South West England
"I love the West Country, the countryside, the sea and the gulls." Fern Britton
The South West is a region of contrasts - Wiltshire, where South West England begins less than an hour from London; Gloucestershire, home to the Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds; Dorset, an area of outstanding natural beauty and bordered by the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site; Bristol and Bath, with centuries of history and culture; Somerset, a mix of heather covered Exmoor and the levels of Sedgemoor; Devon, with two coastlines and wide open spaces; Cornwall, bounded by the sea and steeped in Celtic tradition with the delightful Scilly Isles, each with its own features and attractions.
Majestic cathedrals grace cities like Salisbury, Gloucester, Wells, Truro and Exeter while Bath boasts famous Roman remains and Georgian splendour. Maritime history features strongly in Plymouth from where the Pilgrim Fathers and Sir Francis Drake sailed. And for contemporary arts, Bristol, the largest city in the South West, is home to the wonderful Arnolfini.
Wherever you go you will see spectacular scenery, wonderful countryside and a beautiful coastline. Walk the coastal paths, discover sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, secluded coves and picturesque fishing villages, or visit the larger and livelier resorts. Inland, visit prehistoric sites, villages with thatched, cob cottages and riverside pubs, stately homes with landscaped gardens or the wide open spaces of the wonderful National Parks, Exmoor and Dartmoor.
Hidden gems
Tower Tour at Bath Abbey - climb 212 stairs for amazing views over Bath City and the surrounding countryside.
www.visitbath.co.uk/site/things-to-do/bath-abbey-p24001
Eden Project - find crops, landscapes and wild plants reflecting the diversity of our planet.
www.edenproject.com
Wardour Castle - situated beside a lake deep in the Wiltshire countryside, the Castle is set in must see picturesque grounds.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.16439
St. Nicholas’ Market - historic to Bristol, the Wednesday Farmers Market is a must.
www.visitbristol.co.uk/site/things-to-do/st-nicholas-markets-p18841
Thermae Bath Spa - Britain's only natural thermal spa offers
traditional and state-of-the-art spa facilities.
www.thermaebathspa.com
Must see and do
- Eden Project, Cornwall
- Annual Cheese Rolling Competition, Brockworth (May)
- Roman Baths, Bath
- Stonehenge, Wiltshire
- Bath Christmas Market, Bath (Nov, Dec)
- Bristol Zoo Gardens, Bristol
- Exeter Cathedral, Devon
- Salisbury Festival, Wiltshire (May/June)
- Wells Cathedral, Somerset
- Helston Flora Day, Helston (May)
Related Links
Featured destinations in South West England
An exquisite Georgian spa city boasting the Royal Crescent, Roman Baths, and Thermae Bath Spa. Founded by the Romans and now a World Heritage Site.
Bath travel guide
Award-winning Bournemouth is the perfect family-friendly holiday and short break destination and is renowned for its family-friendly, golden beaches, beautiful parks and gardens and cosmopolitan ambience.
More about Bournemouth
This unique city boasts a history rich in nautical exploration, adventure and industry; a heritage that has helped transform Bristol into the exciting, cultural place that it is today.
More about Bristol
Cornwall has more than 320 miles of the finest coastline in the world, wonderful countryside, spectacular gardens and world class visitor attractions
More about Cornwall
Discover Devon - unique, glorious, wild and wonderful, rich in history. Rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, green rolling hills, dramatic moorland and historic cities and market towns.
Devon travel guide
Dorset offers the ‘best of England’ - delightful rolling countryside, World Heritage coastline, pretty villages, historic market towns, colourful events and attractions and quality accommodation.
Dorset travel guide
Gloucestershire is all that you dream of as your favourite image of the English countryside; sleepy villages with flower adorned cottages, lively pubs with excellent food, antique shops, market towns and impressive cathedrals, castles and churches.
Gloucestershire travel guide
The Isles of Scilly is an island archipelago, 20 minutes from Cornwall with over 100 islands including St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, St Agnes and Bryher.
This historic old town, with its award winning Sandbanks beach and fine white sands is Europe's largest natural harbour.
Somerset includes Exmoor National Park, Glastonbury, Wells, Taunton and the beach resorts of Minehead and Burnham-on-Sea. Famous for Cheddar Cheese, Cider and King Arthur.
The Cotswolds is an area of gentle hills lying between the enticing cities of Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, and Oxford.
Much of Wiltshire has been declared an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. Yet it remains largely undiscovered, a rural idyll just two hours from London.
Wiltshire travel guide
