensive and there are a lot a seagulls just ready to pounce. All in all a great day out for the family.

John B — Google review

It was such an amazing experience we had in here! I visited this place with my kids and spent the whole day here. Animals are well kept, and the stuff was helpful, kind, and knowledgeable. This zoo is definitely worth a visit 🥰

Krisztina ( — Google review

Lovely day out. But can't help but feel the zoo is lacking somewhat, lots of empty enclosures, and things being moved. Kids went free which is good, can't say I'd be overly impressed if all paid full price.Staff were lovely, friendly and welcoming.Will probably wait for news of new animals before returning.

Simon H — Google review

Great Zoo! My disabled wife, teenage son , teenage daughter and I visited the zoo on 23rd October and discovered Paignton Zoo really cares about their animals and their customers.We booked tickets online as requested and arrived at 12.30pm there was plenty of free parking but be advised the Zoo is on the side of a steep valley which if you have a self propelled wheelchair, like us, is going to be challenge.When booking online and providing you supply proof, one carer can be submitted free of charge, which I thought very generous.We entered the Zoo and discovered really helpful staff who offered us the opportunity to rent an off-road electric scooter for just £20 for the duration of our visit. We also had to pay a £20 deposit which would be refunded when we returned the scooter undamaged. We were in two minds whether to take this offer but this turned out to be a great investment as the hills were steep and the paths were long.They also provided us with a map marking out the routes and attractions available via scooter or buggies. There was a real focus on making disabled customers and families with buggies/prams welcome in all areas of the zoo.Toilets and refreshment stalls were dotted around the zoo keeping kids happy and the animals and attractions were accessible for all to see. Even though maintenance was taking place all animals were accessible, bar the giraffes. Apparently, they had a wild time the night previous and just couldn't face dealing with the public with hangovers.. we've all been there!The zoo wasn't over crowded, there was no waiting in-line for anything even though it was quite busy. Food was lovely and we all had a really good time. We would definitely recommend a visit and don't forget to leave a donation as they get no financial support from the Government.

Mark B — Google review

Ok we went for my daughter's birthday, not my 1st choice for a trip as I don't like the idea of Zoos. But I accept they are a necessary service for the animals and humans alike.There's a walk down from the car park to the entrance to the zoo. I believe however, disabled can drive down and be dropped off.Just remembered to save some energy after a long walk round, to be able to climb the hill to get back to the car park! Although for the most part it's not a difficult walk and quite a pretty pathway.Warning it is expensive to enter, about £26 an adult to walk through the gates. Currently you get a free visit back, if you're still in the area to see more you may have missed.So with the slightly dour start done, let's move on to the fantastic bit...The park is very clean and quite spacious, the food in the restaurant is very good for this type of venue, disabled access is very good overall.Gluten free is just about doable although choices are very limited. So bring your own if allergies are a concern, but catering staff are helpful over such matters.The important thing for me was the animals are looked after very well. There's enough room for them to exercise which is good and sleeping areas are clean. It's good to see the employees attending the animals throughout the day and feeding times are well coordinated.My daughter loves the big cats and they were on show that day, last time they hid away, so don't expect to see every animal. We never saw the rhinos at all, but they must be there somewhere!As with the rest of the zoo the cats were very chilled and seemed relaxed and unstressed, which is a great sign. A testament to the care of the keepers.There are loads of ice cream shops as you walk around and there are a few slopes to climb, so on a hot day and ice cream is a welcome break. There's also a great climbing area for the kids right near an outdoor cafe, a brilliant idea.Young people seemed to love the zoo and adults were overall captivated by the closeness of the animals hence the 5 stars.Apart from the cost of entry, the whole place is well maintained and animals seem content, I guess you get what you pay for.The shop is full of cuddly toys and key rings - great for kids, but not much for adults to take away as a memory.Overall a good day out for a family, if the cost was £15 to enter, then I'd be happier to pay it, as it would represent value for money. Although I guess the animals need their upkeep costs paid and it can't be cheap.Definitely worth a visit, the family enjoyed the trip and walk round and great to see such a wide variety of creatures in a days walkabout.Well done Paignton Zoo!

Paul — Google review

Lovely place with lots to see. Many animals stayed inside due to the cold which was a shame. Lots of walking which was great. A fabulous day out for little ones too with a couple if decent play parks. No hot food for customers from the cafe though, only hot pizzas for the workmen! Disappointing as they had run out of pasties which was the only thing available and nothing vegetarian either.

Annette L — Google review

Lovely zoo with many interesting animals. Some good improvements being made to some enclosures with animal welfare being focused on. Good access for those needing, good to book a scooter beforehand, with good instruction on areas to avoid. Lunch options cater for most tastes with a number of cafes scattered around and the main restaurant well placed.

Brendan W — Google review

Took our (nearly) 3 year old here for the day and she had the time of her life. The zoo itself is more like a sprawling lush subtropical garden paradise with animal enclosures dotted throughout. The animals were all well cared for and healthy looking. The restaurant was nice too, offering a cool break from the heat outside. Make sure to take plenty of water in the warmer months! Highly recommended.

Lance H — Google review

It has over 2,000 animals, however no elephants.The giraffes are my all time favorite, wish we could get up close and personal with them.Very clean, lovely walks on steady paths, great for disabled persons and also offer electric scooters for those that can't quite walk all the way around.The crocodiles have been taken out of the zoo due to power shortage from the weather, but great zoo all in all.Take a pack lunch or a picnic so you are saving on money.

Kristy S — Google review

This is my first time to Paignton Zoo. It seems that a lot of the animals weren't there, or hiding lol. The zebra and giraffe areas looked like a building site but it does say that they're improving it at this time. I still have 5 stars because it's all about looking for the animals.

Stan K — Google review

Getting to the Zoo was no problem at all after arriving at the booked time slot. It was fascinating to see the different types of animals in their almost natural enclosures. The information boards were packed with key facts and information to provide insight to what the animals eat and what are like out in the wild. We spent the whole day here which was good considering how much you are paying to gain entry. Would advise bringing a picnic but beware of the seagulls. All round good day out for two.

C R — Google review

Visited numerous times as a member. Great if you want to do something for a few hours or spend a whole day. Staff are always friendly and helpful and zoo keepers are very knowledgeable. Worth getting the membership if your are local.

Nina G — Google review

Went to the Zoo with my work. Easy to park and get in. Lots of facilities, food places, and exhibits. Lovely helpful staff. Animals look well cared for, staff were everywhere keeping the enclosures tidy. Only complaint would be that due to natural wild growing, it is harder to see the animals in larger enclosures. Even various primates were hard to see.Will return in my own time and take a more leisurely wander.

Ali M — Google review

My partner and I had a lovely time seeing the animals at the wildlife park.Some of the enclosures were fantastic for the animals and they seemed to enjoying themselves :). I’m not a big fan of zoos but you could tell that this one was trying to do the best for the animals.It’s a hilly route around the park but a very beautiful one.

A V — Google review

Pretty good zoo, staff are really welcoming lots of parking, restaurant is fine and well priced. Spent 4 hours in the zoo so it was great value.

Jeremy B — Google review

Lovely afternoon at the zoo, the rangers giving talks were so kind and friendly, answering all kinds of questions (even unrelated ones!). The zoo is clean and tidy, there's so much space to roam around.The restaurant was clean and tidy, all of the self-serve areas were well stocked. Staff were happy and helpful despite looking like they were melting in the heat.Another fab day at Paignton Zoo!

Victoria C — Google review

Quite hilly to walk around and to/from the car park, son was excited to realise this is where the CBBC The Zoo is filmed after recognising different areas.Pleasant day out, a few empty enclosures but signs explaining moves around but some just closed (Black Rhino) with no explanation. Some areas were a bit tatty needing a bit of tidying up, but given the poor weather recently this is understandable as not ideal conditions to be doing these sorts of repairs.Would perhaps be worth considering a little shuttle up to the car park as it was a long walk at the end of the day!

Dave D — Google review

Pity a lot of the animals were inside their huts as we only got to see about half of the animals. Some of the snack type facilities weren’t open & it was a case of going back to the restaurant for food. Thought the prices in the restaurant were very reasonable. Paths around the zoo were good but be warned that it’s not all on a level ground.

Ian P — Google review

A great place to visit, nice clean and natural enclosures and the staff were very helpful.Food prices are in line with what's to be expected, not too expensive and a great gift shop on the way out. Will be back soon.

Scott P — Google review

Paignton Zoo offers an unforgettable experience for all ages, with a diverse collection of animals, engaging exhibits, and a strong focus on conservation. From majestic big cats to playful primates, every visit is both educational and entertaining. With its beautiful grounds and friendly staff, Paignton Zoo is the perfect destination for a fun-filled day out that makes a positive impact on wildlife conservation.

