FAVOURITE PLACES TO VISIT IN THE SOUTHWEST.

I live in Cornwall near the border to Devon so I am ideally situated to visit places from the tip of Lands End right across to the East of Dorset and up to Somerset.

Here are a few of my own special places to visit. I must stress these are my favourites and I expect you will have different opinions.Please feel free to leave your suggestions in the Guestbook.

Cotehele House.
Let me start off close to home with the National Trust property Cotehele House nr. Saltash. This is a gorgeous house and gardens on the banks of the River Tamar in Cornwall.

Cawsand.

The Rame Peninsula [The Forgotten Corner] has two delightful old fishing villages not that there is much fishing done now. Kingsand and Cawsand are very quaint and peaceful havens.

Traveling down the coast westwards you come to Fowey which has a unique unspoilt charm. The Medieval and Tudor cottages, narrow steep winding streets with glimpses of the shimmering river below, busy with yachts and boats and the quays bustling with life, hold a special fascination for visitors of all ages.

I find Truro an enjoyable place for shopping it has many types of quality shops much different to the normal big towns with their duplicated shopping malls.

On down to the most southern tip of Cornwall you have three of my real favourites Marizion with the mystical St Michael’s Mount.

In July 1595 the village of Mousehole was attacked by a Spanish raiding party.The whole village was burnt to the ground except the house of Squire Keigwins, who lost his life defending it. Mousehole was a busy fishing village noted for its pilchards.

St Ives.
Across to St Ives on the Atlantic Coast. Thanks to warm summers and Britain's mildest climate, the delights of St Ives, and the magic of Cornwall are here to be enjoyed all year round. There's so much to see, the fine golden sand and the clear blue ocean, the way the sunlight flickers over the cottages and quays, the art galleries, the gardens, the cafes and wonderful places to stay.

Trevone.
Heading northwards along the Cornish Atlantic Coast a surfers heaven, there are numourous places to visit, but my favourites are Trevone, Constantine Bay and Widemouth Bay.

On to North Devon we have Croyde Bay and Woolacombe. Its beach has been voted one of Britain's best and lies between Morte Point and Baggy Point. This three-mile long stretch of golden sand has won both the blue flag and Premier Seaside Beach awards for it's cleanliness, water quality and facilities. Life guards ensure safe family swimming during the summer and surfers come from all over the country to enjoy the great waves and clean water. Around the corner we have the old fishing village of Clovelly a steep cobbled main street down to the seashore.

Bath.
My next point of call is Bath, which is the furthest of my travels, I love to go there out of season. It is a unique city; its hot springs, Roman Baths, splendid Abbey and Georgian stone crescents have attracted visitors for centuries. Set in rolling Somerset countryside, just over 100 miles west of London, it is a beautiful and unforgettable place to visit.

Next stop down to the South Coast and Lyme Regis. Lyme Regis is an historic unspoiled seaside resort and fishing port on the world famous Cobb harbour. Surrounded by beautiful coastlines and countryside, the area has now been awarded World Heritage Site Status; famous for its geology and fossil finds.

Continuing on Beer is a quaint Devon fishing village. Once a smugglers haven,set in one of the most sheltered positions on the Devon coast, Beer is a natural suntrap with amazing views across the bay.The beach at Beer,and the waters in the bay are very sheltered. Beer has a small stream which - follows the line of the pavement - running through Beer's gently sloping streets across the beach to the sea.

Down to the South Hams with Dartmouth, Totnes and Slapton. to name a few of the wonderful places.
Travelling down to Bigbury on Sea you suddenly come upon a jewel, situated of the South Devon coast. Burgh Island set on a tidal island off the coast it is privately owned, and is an attraction for holiday makers and coastal walkers. There is a pub and hotel on the island which is only accessible by foot during low water. Noel Coward, Josephine Baker and Agatha Christie are among the 1930s celebrity’s who retreated to the calm of Burgh Island Hotel.

Burgh Island.

Further on Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo are among the most attractive villages in Devon.
The twin villages of Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo lie either side of the Yealm Estuary. Here you can see visiting yachtsmen and locals enjoying the sheltered river with their boats.

Heading north we have Dartmoor National Park. The word Dartmoor conjures up many things to many people. Some think of ponies and cream teas, others picture vast tracts of wilderness and bottomless bogs. it is 368 square miles of pure intrigue and fascination, it's an addictive place and once you have fallen under its spell you will never want to be parted from it.