Spotlight on the West Country
The West Country is a great place to visit. There's much much more to it than Cornwall's sweeping coastlines and farmhouse cider. Tourism in this beautiful region is going from strength to strength.
By Peter Webb
Spotlight on the West Country
When people think of heading down to the West Country it is generally Cornwall and its sweeping coastlines that they have in mind. However, whilst Cornwall undoubtedly offers beautiful sea vistas and incredible beaches - spearheading, as it does, out into the Atlantic - the rest of the region is full of marvels and sights that equal this in wonder. The West Country is a region both varied and cohesive. The whole of the West Country is dotted with villages and small towns and it is the 3520 square miles of grassland, the most of any region in the UK, which glues the whole area together. It is here where the "patchwork quilt" of England is most exemplified, and can often be seen to spectacular effect.
Getting there and getting around
The West Country can be reached by road, rail or plane. A train from London Paddington to Bath takes under two hours, the M5 motorway heads down to Exeter, and Bristol, Exeter and Newquay airports all serve the region. However, heading on into Devon and Cornwall by road or rail takes a long time. There are no motorways on through Devon and into Cornwall, and the A30 can get pretty busy because of this.
A word of warning - the South West is second only to London in terms of tourism and so if you fancy making your way down there during bank holidays expect to see thousands and thousands of people with the same idea. The roads become completely overwhelmed by caravans and people carriers and long queues should be expected. Alternatively, travelling by rail on into Devon and Cornwall is a great way to see the spectacular coastline of either the north or south of the region. It's a shock to see that palm trees can grow in Britain! Public transport isn't generally great out in the countryside in the West Cou ntry, so unless you're there for a town break, or a walking holiday, it's probably a good idea to hire a car.
So, you've arrived...
Cider, cheddar cheese, clotted cream, cream teas, fudge and Cornish pasties are all present in the popular consciousness about the South West, and it is true that if you want the best traditional farmhouse cider then the West Country is the place to find it. However the region has got more going for it than quaint village pubs and old men chewing straw. The West Country has a rich history of music, and I'm not just talking about the Wurzels, who scored a number one hit in the 1970s with "Combine Harvester".
Glastonbury Festival is the UK's prominent music festival and renowned around the world. The festival isn't running this year - Michael Eavis, the organiser, is letting the fields rest up a bit - but if you fancy slumming it in a field with 100,000 chilled out and happy people then it's the place to go. Since Glastonbury first started festivals have mushroomed, and there's pretty much an event here whatever your taste. If you don't fancy spending your weekend in a field with 100,000 other people then try something like the Shambala Festival, which is held in a new location in the region each year, only disclosed at the last minute. Called the "South West's best kept secret" by the Guardian, this festival is eco-friendly, offers many diverse acts and events, and is as small as Glastonbury is big.
If festivals aren't your thing then try the spectacular Eden Project, or St Ives Tate Gallery, or the towns of Glastonbury and Totnes with their chilled out alternative buzz, or the grand city of Bath with its soon to be reopened natural spa, used since roman times, or the beautiful Cheddar gorge in North Somerset, or renting a cottage on Dartmoor (of Hound of the Baskervilles fame), or surfing off Fistral beach in Newquay, or looking at the giant stones of Stone Henge. In short the West Country is packed full of options, and only a few of them involve leaning on a gate chewing a piece of straw.
Eating out
From fresh fish and chips by the sea to traditional pub food to organic cafes, the West Country has a lot to offer. One example is the Hive Beach Cafe, Burton Bradstock, Dorset. It is renowned for its fish and comes recommended by both Rick Stein and the Independent amongst others. As well as this there are a number of gastro pubs dotted throughout the whole region.