Mattia 9 — Google review

What a zoo so much has changed since I was last there many many years ago.The restaurant was clean and tidy and the staff were very helpful. The toilets were clean. The animals are really look after .Everyone who works there are doing a really good job.

Dot — Google review

We had a lovely time, despite being a chilly winter day, mid-February. It did mean most of the animals were staying tucked up inside in the warm. But we could view them in their quarters, apart from the Giraffes.My 3 year old granddaughter loved it.They are doing renovations for some of the enclosures and public park areas, which I'm sure will be fabulous by the summer.They have some great birds and lots of cheeky apes.I would say the Baboons need to be next on the list for a regeneration.Fabulous, reasonably priced coffee.Caution ⚠️(parents with little ones) The shop with delightful toys is on full view when you enter! HahaCar parking is free.

Cindy W — Google review

Very quiet on a Friday morning into early afternoon visit. With just young families and the odd members walking around it felt like we had the place to ourselves. All the animals were visible and we saw all the new arrivals since our last visit. We also had lunch in the restaurant which was quick and convenient.

Pete L — Google review

Lovely open space to walk around and explore the animals. Indoor viewing areas help when the weather is not so dry. Great cafe with a good choice of food at reasonable prices. You can also bring your own food and picnic on the benches whilst watching the animals

Carole M — Google review

Keepers lovely and very attentive. However, zoo unkempt re foliage, unlike a few years ago. However, very clean. Sign of the times, I suppose. Too many seagulls. Be aware they will steal your food, as they did with us!! Expensive, but animals appear healthy. Shame elephants no longer there, but most of the animals are endangered species, so not surprised. Overall, nice visit.

Kaye ( — Google review

The best zoo in my opinion to visit. The staff are always around either cleaning enclosures, checking on the animals or walking to their next duty. I came with my husband for a honeymoom day out before continuing further to our accomodation and we were not dissapointed, a few empty paddocks due to improvements which we can't wait to see and the enclosures were so appropriate for the animals. We came near opening time so most of the animals were visible but not active and we came again on Tuesday nearer the afternoon (3pm) where most animals were walking around.Fab place to go and my 3 kids aged 1, 5 and 6 loved it too! Definitely recommend and will be returning!

Caitlin W — Google review

A great day out! Lots to see, ample parking, friendly staff. The only bad mark was that some exhibits at the time of vist (I.e. Kangaroos) were empty and this wasn't informed, but plenty else to see

Christopher W — Google review

Fantastic Zoo with fantastic enclosures. We went midweek and the zoo was quiet enough to enjoy at a pace we liked. Having the mobility scooters for hire was absolutely fantastic, it meant I could ensure the experience with my children without worrying about the repercussions later. The food was lovely and had great portion sizes. Overall a fantastic day with very helpful and attentive staff.

Christine F — Google review

A lovely zoo to visit on a nice day, there were four of us who went, myself and better half and two small ones (both under 3), parking was easy to find and get into with a short walk to the entrance where you’re able to view flamingos before entering, staff are warm and welcoming and seem genuinely helpful. There are a good deal of animals to see across different species along with different habitats such as an insect room and reptile house. There are opportunities to have an experience with talks and feeding sessions throughout the day for you to attend with times prominently displayed as you enter. The on site cafe and restaurant is a little expensive but not drastically pricey and the same goes for the gift shop on site as well, we came away with, I think 4, small souvenirs which totalled just above £20. The only drawbacks I experienced were some of the doors were a bit of a challenge to navigate with a double pushchair and some of the enclosures were quite far apart from each other so sensible footwear and clothing is a must. But overall a genuinely fun and engaging day out with the family

Gareth P — Google review

We have a family pass so we can go as many times in 12 months which is amazing. The facilities for kids are great such as the soft play area that is broken down into areas for age groups. The animal enclosures are well maintained and it is clear they invest in the animals and the site as a whole.

Josh W — Google review

We visited during easter. The zoo has plenty of parking. Unfortunately it was a rainy day when we visited, however the staff had set up arts and crafts in sheltered places to occupy the children while everyone got out of the rain.When we visited we converted to an annual pass, so although it is dear, if you were local you would get your money's worth back.We were fortunate enough to see most of the animals so it was a successful visit in spite of the weather.I think it's a lovely zoo with a layout which means you are not on top of each other with other visitors.We went to the canteen when it was pouring at some point and though not gourmet, the portions are generous and reasonably priced.What we didn't do well was plan our trip aligned to some of the feeding times and talks. I would advise finding out about these in advance as they are worth it.Would definitely say it's a good day out for the family. I only wish you better weather.Would not hesitate to return given the chance in the next 12 months.

Melinda ( — Google review

4.5

(12826)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (149)

4.5

(5825)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (150)

Totnes Rd, Paignton, TQ4 7EU, United Kingdom

+44 1803 697500

25

Cockington Country Park

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Country park

Sights & Landmarks

Visitor center

Historic Sites

The 450-acre country estate of Cockington offers natural beauty and tranquility in the heart of Devon countryside. The park features a thriving craft centre with over 20 studios, lovable village of Cockington with charming thatched cottages and a manor house, all in an enchanting setting.

Loved it here, lovely gardens to walk around with plenty of open spaces for the dogs to charge about. Loved the craft centre with its lovely shops, a great little find! There is a cafe on site serving hot n cold drinks, snacks and sarnies, which were very good! Then there is the lovely village full of thatched cottages, beautiful! Well worth a trip here!

Claire D — Google review

The village of Cockington is a real time machine, stepping back in time to days gone by! It is a quaint part of south Devon which is well worth a wander around. The highlight is the Country Park which is accessible via a number of reasonable car parks. The park is packed full of beautiful trees and plants, water features and hidden paths. It’s a haven for dog walkers with lots to explore for kids too.. would thoroughly recommend.

Beth P — Google review

A beautiful historic hidden gem. So much to discover in this small but beautifully kept home . The staff were passionate and very knowledgeable which made our visit entertaining and educational. The rooms are full of artifacts and you can even dress up in period costumes for photos and lots of beautiful views from inside and in the extensive gardens . Free parking which was well marshalled too .

Audrey G — Google review

Amazing park! I love this cozy side of Torbay, this fabulous park next to the cottages is just the definition of a fantastic day! I am fond of the lakes there and people are so friendly. I love the stories on the benches by the way, they are so touching!

Wala A — Google review

It's free 😁 . Very tidy. There is a free toilet by the kitchen gallery.Rose garden was amazing,the smell was so strong and sweet. Watching glass blowing was fun.Scenery was tranquil and beautiful. Thatched cottages everywhere. Food was very expensive imho But looked nice.Bought rum n raisin ice-cream ,very large scoop in normal cone, £2.25 good value😁

Graeme H — Google review

Brilliant day out,the walks round the grounds and lakes,the craft centre with blacksmiths and glassblowing amongst other crafts,plenty of Ben he's to sit and enjoy the fabulous views,cafes with wide variety of home made produce,quaint thatched roof buildings,not to be missed.

Harry H — Google review

WOW what a beautiful little village. We have visited here a couple of times over years and I would definitely recommend visiting at least once. Beautiful grounds to walk around, beautiful surroundings, stunning thatched houses/cottages. Plenty of walks and plenty to see and places to eat and drink. Pay and display carpark and a tourist information centre and lots of local/private businesses from glass blowing, metal/fabrication making to fancy lights/light bulbs, art shops, pet shop etc. Gardens to walk round and a big beautiful pub which was fantastic with friendly staff and tasty food. A small village but so much to do and see. Definitely recommend

Lrycroft — Google review

A great day out with kids and dogs. Lots to explore and plenty of space for burning off energy. Spent about 4 hours here in total, including a drink in the pub.Only problem we had was the card machine in car park wasn't working and we didn't have enough change, luckily a very kind lady gave us some.

Gemma P — Google review

Excellent place for walking (especially of you have a dog)! Nice coffee shop in the main house. Lovely walks through the park. Excellent craft shops on site as well - highly recommended.

Rich C — Google review

Great time here, great place for bringing dogs too, nice artisan stores, also blacksmith and glassblowing. Pretty rose garden and cafe

Lisa B — Google review

We love popping in to Cockington but was disappointed that our favourite Afternoon Tea venue has closed and now for sale sign of the times, over the road is a new Café opened with substandard Scones, dirty water for the Puggies, nit been cleaned for ages. They gave treats at least. The parking is OK with a friendly traffic warden as he takes a photo of your car for later when you are enjoying yourself so much he gives you a ticket, no phone app sadly you have to use a credit card or real money. A lovely place to visit and a few Craft shops and a pub etc

Stephen G — Google review

Cockington Village, I got to via the water meadows walk. Beautiful. Bus stop livermead hotel walk up Cockington Lane. At the bus stop for no 62, from Torquay, there's a gate to walking the meadows. Dog walking friendly and loved the village. Visitor centre was not open no notice saying why.

