Top Things to do in Devon
Top 10 Food & Drink in Devon, England
From the wilds of Dartmoor to the wooded hillsides of the Lyn Valley, Devon is undoubtedly one of England's most beautiful counties. Its overwhelmingly rural landscape means that catered accommodation is restricted to over-subscribed Bed and Breakfasts and hotels which are mostly concentrated in towns like Exeter and Barnstaple.
Devon is a great location for a family holiday in the great outdoors, with everything from beach resorts at Ilfracombe to rambling in the hills of Exmoor and tors of Dartmoor. It is a large county, but whether you want to follow the Tarka Trail, or walk down the Doone Valley, you can be sure there will be cottages open for holiday rentals nearby.
Most of Devon's holiday rental cottages started as farm buildings of some sort, and planning restrictions mean that many of them retain their rural charm on the outside. However, the cottages are generally renovated to 21st Century standards inside, with double glazing, TV, washing machines and fully-equipped kitchens. Families are well catered for in the higher end properties with games rooms, sometimes including full-size pool tables and large gardens for children to explore.
Despite the unpredictability of Devon's weather even during the summer months, the comfort of these properties gives great peace of mind. Moreover, a week's holiday rental of a cottage in Devon can cost as little as £300 - £400. During the peak season you can spend as much as £900 a month for one of the larger or more luxurious cottages, which still works out to be cheaper than a lot of hotels, especially if you have to book several rooms to accommodate a family of four or five.
To get the best of Devon's startling countryside and its friendly communities, renting a holiday cottage near Lynton and Lynmouth can be a good start. It is a useful base from which to explore North Devon, and is within walking distance of several beauty spots, such as Watersmeet (complete with a small but impressive waterfall) and the Valley of the Rocks. Separated by a steep cliff, you can travel up a funicular railway from coastal Lynmouth to clifftop Lynton, with plenty of stunning walks, shopping opportunities and several beaches and boat trips to nearby coastal attractions.
The twin villages also boast a concentration of well-equipped holiday cottages, from modest fisherman's cottages on the path to Watersmeet to grander hillside houses on the way to the Valley of the Rocks. Whatever your budget, Lynton and Lynmouth can provide some tempting accommodation options for your first Devon holiday.
Restaurants in Devon
1. Quance Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
We are a small boutique vineyard set in the beautiful rolling countryside of North Devon. We produce a range of exquisite still wines and are open to the public for tours and tastings, by appointment from April through to September. Please contact us and we would love to see you.
2. Alder Vineyard
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 30 reviews
Grow your love of wine far beyond the bottle. From the muddy boots of winter pruning to the glimmering sunshine across our Devon vineyard at harvest, our love of wine has grown far beyond the bottle. The only thing we love more, is sharing it with you. So what are you waiting for? Join us for a tour, lunch in our kitchen or browse our local bottle + gift shop.
Reviewed By SouthDevonCatwoman
We booked the Vineyard Tour & lunch online (a Christmas present to ourselves!). Very easy to book. Tom showed us around the vines and was easy to chat to and knowledgeable. We had a taster session (really lovely Rose & white wine) followed by a delicious lunch in the new cafe. It is obvious that much time, energy and love have been invested into this family business and Alder Vineyard thoroughly deserve their success. We look forward to returning in the near future to see how things have developed.
3. Stannary Brewing Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 33 reviews
Stannary Brewing Company is a small craft brewery & Taproom close to the centre of Tavistock, only a 5 minute walk from the main carparks and the 'Meadows' park. Stannary Brewing Co. was born out of a love of big flavoured beers. Taking our inspiration from beer styles from all over the world we love to develop fresh and exciting full flavoured craft beers, all our beers are unfiltered & un-fined which means they are vegan friendly. The Stannary Taproom is open every Friday evening 5:30pm till 11pm throughout the year and our Beer & BBQ Bash takes place on the last Saturday in each month, see full details on Facebook or Twitter. Stannary Tap' serves 10 beers fresh from the keg every week plus a range of our bottled beers. We also sell a small range of ciders & wines, local gins and some cans and bottles from our favourite breweries from around the world. Drop in and chill out with a craft beer sometime!
Reviewed By Boardslider21 - Woolacombe, United Kingdom
The brewery is tucked away, as so many are in a corner of an industrial area, but can be reached on foot very easily with a pleasant walk through the park. It's best to double check opening hours before turning up though just in case. Bring a stout bag to take home your shopping from the bottle shop!
