by Mutiu
27. July 2012 17:00
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Lonely Planet guide to Britain >
Looking for a nifty getaway? Torquay has been billed the ‘English Riviera’ thanks to its mild microclimate and exotic plants, but there’s way more to Devon’s coast than that. Think Art deco houses, fishing ports and the bigger-city attractions of Plymouth and Exeter.
What to see
Torbay has no fewer than 20 beaches – locals opt for the sand and shingle below the 240ft red-clay cliffs at Babbacombe. These can be accessed by a 1920s funicular railway.
Magnificent in warm, honey-coloured stone, Exeter’s Cathedral Church of St Peter is framed by lawns and wonky half-timbered buildings. Begun in Norman times, the cathedral has the longest unbroken stretch of Gothic vaulting in the world.
The South West Coast Path spans the whole South Devon coast. One stretch that is doable in an afternoon takes in the South Point Lighthouse, overlooking the crescent of Start Bay. More...