Penny H — Google review

It's hard to believe but just a few minutes walk from the centre there is a village where time stopped. Many of the cottages dating back to the 16th Century. Cockington Country Park it's a 450 acres of garden landscapes, open parkland, rural countryside and large woodland with three pretty lakes an historic Manor House with craft centre and studios and a quaint 11th Century church. Park has five walking routes that vary in distance. The whole estate and surrounding area is dog friendly. Dog friendly is also ice cream parlour located in a historic and beautifully restored mill.

Tom G — Google review

Brilliant place to visit and the staff are so friendly. The cafe is lovely and the ice cream portion very generous, will definitely return when back in the area.

Mollie M — Google review

Great place to spend a day strolling through Cockington Village. A really well preserved Country Park with a blacksmith's, thatched cottages, a church, large manor house, shops and tea rooms. It feels like stepping back in time. There are expansive grounds, tarmacked paths and cross-country walks. All very accessible. When I was young there used to be shire-horses which pulled carriages you could ride. These seem to have gone now but still a really chilled place to visit.

Zack H — Google review

Loved the little village of Cockington. It is next to the country park. All the houses were thatched and enjoyed a lovely cream tea there.

Glynis S — Google review

Visited here today. Although it was tipping it down with rain it was so very beautiful, lovely tea room and quirky gift shops, brought some unique pieces of art work.

Kel — Google review

Excellent old countryside village in England. Beautiful old cottages. Some classy gift shops. Green landscapes. Walking trails. Ample parking. Nice pub near parking.

Sunil G — Google review

A perfect place for exploring and a family day out. Lots of green space for dogs and children to play and be safe, a Vintage Inn pub and Weavers ice cream parlour are good visits if you decide not to take a picnic, with the pub being dog-friendly.

Sonia F — Google review

A good mix of different types of activities here. There are some country walks, cafes and artisan shops selling a variety of goods. I would recommend it for a visit to spend a half day or so. Lots of open spaces for picnics too.

Alan T — Google review

What a pretty place! Lovely cream tea shop craft and gift centre and beautiful thatched buildings with amazing gardens...the hotel/pub beautiful with superb gardens

Karen , — Google review

A beautiful place to visit and has tea rooms a magnificent pub with outside garden and grounds,

Gary R — Google review

Explore the woodland walks if you go here. Too many people miss these areas. Review update following covid and staffing shortage the rather nice clocks cafe is now fully open with real cups again

Outside B — Google review

A beautiful place to visit, explore the Country Park, watch glass blowing demonstrations, enjoy an ice cream and then, my personal favourite, devour the most delicious cream tea at the Weavers Cottage Tea Room. A perfect day.

Wendy A — Google review

Genuinely surprise!Lovely area, ground are well kept, parking is a fair price, shame when we visited lots of things were closed but still enjoyable to walk around!Just be warned on entry there is a narrow road, signs saying not to park but seems a lot of people just ignore the signs and park up in the lane

Darren S — Google review

A great place to spend time and in good weather the day ,with a stunning location with lots of marked out walks ,also a craft market with live demonstrations and glass blowing etc. Also places to eat children's play areas and pick nick areas .👍👍

Dave P — Google review

Cockington park is a beautiful place to visit with quaint 16th century thatched cottages, a visitors centre, craft shops, gift shops, gardens, children's play area, pub, tea rooms & a country house with sculptures & art inside & out. It's ideal for walking or picnicking & dogs are welcome. 🙂👍Just make sure you have change for the carpark because the card machine doesn't work.

Katrina — Google review

Very pretty village especially during spring/summer when the flowers bloom.Nice café there too that does yummy chocolate sconesAlso Drum Inn pub is good. There is a small playground for children. Beautiful lakes. Great for dogs to run around 🙂

Filipa F — Google review

There are beautiful houses.In the park there is a beautiful church that you can go inside.There is a lot of different walking paths and one of them takes you to the beach.There is a beautiful garden there is a shop that you can buy hand made things that are made by the blacksmiths there.Parking is at the place as well.

Sylwia H — Google review

Beautiful grounds, perfect for dog walking. Individual shops and some traditional working blown glass making shop. Lots to enjoy. Great choice of beverages and snacks in the Manor or the Old School House, which has a pretty outdoor garden area too. A large woodland area surrounds the outskirts of Cockington. We visit regularly with the dog.

Yvonne — Google review

A beautiful park with plenty to doNice walks and beautiful surroundingsCraft shop from hand made glass and jewelry.There's a cafe, pub and ice cream on site

Lee F — Google review

4.7

(2326)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (152)

4.5

(3200)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (153)

Cockington Lane, Torquay, TQ2 6XA, United Kingdom

+44 1803 520022

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26

Babbacombe Model Village

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Water & Amusement Parks

Garden

Babbacombe Model Village is a model village with 4 acres of miniature buildings, vehicles and people. It has a castle and a fiery dragon.

Good day out, spread over 4 acres. Is a bit hilly but can be accessed by wheelchair if your feeling fit. Fascinating to see whether your adult or child. Restaurant area and gift shop. Not far from bygone years which is also worth a visit at the same time and within walking distance.

Loraine L — Google review

What a place! We visited in the summer of 2032 and spent a most enjoyable few hours touring the village. So much to see and masses of detail in every scene. We loved it, and had great fun spotting all the details. The crazy golf was free and was great fun too. Highly recommended if you want to be surprised and amazed at the skill of the model makers.

Wendy B — Google review

What a wonderful place. It's so well thought out, and the humour is great. Added bonus of free crazy golf. The grounds are well maintained. Love the new indoor mythic section as well. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the area, you will not be disappointed! They update the models regularly as well.

R D — Google review

Great place for all the family. Kids love this place. So much to see and explore. The continuous work by the gardeners makes this place really special and magical. The café is a little limited but has a good selection of drinks. The car park outside is a pay and display Council car park and always loads of spaces.

Phil E — Google review

Amazing place to spend a few hours looking at miniature stuff. Fantastic place you have pay for parking but not alot. I thought it was very expensive to go in but actually it is worth the cost. All miniatures were so detailed. We spent 3 hours here. Great for children. So much to see.

Jonathan C — Google review

Great place to visit. We went during the day on a Sunday then back for the evening on the Thursday evening for the illuminated display (tuesday is the other late opening evening) . The return visit,within 7 days, is in with the initial price. Good value for money in that sense. The only thing that let it down was the prices in the cafe,recommended to take your own food and drink which you can consume in the outside area which gives a fantastic panoramic view of the model village. Brilliant model village though, the work and effort put into the place is fantastic.

Rob H — Google review

I love a model village and I’ve been coming here for over 40 years. I still think this is the best in the country and it’s updated and changed so there is always something to see. First time I’ve been since they added crazy golf which was great fun.Well worth a visit.

Jo W — Google review

Truly is detail ! It is worth a visit never mind the kids it’s for everyone! Who enjoys more me or my son ! My wife loved it ! Well sign posted to spend time looking at the models to take pictures! Something for everyone & comical to laugh at ! Toilets fantastic! Cafe area fantastic well priced ! A beautiful sit down area out side to enjoy your food ! This model village is like a massive garden hidden gem ! They say at night it looks beautiful! Try it for your self & be a kid again !

Massimino M — Google review

How I want to give this a 5 star! But I cannot just for price reasons. £17.95 on the door per person...its an amazing model village, the first one I've been to since I was a child. But it was nearly £20 or £40 for two people, mentally it felt too much. I would of preferred it closer to £15 than £20. Anyway, the village was incredible, loads of unique things to spot, celebrity models to find and plenty of photo opportunities. You'll enjoy it, and it's just about worth it's money! (Or buy tickets in advance like we should of and save those extra couple of £££s.

Jake P — Google review

It was such an amazing experience. From my point of view, besides the fun of looking at the buildings and the people, it's a great place to contemplate our lives from above. It's so well done. I recommend this location to everyone. It's great fun for children and adults alike.

Roxana A — Google review

Not visited here since I was young and walking in just brought back so many memories. The layout of the village is great, taking you down a hill. The place is very picturesque. We visited for one of the Summer Night Illuminations and it was great to see it all lit up. Had to use our phone torches towards the end to read the signs and properly view the exhibits. Maybe be worth having torches available for those who may not have a phone?