4. Salcombe Distilling Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 438 reviews
Home to our Victuallers shop, award winning Gin School, Distillery & Bar, Salcombe Distilling Co. is nestled amongst traditional boat builders on Island Street Salcombe. As one of the world's only distilleries directly accessible by boat, SDCo continues Salcombe's legacy of producing outstanding handcrafted products made with an unrivalled passion, care and attention to detail.
Reviewed By GlamTourist - South West England, United Kingdom
An incredible ‘experience’ making our own Gin! Welcomed from the start with a Salcombe gin, very knowledgeable distillers helped with finding botanicals and more Salcombe Gin in the middle as well as at the end made the whole gin making experience brilliant! Plus we ended up with a bottle of our own made VERY drinkable gin. Can’t recommend highly enough!
5. Salcombe Brewery Co
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 16 reviews
Salcombe Brewery Co. has stunning views of Devon hills towards the beautiful Salcombe Ria. The brewhouse is a unique concept situated above a decommissioned water reservoir, utilising the natural ambient temperature of the underground facility for storing beer making the brewery as energy efficient as possible. Together with the surrounding nature and views towards Salcombe, it’s a great place for local and visiting customers to enjoy. Brewery tours and Brew days are great interactive ways to learn more about the beers; Devon Amber, Seahorse, Lifesaver, Salcombe Gold and Shingle Bay. Visitors can watch the brewers in action, engage in a Q&A and enjoy the all-important samplings of the beer! The Taproom can also be hired for events such as meetings, parties and tastings, making the brewery a versatile place to visit and enjoy. The Brewery Shop is open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 to 16.00 (Open Saturday 10.00 - 14.00 during the low season).
6. Wellhayes Vineyard
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 9 reviews
Set in the rolling hills of mid Devon, Wellhayes Vineyard produces quality sparkling wine on site from grapes grown solely in the vineyard. Visits to the vineyard, including wine tasting, are available by appointment on Wednesdays and Sundays at 3pm from May to September. From £8pp (£12 with cream tea).
Reviewed By lizziet375
Spent a wonderful afternoon on a tour of the vineyard with Simon. We were all thoroughly engrossed in the process and Simon was a very informative, knowledgeable and animated host. A very impressive set up and the wine was delicious! Thank you, a real highlight of our holiday.
7. Dartmoor Whisky Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 12 reviews
Please note: due to Covid-19, we are currently closed to visitors, apart from Saturday 1pm-2pm for tours. Pre-booking is eesential, you can book tickets on our website. WE ARE CRAFTING THE SOUTH WEST’S VERY FIRST SINGLE MALT WHISKY ON THE EDGE OF DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK Our beautiful ex-Cognac still was hand beaten in 1966 and has produced quality spirit for the likes of Hennessy, Martel and Remy Martin for most of its life. Saved from sitting dormant since its decommission in 1994, our still has been fully refurbished to restore it back to its former glory and is now producing smooth, sweet new make spirit made from Dartmoor barley. Inspired by the rugged land of Dartmoor on which we live and guided by our Master Distiller, Frank McHardy, our mission is to produce single malt whisky of unrivalled quality that encapsulates the true spirit of Dartmoor National Park.
Reviewed By Johnanddiane
Well worth a visit Simon is a great host very informative interesting talk all about the “history”of Dartmoor Whisky Distillery and the making of whisky. Please if your interested in local interest want to support them or just find out about whisky making go and enjoy an hour or so here. Do a little tasting and maybe purchase a bottle. Could do this trip on your own or as a couple group friends (not really for young children )
8. Calancombe Estate
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Wines lovingly crafted from grapes exclusively grown on the Estate
9. Topsham Saturday Market
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Vibrant Saturday Market in the heart of Topsham, a wonderful mix of food, gifts, clothes,vintage and homewares. Open from 8.30am to 1pm every Saturday.
10. Castlewood Vineyard
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By 638MelissaP - Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
We went as part of River Cottages wine and dine experience. Rob was a really great host and despite the low mist and rain we had a fab time and learnt a thing or two in the process. We are looking forward to coming back - hopefully to the festival next year!! We have sampled a few vineyards and can honestly say castlewoods vintage sparkling white wine is the best we have ever tasted. We managed to purchase some bottles to take home to enjoy...they didn’t last the evening ;)
