Devon
Devon is almost twice the size of Cornwall, so there’s more countryside to explore – and huge diversity too. In Dartmoor national park, the largest area of open country in the south of England, you’ll find wild moorland, waterfalls and the temperate rainforest of Wistman Woods. In the north, ancient hedgerows line the lanes (some are 600 years old). At Braunton Burrows, rare plants and insects hide in Unesco-protected dunes.
That’s not the only wildlife in these parts. South Devon is home to the rare cirl bunting, a pretty yellow farmland bird that can be seen most easily at Prawle Point. Watch wetland wildlife on an east Devon beaver tour and spot avocets on a winter cruise along the Exe estuary. For a memorable walk on Dartmoor, join llamas and alpacas for an afternoon tea trek over the tors.
There are accessible trails to discover too. Miles Without Stiles routes are suitable for people using wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs – visit the scenic Plym Valley trail near Plymouth, north Devon’s Tarka trail and the Granite Way, following an old railway line across the dramatic Meldon viaduct.
Accommodation
Cornwall
One could quite reasonably argue that there are too many options when it comes to booking a stay in Cornwall, what with the recent proliferation of holiday lets. But that does equal an extraordinary breadth of choice. Fancy a luxe stay in a five-star seaside resort or some boutique bolthole? They come by the bucketful down here: Hotel Tresanton, Carbis Bay Hotel, The Scarlet, The Nare – each a byword for comfort and style. A self-catered cottage? From Polperro to Mousehole, there are hundreds to choose from.
After something a little more alternative? You can stay at a 15th-century star fort in the Scillies, a modernist off-grid glampsite in a disused quarry on the north coast, an island eyrie in Newquay, or a converted helicopter (yes, really) on the Lizard. Devon is admittedly cheaper than Cornwall when it comes to room rates. But then again, so is Croydon – and you wouldn’t want to book a holiday there.