GSX J — Google review

Warning: visiting Babbacombe Model Village will make all other model villages seem pathetic by comparison. Now, although I am a bit of a nut for models and miniatures, this attraction absolutely blew me away. My impression of model villages was that they often look tired, small, and a bit too quaint. This took me totally by surprise. The whole place oozes passion, everything is clean and well looked after. The small team here clearly loves the work they do; everything is constantly maintained, the greenery is exceedingly pruned to perfection, and not one ounce of scenery seemed in need of TLC. All of the sets are finely detailed, and there are plenty of little things to notice about each scene if you take your time appreciating the craftsmanship. Keep an eye out for puns galore on all the business names, and the amusing antics of the model villagers. Halfway around, there is a fun crazy golf course (included in the entry price) to break up the monotony of walking, and to let younger guests let off some steam. The newest installation, the indoor "Mythical" section, is a testament to attention-to-detail and painstaking model-making. I cannot stress how interesting this attraction is! The café serves hot food until about 3pm, plus nice coffee. I will say, the menu is a bit lacking, and the pizza is just (as far as I can tell) supermarket-bought Chicago Town, but there are paninis and sandwiches available too.P.S., book your tickets in advance to receive a small discount, and remember that you pay on the door, not via the website. Also, the entire site is card only, so don't come with cash.

Thomas R — Google review

We loved it here!!! Such a lovely little place! We visited on one of the special evening’s events when the village is all lit up. I loved the comic value here so not only had a good time but a really good giggle along the way.You can play crazy golf half way round which is included in the price and great fun for the whole family. Once the sun starts to set this village comes into its own and the lights make this a really special place.

Karen F — Google review

Such an interesting model village, definitely one of the best I've visited.Amazing detail in the models, some interactions and a "find where wally" for the children.Has got accessible paths but very hilly and probably difficult to push wheelchairs about.Thought it was quite expensive, but thoroughly enjoyed it.

Andrea M — Google review

I was very impressed with this model village, the detailing in the people was very good. Everything is well thought through. There’s arrows on the floor so you don’t miss anything. Very clean toilets. 4 acre plot with models all over. There’s crazy golf on site with a cafe and a gift shop. Overall a 5 star experience with reasonable pricing.

Dylan W — Google review

A brilliant day out which took us about 2-3 hours. Loved all of the displays and was great to see it's regularly updated with even small touches such as the recent FA Cup Final and King's coronation. You even get a game of mini golf!Make sure you book in advance online for 10% off entry.

Mark H — Google review

A lovely place with just a few issues. If disabled like myself the village is very steep in places so make sure you wear comfortable shoes and take someone with you and try to go on a dry day. Needs some extra rails in places otherwise an amazing place very family friendly and the staff was very helpful.

Jennifer R — Google review

An enjoyable couple of hours looking around. There were nice plants to make it look pleasant. We played crazy golf for free, which was very unexpected. They had a cafe , that you could eat in or out. A little bit steep in places. We had a very pleasant day there.

Jan L — Google review

Went in a family group of eight, spent the afternoon there, the crazy golf was fun (which is included in the entrance fee). Everywhere seems clean and well kept and if you take your time you'll see more than you first notice. The cream tea in a box was tasty. Really enjoyed our time here, I recommend a visit.

Kathy H — Google review

Fantastic laid back place. Well maintained and plenty to see. About 2.5 to 3 hrs the average but your tickets last a week if you ask them for it. Go back for the night visit and its a whole differnt place. Highly recommend.

Ian D — Google review

Lovely little model village with a (very) mini golf course for the kids to entertain themselves. The highlight has to be when the sun goes down and the lights come on, so make sure to go when they open later especially when visiting in the summer.

Mr C — Google review

Wonderful little place....with council parking right in front of the venue....the miniatures are absolutely wonderful and kids loved it..... easily takes 1/2 day to stroll around the entire place

Bhanu S — Google review

Absolutely loved this place and even though the price is a little steep, it's totally worth it. I would have liked it if the tickets were ones you could return on within 7 days for example, as we would have definitly gone back! Very clean and well kept, very much keeping up with the news and trends.

Paige P — Google review

Really nice visit. The site is situated on a large hill, so would not be suitable for wheelchairs. There are hand rails but it is very steep in areas.The displays are lovely and suitable for all ages.The price was a bit steep in our opinion. As a grown up couple we were there less than an hour, so £19 each felt expensive, however if you had kids it would be a good half day out.

Claire P — Google review

Lovely day out. Great for with the dogs and the staff were lovely ( even though my dog was a bit yappy 🤣) a lot of fun and so cute to take photos of the dogs next to the miniature scenes. If you go with a dog I'd go with a friend or someone else so that you can still look at the inside displays. I'd say it would be wonderful for all ages but if someone has mobility issues or is in a wheel chair they may struggle to get up the slope. Also as a future assistance dog handler it was wonderful to see signs saying no dogs except assistance dogs 🐕‍🦺 Vs the normal no dogs except guide dogs (for the indoor display areas where dogs can't go) I really appreciate it. If I come on holiday in the area again I will definitely be coming back. Thank you ☺️

Lucy W — Google review

Possibly the biggest Model Village I have ever visited (ironically!) - very steep hills at the start and end though!Clever little details like a lot of Model Villages, challenging mini golf included in the price which was good along with a few other displays in addition to the main village.Fairly limited choice of food in the cafe, but all staff we interacted with were pleasant and welcoming.Quite expensive parking though, but that is the local council, not the Model Village that sets that - they should lobby for lower charges to increase footfall.Nice place to visit for a couple of hours! (the kids enjoyed getting the dragon to breath fire too!)

Dave D — Google review

Lovely model village. For young and old, it’s a great place to visit. So many wonderful models to enjoy and a funny play on words with some of the signs.Recommend you go here when you’re visiting the area .Get the 22 bus from Torquay it’s about half hour ride.

Nigel J — Google review

Perfect for a sunny afternoon, our visit lasted around 2 hours. It’s a wee bit cheaper per ticket to book online in advance rather than just turn up. There’s a mini golf course of 9 holes and superb models on display. You can round it all off with a decent cup of coffee in the coffee shop too.

John K — Google review

Very well presented. Could have saved a couple of quid if pre booked. Great history behind it. Spent about 2 hours here. Had a game of crazy golf too.Stayed for coffee in the cafe.

Julie K — Google review

Recommend booking online for a discount.We were an hour early and the gentleman still allowed us with no issues.Beautiful scenery even in bad weather.Models are clearly well crafted with a brilliant sense of humour in mind for adults while children can marvel at the creations.There are indoor models and of course outdoor ones. (Indoor has heating)Nice that they have mini golf to break up the routine.Overall, an amazing experience!

Don — Google review

A must see. Amazing designs and ingenius figures depicting UK life throughout then decades.Adult ticket is £18.95 (this include a free return visit within 7 days of initial visit). Souvenirs booklet is £2.50(optional). We went back later thr same evening to experience the luminous effect.There is a café for drinks, pizza, cakes, cream tea - reasonably priced. Parking fees payable.

Charm L — Google review

Wow! So much to see here. The amount of detail in the houses and the sets is unbelievable.You can spend a few hours walking around seeing everything, and your children will love it.There's a burning house and a fire breathing dragon and so much more to see.A great cafe ( the panini's are lovely) and handy toilets halfway round. There's also crazy golf if you fancy a game..We went Halloween week and I think there were some items added for the occasion

Kevin G — Google review

This is one of the best model villages I've been to. The size and scale of some of the models and displays are wonderful and very skillfully done with a lot of humour included in the displays. Definitely a place not to miss.

Alan A — Google review

Absolutely loved this although entrance fee would be very expensive for a family but discounted if you pre book your visit. Be aware you can't book on the same day you want to visit. OAP and disabled concessions available and you don't have to pre book but do require evidence. Not suitable for anyone using a wheelchair as the way up and down is very hilly. Good clean toilets available at cafe and in the middle of the site. 9 hole crazy golf free with entry. Couple of inside exhibits. Lots of detailed miniature models to see and laughs along the way. Cafe at entrance next to gift shop. Limited choice of food available, teas and coffees, ice cream and drinks. Payable care parking available onsite. Allow a couple of hours to see everything. Definitely worth visiting.

