Things to Do in Devon

Devon is the big county in Britain’s southwest, the one that gives you two very different coastlines, two national parks, and enough variety to fill a fortnight without repeating yourself. I have spent long stretches here over the years and every trip surfaces something new, some little cove or quiet valley I had somehow missed before. If you are building a list of things to do in Devon, start with the essentials and then let the county pull you into the spaces between them, because that is where the real magic tends to hide.

Walk a Stretch of the South West Coast Path

The 630 mile path runs along the whole of Devon’s coast and it is the single best way to see the county from the ground. Pick a section rather than the whole thing; the joy is in walking a defined stretch between two points and feeling the rhythm in your legs. The stretch from Salcombe to Torcross along Start Bay, or the cliffs above the fishing village of Beer, give you sea, slate and turf in one afternoon, with the wide view across the water as your constant companion. Wear proper boots, check the tides, and take plenty of water because the climbs are steeper than they look on a map and the sun can be fierce in the sheltered combes.

Roam Dartmoor

Dartmoor is a vast open space of granite tors, wild ponies and deep river valleys in the south of the county, and it is one of the few places in England where you can wander freely across most of the land. Climb to Haytor or Hound Tor for sweeping views over the surrounding moors, find a stretch of the River Dart to paddle in on a summer day, and end with a meal in a moorland village like Widecombe-in-the-Moor or Postbridge. The weather changes fast up on the open land, so carry layers even on a bright morning, and watch out for the horses and cattle that roam freely, which are best admired at a distance.

Explore Exmoor

Devon shares the north coast with Exmoor National Park, a darker, wilder landscape of red sandstone cliffs and wooded combes that run steeply down to the sea. The dramatic area around Lynton and Lynmouth, joined by a cliff railway, is a highlight, and the coast here is a designated dark sky reserve, so on a clear night the sky becomes the main event, thick with stars in a way city dwellers barely remember. It is quieter than Dartmoor and all the better for it, with lonely valleys and grazing deer, and in autumn the red deer rut echoes across the valley floors at dusk.

Hit the Beaches

Devon’s beaches split cleanly by coast, and knowing the difference solves half your decision making. The north has the surf, with big sandy stretches at Woolacombe, Saunton and Croyde that count among the finest in Britain, drawing surfers all year round. The south coast is gentler, with warm sheltered spots and classic English seaside towns like Torquay, Paignton and Sidmouth, where the pace is slower and the water calmer. Whether you want to take a lesson in the Atlantic breakers or build sandcastles in a warm sheltered bay, there is a stretch of Devon sand with your name on it.

Visit the Towns

Exeter is the historic heart, with a magnificent cathedral with vaults like no other in the country, a river running through the centre, and a strong food and drink scene. Plymouth blends naval heroism with a lively waterfront around the Barbican, where the Mayflower set sail. In between, the smaller places charm the most. Dartmouth sits prettily on the River Dart with its castle guarding the entrance. Totnes has its castle and famously independent craft spirit. And Clovelly, with its steep cobbled main street tumbling to the harbour, is preserved like a time capsule, so enchanting that it charges entry for the privilege and people happily pay.

Eat Your Way Around

Devon takes its food seriously, and you should treat eating as part of the sightseeing. Cream teas here put the jam first and the cream second, a point of fierce local pride in the perpetual argument with Cornwall across the border. Beyond that, the county is known for its seafood, its orchard cider that has been made here for centuries, and the fresh produce that appears on market stalls and pub menus throughout the year. A good Devon pub lunch, eaten outside with the sea or a river in view, is one of the reliable and repeatable joys of the place, worth planning a day around.

Give It the Time It Deserves

Devon is a county of long distances if you try to do it all quickly, so resist the urge to rush. Pick a base, give yourself days rather than hours, and let the slower rhythm take over. The coast path, the moors, the beaches and the food all reward a proper stay, and that unhurried approach is what turns a good holiday into the kind you remember for years. Pace yourselves, come back for what you missed, and Devon will keep on giving.