Why You Should Visit Devon In The Winter
When you’re thinking about trips away and Devon comes up as a possible destination, it’s hard not to think about relaxing on golden beaches and eating ice cream in the sun. Summers in Devon are nothing but beautiful but don’t write Devon off completely when deciding your winter escape, this little county has more than meets the eye, so here are some reason why you should visit Devon in the winter.
The crowds
OK, so you may be thinking “there’s a reason its quieter in the winter” and you would be right, fewer people visit the west country during winter than in summertime, but why should that stop you from enjoying crowd-free beaches and quiet dinners in one of Devon’s beautiful pubs. The landscape of Devon changes from season to season in such a way that you get something different every time you come here. Experience Devon as the locals do and learn to love it without the tourist stamp and the tourist prices.
Places to stay
As you have already gathered Devon can get crowded in the summer so why not visit Devon in the winter and stay in some of the best accommodation the county has to offer. With lower prices than in the summer months, you can save a bit of cash for pudding at one of the local pubs or restaurants. Devon has a variety of amazing accommodation options and so many beautiful locations stay. The coast offers some great opportunities for adventure, as does Dartmoor. Try staying in some of Devons most historic towns and cities to mix leisure and culture together. Have a look at the latest accommodation prices in some of the best Devon locations. Click Here
Walking
If you love to walk but want to experience something with a more adventurous edge then Devon’s coastal path is one which you must try out. The summertime can get hot and when you’re walking with no end in sight it can certainly become an exhausting exercise, well during the winter you won’t have to worry because the likelihood is it will be cold. Wrapping up warm and rambling along the coast in some sensational weather can be the most satisfying experience. The best part is stumbling into a local pub and sitting in front of a roaring fire whilst you talk about wind roaring and waves being thrown against the rocks. In many cases, you can go out for a days walk and the sun will be beaming down with that crisp chill in the air the coastal path is great for visiting beaches places like Dartmouth and Blackpool Sands as it runs straight through these. Have a look at our post on 10 amazing south Devon walks.
Dog friendly beaches
When you’re a dog lover and you find the perfect dog friendly holiday your eyes light up with glee. Devon is known for being a dog loving county with many pubs allowing well behaved dogs to sit in with a lead of course. The beaches are of course no exception, almost all beaches in Devon become dog friendly during the winter months and this means that your friend will have other friends to play with, releasing some of that energy they seem to store up. Do be warned though plenty of beaches are off limits to dogs in the summer months understandably as you would rather not stand bare foot in something nasty. Pictured below is is Slapton Sands or Tor Cross as its referred to this is a huge stretch of beach and one of my favourite places to take the dog.
Pubs and food
Devon is known for its great tasting food with many famous chefs coming from the south west. Food being at the root of every hungry Devonian it’s no surprise the amount of choice and quality of food on offer. Devon has all the resources for quality ingredients, a beautiful coast supplying fresh fish, acres of fertile land producing great fruit and veg and many miles of grazing land for cattle and other animals. TripAdvisor would be a great place to check out if you’re looking for something specific I recommend finding a more rural restaurant or pub if you’re looking for something authentic.
Activities and things to do
Devon in the winter has many of the activities you would also experience in the summertime, some great ideas would be to go and visit the many National Trust sites as places like Saltram and Castle Drogo come to life during Christmas and into the new year. If you are going to be staying near the coast you may as well make the most of the many fishing opportunities, if this is something that you would love to take part in then I recommend places like Salcombe you can read more here “Discovering Salcombe”
When it comes to children it can be hard to entertain them on a cold or rainy day so another great reason to visit Devon in the winter is that all those theme parks, soft plays and wildlife centres are all available throughout the winter. Plymouth Aquarium is a must visit and if you would like to read more I’ve done a post on this here “Discovering Plymouth Aqaurium”
In conclusion, you just cant rule Devon out as one of your winter getaways what could be better in the winter than cosy accommodation, delicious food in a quiet local pub next to a roaring fire….perfect.