Judy P — Google review

Simply amazing place.Cost family of 4 £63 to enter, but don't let that put you off.They clearly invest well back into the attraction which is beautifully clean throughout with ample clean toilets, a lovely cafe, good, fun crazy golf (included in admission fee), and of course a stunning and extensive model Village collection. Everything from old to future scenes with flowing water, trains, and literally hundreds of querky features and funny installations. Keep your eyes out for Where's Wally and friends, plus a fun Easter egg hunt (free with admission), which gives children a bracelet upon completion.There is so much to see. You really mustn't rush, or you'll miss the detail.Would highly recommend and definitely visit again when in the area.Finally, the gardening is excellent throughout, and I love the use of alpines, confiers, and dwarf Acer trees throughout.Order tickets day before to save around £1.50 per ticket. They don't take payment until you arrive.:-)

Darren ( — Google review

We visited during the Easter break. We missed booking the tickets online so just turned up at the door as suggested on the website. I think during peak times this probably wouldn't work so plan ahead.It was about £70 for a family of 4. We got a discount I think applied to larger groups.We didn't struggle with parking but again it might be different during the summer.The website recommends 2.5 hours which I say is about right. We played the mini golf before continuing with our tour so it could be less or more depending on whether you play and how long you take.The children most enjoyed the interactive aspects including the fire breathing dragon but I enjoyed everything. The miniature train was a hit. They changed from freight train to passenger train in the duration of our visit so the excitement went up again 😂Don't miss the indoor bits and do take a leisurely stroll.The mythical kingdom is a matter of taste, we had divided opinions as you do with kids.It's an attraction I would highly recommend even with its price tag.The kids had fun finding the Easter eggs hidden in various displays.If we lived closer it would be lovely to visit on some of their special events and themes

Melinda ( — Google review

A really excellent collection of displays that are far more interesting, well thought out and original than expected. I can imagine that this place is very weather dependant and you wouldn’t want to go when raining even though ponchos are sold on site. Overall very expensive so value for money prevents this getting 5/5

James T — Google review

4.7

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4.5

(4624)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (167)

Hampton Ave, Babbacombe, Torquay TQ1 3LA, United Kingdom

27

Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves

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Nature & Parks

Archaeological museum

The caverns and trails of Kents Cavern are a popular tourist attraction for those interested in prehistory, with exhibits dating back 45,000 years. The caverns have a constant temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, making them ideal for winter use by prehistoric humans. Tours explore the chambers and tunnels, and visitors can also attend Shakespeare plays or meet Santa Claus in an underground setting.

Amazing experience! The formations in the cavern are beautiful, everything is very well maintained. Ticket prices are reasonable and the tour is about an hour. Our guide Alan was just fantastic - knowledgeable, engaging and funny! He made our experience even better with his jokes. It's a great experience for both kids and adults.

Rosi P — Google review

Such a fun experience. Never had a tour in a cave and felt so engaged by our guide (David). Enjoyed every second, a lovely cafe where we had coffee before and after our tour, laughing staff enjoying themselves. Had such a lovely atmosphere.Once in the cave, our tour guide “David” was brilliant, nice to be shown something by someone who is passionate and interacts so well with the group he is with. The operators really do have a gem with this tour guide, never had such a fun experience.I have not put many pictures of the caves in as you need to visit to get the full effect of how great they are and the story they have.

Tom B — Google review

Lovely little visit. We caught the bus from Paignton which was a nightmare, but actually at Kents Cavern was great. We arrived early so we were able to move our pre-booked tour from 12.30 to 11am. We had a time for a coffee (which was delish) and Simon our tour guide was great he involved the kids in the tour asked them questions and was more than happy to answer questions at the end. He gave a warning about low head room and wet under foot. I have slight mobility issues so if you're the same please, please wear proper footwear, flip-flops and water DON'T mix. The woodland trail is steep but that's mainly the steps but it's great for the kids.

Lou B — Google review

Amazing piece of history. Our guide Amy was very knowledgeable and funny and made the experience something to remember. I'd recommend to anyone in the area to visit here. Such an interesting place! The onsite cafe is lovely too and reasonably priced. All of the staff are very welcoming as well.

R D — Google review

Excellent experience given by James, the very knowledgeable and entertaining guide. Came here at Christmas for the Father Christmas experience which the children loved with all the elves entertaining them and a free gift from Santa.This visit was about insights into the caves and the animals and people who lived here. Children as young as 6 up to pensioners all were captivated, including the special effects and the complete blackout experience.Prices are reasonable considering the top quality attraction and if you're an annual member (currently £20) then you get 10% off shop and cafe prices and free entrance for a year plus free parking. Cafe has good cakes, coffees and teas and not expensive.

David W — Google review

Been to Devon endless time bit id never visited the caves before. And so glad I did this time. The tour guide "Dave" made the tour with his mix of comedy and factual information. The Cafe is excellent with a selection of hot and cold food we had coffee and cake. The outside woodland walk is short but you need to get the activity booklet to enjoy the tasks. Highly recommend if your in the area.

Val R — Google review

An interesting place to visit with your kids especially when is raining or is too hot outside. The temperature in the cavern is around 11 degrees all year around. You'll learn a lot of interesting facts from the tour guide.There is a small cafe and toilets are available also.

Vladimir H — Google review

Great experience here!! Guided cave tour which was hilarious, but also incredibly interesting!! Well worth the money and time. Also a little woodland walk to do. The caves are fairly accessible with hand rails most of the way through where there's slopes.

Elliott B — Google review

This was my first time ever in a cave. It's worth it. Try it. The tour guide was very good. Kept us engaged the whole tour. The tour is about an hour. But you don't notice it. The cave itself is very nice. The temperature in the cave is a little chilly. About 10-14° it's quite amazing down there. You have a little safety briefing. And then some walks to various chambers. I can fully recommend this. There's a Cafe, gifts shop and on site parking. A kids recreation area too.

Zane___ K — Google review

This was absolutely brilliant, both for grown ups and kids. We had a 6 year old and 11 year old with us. The guide was fantastic, the place was really well presented, there was zero waiting time for our slot. Really high quality tour, thoroughly recommend.

Simon G — Google review

We were lucky enough to arrive at opening time and nobody else did - so we had the absolute pleasure of a tour for 2 with our own tour guide; James.What an amazing experience this is. James was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the caves and the geology of the area (I'm sure the other guides are too!) And he presented this information in an engaging and amusing way, always happy to answer our many questions and discuss things.The caves themselves are a must see if you're in the area - and are worth travelling to if you're not. So much history - and the ages of the caves, the dwellers, the bones that have been discovered and the rock formations are simply mind boggling.Cannot recommend this place highly enough for a really interesting couple of hours out - and if James happens to be your tour guide, you've hit the jackpot.

Darren — Google review

I met Helen this morning. She was our guide at the tour. Such a quirky, knowledgeable and lovely. I visited many caves in UK and outside the country but this trip and tour was really lovely and worth it. All ladies at ticket office were so nice as well as at the coffee shop. Thank you so much Helen & Team - You are making my Devon trip even more special ❤️

Katarzyna S — Google review

The tour takes 1 hour. Our guide Dave made this time very pleasant. The information he gave us was very interesting including why these caves in Devon are called Kents. Ever thought about it? Than ask Dave the tour guide.

LeSa — Google review

We visited the caves during our holiday and our tour guide Abbie was brilliant! Very engaging and a great story teller. Abbie made the tour lots of fun and we really enjoyed the caves and it's history.

Laura B — Google review

Brilliant evening here for the cinema experience. Was a very interesting evening. Staff were friendly and helpful. Cafe was brilliant. The only negative was the chairs, you felt a little like you was sliding down during the film. But wasn't enough to put me off. Fantastic experience !

Simon H — Google review

We really enjoyed our visit. James our guide was brilliant, he explained everything clearly and entertaining.

Dawn D — Google review

If you like caved this is a must. You are given a tour hosted by David and he was very good full of information. Lovely cafe on site with good prices. We stayed 2-5 hours well worth the money.

Carl O — Google review

Decided to visit here last minute at the end of our holiday and it ended up being the best part of the whole week. Our tour guide David deserves a raise, he was fantastic, brilliant with all the kids, especially my daughter who was a bit nervous in the dark, really knowledgeable about what he talking about, hilarious, and clearly really passionate about what he does. The tour was really interesting and all the extra bits outside of the caves were great too, lots of interesting information and interactive parts for the kids like gem digging.

Becky W — Google review

Really enjoyable day out. Caves are good and out tour guide, Charlotte, brought them to life with facts and fun. Good facilities - tea room and toilets. The woodland trail was a nice way to finish our visit and kept the children entertained looking for clues. Highly recommended.

Dave S — Google review

Loved the tour that James gave us and appreciated the showmanship that came from him. Lovely little cavern, a very quick tour. Would recommend for a one time view and especially for kids!

Fib H — Google review

These Prehistoric caves are, without doubt, the most remarkable site I have ever visited and today's experience way, way, way exceeded even my highest expectations. Millions of years of geology, hundreds of thousands of years of history and the chance to explore one of the World's most important stone age sites. Superlatives, there are none which adequately do justice to what I saw and heard on this morning's guided tour. Our guide, Ellie, absolutely smashed the delivery of it out of the park - easily the best tour I have been a part of. Facts, anecdotes, stories, humour, all evident in a wonderfully confident presentation to a highly receptive and appreciative group. The sensory interaction and way that cave history was brought to life was exceptional. This was exquisitely done and I would strongly suggest a visit to the caves whenever in this neck of the woods. Utterly outstanding.

Stanners R — Google review

This place is awesome and well worth a visit! Our tour guide was a super cool older guy who tells the stories so incredibly well and keeps you engaged the whole way round!

Paige P — Google review

Cheaper when pre booked online 1 hour guided tour, parking £3 for 4 hours plenty to do with childrenWonderful guided tour by james he was informative and the way he spoke added an extra enthusiasm to the tour. The caves are a great place to spend an hour looking around and learning about them!The cafe attached is good price, lovely selection of sandwiches and cakes. Pizza 12 inch. Didn't have one but the looked delicious

MARK R — Google review

Fantastic tour. Never been to wet caves before and was a great experience. Tour guide Noah was friendly, funny and provided great insight into the history of the caves. Recommend for all ages!

Marc M — Google review

That was really a wonderful tour. I am really surprised of the information which was introduced to us. Simon the guide of the tour was really creative and professional he really made the tour very interesting.

Fatima — Google review

Embarking on an unforgettable journey into the depths of history and natural wonder, our visit to Kents Caverns exceeded every expectation. From the moment we stepped foot into this enchanting realm, we were transported back in time to an era of ancient mysteries and awe-inspiring formations.The caverns themselves are a masterpiece of nature's craftsmanship, with stunning stalactites and stalagmites adorning every corner, creating a mesmerizing landscape that captivated our senses at every turn. As we wandered through the labyrinthine passages, guided by knowledgeable and passionate expert Alan, we were enthralled by tales of prehistoric life and the fascinating geological processes that shaped these caverns over millions of years.But Kents Caverns offered more than just breathtaking scenery; it provided a truly immersive experience that engaged all our senses. From the echoes of our footsteps reverberating off the walls to the subtle play of light illuminating hidden chambers, every moment was filled with wonder and discovery.What truly set Kents Caverns apart, however, was the dedication of its staff to ensuring an unforgettable visit for every guest. Their enthusiasm and expertise transformed our exploration into an educational adventure, leaving us with a newfound appreciation for the wonders of the natural world.In conclusion, our time at Kents Caverns was nothing short of extraordinary. It's a place where history comes to life, where ancient secrets await discovery, and where memories are made to last a lifetime. We cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone seeking a truly magical experience.Huge thank you to Alan our tour guide

Leigh B — Google review

Can't believe I've never heard of this let alone visited it! Really good tour, reasonably priced (especially if you coincidentally find yourself going in local's month!) with a nice cafe serving a limited range of really good food, again, at reasonable prices. The gift shop continues the reasonably priced theme so you don't come away with a massive bill. The tour is about an hour and, assuming all the guides are as good as James, both informative and amusing. Still photography is allowed and there is ample time to do that, rather than constantly being hurried along. It's the perfect wet weather activity but I strongly advise booking online (slightly cheaper) and in advance.

Adrian W — Google review

the most interesting toilets i have ever been to.the cave is interesting, too. i stepped on one platform but the tour guide asked me not to go there, there was no sign not a barrier.the cafe is nice.

Solaris S — Google review

Amazing experience , guided 1 hour tour ….🤩👏👏👏👏They also sell a really nice pizza at the restaurant. 👌

Deiauk — Google review

This is a fantastic family attraction and well worth a visit! There is a display of artifacts to explore before or after you go into the caves. The caves themselves are very interesting with millions of years of history. There are the classic stalactites and stalagmites. There is an excellent cafe and shop. But above all else. The staff were truly exceptionally excellent! Very educational, patient and engaging with both parents and children.

Lee E — Google review

Great experience and a well organised and informative tour. Staff were very friendly and the cafe and main building were immaculately clean. Not the first cave tour we've had but one of the best, parking is £3 for 4 hours at the time of our visit, November, as well as a cafe there is a woodland walk for children and a picnic area. Certainly a good place to visit for a few hours.

Alan A — Google review

For England very big cave. But in another countries are lots of bigger and colder caves. Very pretty but expensive merch. Also our time in the cave was very short. Our guide was very fast and also talks very fast ,we didn’t have lots of time to see the cave.

Vladimir L — Google review

A fascinating tour, very educational and engaging. Our tour guide Laurence was very knowledgeable and funny. The caves themselves are very impressive and feel very safe for walking through. There are some fairly steep, wet slopes but there are handrails in these sections. Our favourite part of the tour was the bear cave where we were plunged into absolute darkness.

Mark H — Google review

The visit to Kents Caverns was truly delightful, providing a wholesome experience reminiscent of stepping back in time to the era of cave-dwelling and pre-electricity days. Our tour guide, James, was not only informative but also made the historic details of the cave come alive with his engaging and enjoyable explanations. Additionally, the amenities such as the cafe and souvenir shop made the ticket price entirely worthwhile.

Boopathi K — Google review

It’s hard to imagine there is much to see and do in a cave, but the guide was very knowledgeable, explain a lot about the history of the cave, how it was made, a loads more. I’m not going to lie I was a bit sceptical, but it was rather good.We didn’t do the out side bit, wrong time of year and the weather was horrid.

Adam D — Google review

Stunning caves with an informative guided tour. Lots of activities and a woodland trail with 3 sets of activities for different ages. The cafe has a good menu of hot and cold food plus lots of cake options. Several gluten free options catered.

Peter V — Google review

Loved it. Went as a child, now I took my children. Both kids loved it too. Great excursion if in the area.

Antony C — Google review

Great cave, would highly recommend. Staff were friendly. Can get busy so book tickets in advance.

Benjamin M — Google review

Very well organised tidy n clean. Friendly staff. Very clean bathrooms with wheelchair access. Pathways outside (woodland walk) may be abit difficult for wheelchairs but inside caves are well organised. Abit slippy on a rainy day but lots of hand rails. Lighting dimVery interesting and trips thru are all guided. Our guide was very informative and answered all the questions patiently,even the dumb ones I asked (just testing). Fantastic subject with loads of displays.

Al H — Google review

Very friendly staff. Cafe was clean and food was lovely. Caves well worth trip. A very enjoyable vist. Good to do when raining

Alison D — Google review

Have to say, it was surprisingly educational and a comedic experience.Ended up late due to traffic but the receptionist gave us the option to continue on missing 10 mins of the tour or wait for the next one, so we chose the latter.There is a lot of history which is comically expressed, allowing you to keep interest.Lucas was a great tour guide and kept the group engaged for 45 minutes.Have to recommend it to anyone in the area.Parking cost £3 which for 45 mins might seem expensive to some.Plenty of spaces available though.

Don — Google review

Brilliant place to visit (especially on a hot day as the caverns are a lovely 14c), James our tour guide was really friendly, funny and informativeGreat for people of all ages

Aeron L — Google review

4.7

(4148)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (175)

4.5

(3942)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (176)

91 Ilsham Rd, Torquay, TQ1 2JF, United Kingdom

+44 1803 215136

28

Exeter Cathedral

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (177)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (178)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (179)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (180)

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Cathedral

Sights & Landmarks

This beautiful cathedral is over 900 years old and famous for its vaulted ceiling and astronomical clock. It has tours where you can see the best views of the city from the roof. The library contains many historical documents which is a must see for anyone visiting Exeter or staying in a cottage nearby.

Beautiful not crowded by donation only and a beautiful sunny warm spring day. Worth the visit and then walk around the cathedral close and admire the elizabethan and Tudor buildings. Or sit on the grass or the steps good choices of restaurants in and around. Last time here was 1974.

David P — Google review

The Christmas Market was really busy, so we went into the cathedral to warm up and it was my first time inside, what a spectacular building it is, seeing the architecture that was all around represents the fantastic achievements in those times. It's an absolutely stunning building. Well worth the visit. Will be returning to have a more in-depth look.

Shane G — Google review

Absolutely magnificent! Incorporating a mixture of architectural styles, the earliest being Romanesque, followed by Norman, Gothic & English Gothic. The cathedral has the longest, unbroken ceiling vaulting known as "Tierceron", in the world. When visiting, I recommend tagging onto a guided tour, the guides are extremely knowledgeable & will point out & explain many architectural features that could easily be overlooked if just making ones own way around. The guides will also give accounts of key people in history that have made their mark in this lovely building, both masons & bishops etc. When visiting the vibrant city of Exeter, I thoroughly recommend a visit to this beautiful building.

Jim S — Google review

Visited Exeter Cathedral first thing on a Saturday morning. The cathedral was almost empty and got to walk around on my own. Was haunting in its beauty and made for some really awe-inspiring moments. Although not the biggest cathedral, it is beautiful and really inspiring in its proportions. The carvings and images are really beautiful and delightful in their intensity. A lovely place to visit, you can sit and have a moment or a picnic on the cathedral green and it is a very short walk to get to the shops and into town. Accessibility is very good. The staff were all very kind and polite and even moved out of the way so that I could take some photographs. Spent over an hour in there and thoroughly enjoyed it. So peaceful and pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning.

James V — Google review

Stunning cathedral. The people inside were so friendly. One of the volunteers (I didn’t catch his name) was so eager to share some really interesting facts. He was so kind. The place is just stunning.

Erman J — Google review

A historic building on a grand scale. The transformation into a great attraction for the public drives from all ages folks and children to come and admire the beauty of this worship place. The great moon globe exhibit in the centre is the main attraction.

Mas H — Google review

The cathedral is beautiful. One can simply become awestruck in the architectural design of the whole building. The interior is also very elegant. We came here for evensong a couple of times and they were very well carried out services. It is worth it to visit this cathedral.

Adrian E — Google review

There were lots of building works going on when we visited with lots of closed off areas. Thoe areas accessible were used for storage. Feel we should not have been charged the £7.50 and should have only asked for a donation or at least informed us. Lovely Cathedral.

Gail T — Google review

For those who love architecture and history, a great place to visit, entry by donation, so please donate to up keep the places of history. Toilets are everywhere, good parking available. Renovations is going on inside and outside.

Alfred F — Google review

As everywhere, the National Trust is responsible for the maintenance and care and, as everywhere, this has also been successful here. A beautiful and well-kept cathedral. Is currently under renovation, but you could see a lot. The outdoor area is also well-kept and invites you to stay here.

Sarina A — Google review

I did the roof tour, including getting to the top of one of the towers. It was interesting and spectacular, guides very knowledgeable and charismatic. No under 8s, no bags, as there are some difficult and narrow spiral staircases and the like

M J — Google review

600 years old cathedral in Exeter, South-West England.It is known as the Church of Saint Peter and its architecture is really impressive.Ofter there are street artists' performances in the area so the place never gets quiet.People use to chill in the nearby park and also at the coffee shops located opposite the street.

Immanuel D — Google review

You don't have to be religious to appreciate the magnificence of this amazing cathedral. The facade is covered with beautiful carvings and stone masonry. Fabulous architecture that it is, it gives little clue as to the truly spectacular interior. The sheer size is overwhelming and the fan-vaulted ceiling is amazing. Currently, the cathedral is hosting a gala exhibition, the centerpiece being a huge revolving replica of planet earth, suspended from the ceiling. If you're in the West Country, this is a visit that you won't regret making.

Martin T — Google review

A beautiful cathedral.BUT I think it's wrong to charge people for visiting a church. Many cathedrals ask for a donation - a much better idea. It was expensive too - especially if you are on benefits or an oap.

Lesley T — Google review

Beautiful cathedral. Not as large as some of the other cathedrals. Currently undergoing renovation therefore some parts are closed to the public. Entrance Adult £7.50.

Harjinder K — Google review

An absolute gem of a cathedral which has a very holistic and calming feeling inside. Excellent architecture which is awe inspiring when you consider the work and effort that went into it. It was great to be able to light a candle and spend quiet time in prayer and reflection. My visit was especially special as my great great grandfather's brother had the honour of having his funeral service held here in 1905.

Antony D — Google review

Stunning place of history, engineering, and beauty . Is under heavy restoration, but u can still visit. @7 £ admission fee.Car park next to the cathedral 2£/h.Toilet next to the cathedral FREE and very clean. U will need a code, which is posted at the cathedral exit.

Florin D — Google review

Very detailed design from outside. We didn’t go in as running out of time. But I think there can be more information introducing the history on the square outside of the church to make it more visitor friendly

Catherine Y — Google review

Great surroundings at this Cathedral, you can sit and have a coffee on a nice day on the grass lawns all around. Stunning inside the Cathedral itself, it has the longest, unbroken stone vaulted ceiling in the world! Gorgeous! 😮The organ also is awesome 👌 there is an astromical clock also! £7.50 entry fee and worth it. Little gift shop inside.

Lornna D — Google review

This building is a piece of Art work. The large scales of the building and small intricate designs made in a time with no tool like we have are incredible. Exeter is so lucky to have this fabulous building. They have a great little gift shop and you do have to pay to get in but it’s soo worth it.

Joe B — Google review

This was the best architectural work I have ever seen in my entire life. The dates are amazing! The welcome and tours conducted by the staff was very enriching. At least I had a bit of the church history in England. I am sure I will go back again. This is a very rich heritage.

Nyakambah N — Google review

Exeter Cathedral is definitely worth a visit if you are in Exeter, internally there were some areas closed where renovations are taking place but most of the cathedral is open.The roof and stained glass windows are impressive, well highlighted and restored.The entry cost was £14.95 adults with Children free, our visit was around an hour, such a peaceful place to visit.The coffee van is a great addition.

James F — Google review

The heart of Exeter with stunning views and nice area to sit down and enjoy the view. Lots of shops, restaurants, pubs, cafes around and nice green area surrounding the cathedral.

Indy R — Google review

A really fascinating and free visit.This is a massive cathedral with some truly ancient parts and sights to see and read about. For anyone into history, religious or not, this is a very interesting visit.It is a beautiful site and worth the time to walk around.

Paul W — Google review

Exeter Cathedral stands as a magnificent testament to centuries of history and architectural splendor. Its towering spires and intricate facade captivate visitors from afar, drawing them closer to explore its grandeur. As a tourist, viewing the cathedral from outside unveils a breathtaking sight, showcasing its impressive Gothic design and intricate stone carvings. Whether admiring its facade bathed in sunlight or illuminated against the evening sky, the cathedral's exterior exudes a sense of awe and wonder, making it a must-see attraction in Exeter.

Master J — Google review

Love the Christmas Market, staple of the year.The park is always very peaceful and there's rarely ever noisy teenagers like in other parks around Exeter. Even if you're eating on your own, the pigeons will keep you company and they're very cute. They will not take your food.The exhibitions and events that happen inside the cathedral are amazing too and I love learning about it's history. I also love that it has a quiet area for people to pray in peace.

Kara — Google review

At the moment during January, entry is free but of course they appreciate voluntary donations which you can do by card or cash. They do offer free guided tours or you can have an audio guide but that waffles on a bit. We were lucky to meet one of the guides with free time and he was interesting. The original part was built in Norman times (1114) and the rest was added 1270-1328.There are numerous memorials with a high proportion of Devon soldiers. Numerous historic items can be found with the original mechanics of the large clock above the gift shop on view. The organ pipes are enormous being over 10mtrs tall. Well worth a visit. For only the next couple of days there is a light show on in the evenings.

Michael K — Google review

What a stunning piece of history and Engineering to wander around and marvelette for an hour or two when you visit the town of Exeter. So much history and so much Beauty it really does have to be seen to be believed. Some nice local offerings in the shop and the volunteer staff for all friendly and Keen to help.

Lachlan B — Google review

Loved visiting the cathedral...its under going some work at the moment in the centre of it but it doesn't stop u from enjoying this lovely place of worship.

Billie G — Google review

An ancient and beautiful cathedral in the heart of the historic city of Exeter. It's not as large as some of the cathedrals I have visited, but I found it every bit as impressive, from the great Norman towers and well-preserved medieval statues on the exterior of the building to the magnificent rib vaulted ceiling in the nave. There's an admission fee of £7.50 for an adult, £6 for concessions and students - very reasonable I thought, compared to some other cathedrals - and accompanied children go free. The man who issued my ticket was very helpful and informative, and I also bought a beautiful guidebook for £6. There are cathedral tours lasting an hour (included in admission), but I wandered around on my own. There was so much to see and admire. I was particularly impressed with the splendid Lady Chapel and the ornate tombs of the medieval bishops. There's an astronomical clock above the shop (which has a great selection of gifts and books). Could not visit the quire because it is undergoing extensive renovations. There's a café outside the cathedral, and when I visited there was also a very good craft market taking place. All in all an enjoyable and inspiring visit. Will be back to see the quire when it's finished!

Valerie H — Google review

What a magnificent and magical cathedral and while visiting we had the pleasure to listen to the heavenly voices of a choir group and the cathedral organ practicing in preparation for Easter Sunday.Definitely add this wonderful place to your itinerary if you are visiting the city of Exeter.

Zak T — Google review

Amazing architecture, beautiful design, and friendly staff who offered to explain about the magnificent designs. Loved it here.

Aria I — Google review

Great for the architectural buffs, the stone vaulted ceiling is amazing, how they achieved this back in their day, was incredible.

David B — Google review

This is equal to Ely Cathedral, amazing architecture and history, blessed to visit and worship in this cathedral, you can spend 1-2 hrs reading through the various writings on the walls, must visit when in Exeter

Alfie D — Google review

4.6

(5043)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (183)

4.5

(3087)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (184)

1 The Cloisters, Exeter, EX1 1HS, United Kingdom

+44 1392 255573

29

Knightshayes Court

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (185)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (186)

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (187)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (188)

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Building

Sights & Landmarks

Historic Sites

Knightshayes Court is a Victorian mansion located in Bolham, one mile east of Tiverton. This impressive country house was designed by the highly eccentric architect William Burges for John Heathcoat Mallory, an MP from Tiverton, in 1869. The building features an array of stone curlicues, ornate mantles and carved figurines reflective of Burges' obsession with the Middle Ages, as well as lavish Victorian decoration.

4.5

(1087)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (189)

Tiverton, EX16 7RG, UK

30

Bicton Park Botanical Gardens

Mentioned on

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Botanical garden

Nature & Parks

Historic Sites

Gardens

Bicton Park Botanical Gardens located in East Budleigh spans 64 acres of parkland and boasts of rare and exquisite flora, including the Palm House greenhouse with over 18,000 glass panes built two decades prior to The Kew Gardens Palm House. These Grade 1 listed gardens offer visitors a mix of modern amenities like a restaurant, shop, adventure playground, mini-golf course, railway and indoor play area alongside the tranquil charm of an 18th-century landscaped park.

Beautiful gardens, lots to see, very nice cafe with outdoor and indoor seating. Dog friendly. There’s a little train you can get around the grounds should you choose, but we walked round the grounds on foot for a couple of hours and really enjoyed it. Gift shop too should you want to treat yourself.

Julie B — Google review

Love this place! Beautiful gardens and all sorts of different varieties and species of plants and trees to explore. Small shop and selection of garden plants/decorations available to purchase. Great little museum and kids soft play. Lovely ride on the train through the gardens and past the lake, also a great outdoor play area a short walk from the Italian Garden.

Matt V — Google review

We loved visiting the Botanical Gardens, it's such a beautiful place. It's dog friendly and good value for money. You could definitely stay all day as there's plenty to see and do. We enjoyed the little train and the play area looked good for children.

Donna S — Google review

These gardens were awesome, there isn’t a thing I could fault, historical, informative, educational and economic everything was there the grounds staff have done an amazing job in keeping up the grounds. The entrance and cafe staff were pleasant and polite. We visited another garden and Bicton park is by far the better in so many ways. Well done to all staff for making our visit a most enjoyable experience.

Mike B — Google review

I went to Bicton today 26feb so it's winter and not much wildlife or flowers out and think the price should have been reduce because of this. You enter an expensive botanical garden and expect to see lots of different flowers etc for the price but didnt see much. There's a lovely museum there donated by local farmers over the years and lovely play equipment for kids but honestly if you want to see flowers and wildlife etc I would look elsewhere or wait until spring and summer. The grounds are well look after and the train ride (extra cost) is nice and entertaining for kids. The duck pond was nice with the water fountain and geese and swans. The fairy falls was a let down and quite a walk for little legs or less able adults (pictures below)Over all and conclusion is forget winter visit as its just an expensive play park for kids. Summer would be amazing though so will return and update.

Ldb P — Google review

A day at Bicton is heaven for me and my toddler! It is a beautiful place with regular friendly staff who take good care of Bicton. There is lots to keep children entertained - parks, soft play, ducks and the train going around the grounds several times a day. For grown ups, the gardens are very impressive and I would happily spend a couple of hours on my own walking around surveying the grounds! The café and gift shop are great.We enjoy an annual membership which is good value for money as we go quite often. The soft play means we have a nice day out even when the weather is poor. You have to pay a little extra for soft play and the train which in my opinion is worth it to keep these things running.Thank you Bicton!

Marie J — Google review

What a wonderful surprise! Bicton Park is a really beautiful gardens. Lots of interesting waters and huge variety of colours and shapes and sizes. Really worth visiting, they accept tesco clubcard vouchers too. Their annual ticket would be worthwhile if you live nearby.

Amelia C — Google review

Loved our day out here. The train around the gardens was a great start to the day, we got to see a lot of the grounds. The paths are well laid out, with route suggestions for less mobile people. Everything looked really well cared for. The restaurant had a really good range of Vegan products as well, which was a lovely surprise.

Simon G — Google review

We were very pleasantly surprised by this place. We couldn't decide if we wanted to come to a botanical garden with a 3 year old in tow however we are glad we did because this place has lots to do for little ones such as the train ride through the gardens as well as the undercover play area and in door soft play. The surroundings are amazing and very well kept. The bloke who mows the lawns certainly earns his money. We fed the ducks near the Lovely fountains and water features. There's an out door park with lots to do and crazy golf near by. We hope to come back soon.

JustUr A — Google review

Fabulous place with something for everyone. The farming museum and borders/flowers were my favourites, though the restaurant serves a very good lasagna, which we had followed by a cream tea. Somewhere to lie down afterwards might be something to think about. 🤔 😊

Simon F — Google review

Great place for easy walk/stroll with designated trails with bird hide and bee keeping area. For all the family old or the young. With a small plant shop outside along with a shop with tea/coffee and cake a long with warm counter snack food. Take a few hours exploring the delights this little gem has to offer.

Shane H — Google review

Lovely place to visit for a walk around the gardens. Plenty to do there to, from the mini-railway to the kids play areas (indoor and outdoor) and the mini-golf. Great value for the ticket for a fun wholesome time out.

Charles B — Google review

We booked for the Christmas meal, so glad we did, it was amazing and such good value.Food was nicely presented, cooked and plenty of it and the staff were so lovely and friendly, nothing was too much bother.The tables were decorated for Christmas and we even got a visit from Father Christmas and a present each, such a nice touch.Well done to all the team for all their hard work and attention to detail. Will definitely be booking for next year.

Carole W — Google review

Beautiful gardens, even in March, well worth a visit. Food in the cafe reasonably priced and filling. Great vegan options. Thoroughly enjoyed our visit and we will be back!

Denise T — Google review

Very pleasant gardens to visit. Child and dog friendly.It has a train around the site and a very nice cafe to take a seat after the walk round.Also has a small church in the gardens.

Malcolm D — Google review

Beautiful, mostly flat, staff lovely and friendly, excellent coffee shop with delicious food. We love visiting. Perfect place for all the family

Heather G — Google review

A late autumn visit so not so many flowers but plenty of beautiful trees and shrubs and then there were the glasshouses. The cafe produced good snacks and also meals. Be prepared for lots of walking although there are good paths. The map was a little difficult to follow.l, could do with more signs. There is lots of stuff for children but we did not have any but still we were there for only four hours and did not finish!

Denis P — Google review

Fabulous selection of trees covering so many interests. Pleased to find a couple of Willow Podacarps as well as some Dawn Redwoods and a Swamp Cypress to compare.

Mike T — Google review

Absolutely beautiful gardens!Tickets reasonably priced and we were happy that the place is dog friendly too (even has a dog friendly seating area in the restaurant)Train tickets paid separately but a nice addition. There is also a paid soft play for children thay we didn't use can't comment but the outdoor play space was great!

Kirstie J — Google review

Stunningly beautiful place , plants and trees are a credit to those that work there bonus you can buy tickets with your Tesco vouchers

Angela V — Google review

We upgraded to the annual pass after our first visit. We love walking around the gardens and our little one loves the outdoor play park, the museum and the train. There are plenty of picnic benches spread out throughout the gardens so we always bring picnic with us. They have a lovely cafe though if you rather not bring your own food.

Melissa C — Google review

Good day out wit granddaughters. They really enjoy feeding the ducks and love the activity area. We also enjoyed the museum with all the old machinery. They didn’t like the mannequins, found them creepy and unrealistic. Everything was very dusty and uncared for - needs a spring clean and brightening up with a lick of paint!! Lunch was good and not too expensive, lots to choose from and quality was good.

Jenny W — Google review

First visit today and have to say I loved it. Beautiful gardens, kids activities (indoor and outdoor play areas, duck feeding - there are many), wildlife, welcoming and helpful staff, duck feed, even a train ride.An enjoyable and worthwhile day out.

Sarah A — Google review

A great family day out. Plenty to see and do for all ages. Beautiful gardens, large kids play area, ride on steam train and a couple of outlets for food and ice creams. Alternatively lots of places to sit and have a picnic. Great baby changing facilities and dog friendly too.

Kelly D — Google review

Used Tesco vouchers for a free visit on a lovely sunny day. Been a long while since last here. Really lovely chilled visit, a few steep inclines but good pathways. Gardens blooming nicely. Great space to explore. Vintage farming museum very informative. Family friendly.

Donna S — Google review

Amazing gardens so much to see. Make sure you buy some duck food, there are loads of them. We saw lots of baby ducks and Canada geese. There's soft play for the kids and an amazing restaurant and shop. We also visited the church on the grounds and you must go on the train it go's all round the park. Our driver was Ken he was brilliant.

Sian E — Google review

Beautiful gardens with an abundance of flowers, along with a peaceful walk amongst the trees to the far end of the gardens

M A — Google review

4.6

(1647)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (191)

4.0

(957)40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (192)

Bicton East, Budleigh Salterton, EX9 7BJ, United Kingdom

+44 1395 568465

40 Best Stops Between Mevagissey and Exeter (2024)

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