Top Things to do in South West England
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What to do and see in South West England, England: The Best Nature & Parks
Discover the best top things to do in South West England, United Kingdom including Porthminster Beach, Coleton Fishacre, Jurassic Coast, Sculpture by the Lakes, Fistral Beach, Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, Lundy Island, Stourhead House and Garden, Kents Cavern, Lanhydrock House and Garden.
Restaurants in South West England
1. Porthminster Beach
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,569 reviews
A favorite place for a family outing, this lovely stretch of beach overlooks Godrevy Lighthouse in the distance.
Reviewed By BO88INS
Excellent beach with a weekly (Tuesday) open air cinema across summer, we watched an afternoon showing of The Greatest Showman - thoroughly enjoyed it. Showings sell out quickly so book in advance to avoid disappointment. VIP tickets best, include popcorn, Gin or soft drink and deck chairs at the front. However, seating was provided for standard tickets and you could get pretty near the front if you arrived early.
2. Coleton Fishacre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,786 reviews
Reviewed By JandAre
Third visit to this beautiful house. The grounds are magnificent and stretch down to the river. Unusual plants everywhere adding so much colour and interest. This is by far my favourite NT property - the warm feel of the house coupled with stunning views and beautifully designed and planted gardens surpass all the others.
3. Jurassic Coast
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 220 reviews
We offer professional guided walks, tours and fossil hunts anywhere along the full length of the Jurassic Coast and surrounding areas. There is so much to be discovered within the World Heritage site. Not only is there 95 miles of breathtaking coastline, but delve a little deeper and you can physically 'walk throught time' as it reveals 185 million years of life on earth, showcasing the three Dinosaur periods known as Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. Let us guide you through time so you can experience the wonders that are to be discovered along the way...... We pride ourselves as being Ambassadors for the Jurassic Coast. Plan your walks with us and get the most from your visit, Learn more about the geology and fossils of this world famous coastline. Walks and tours can be tailored to suit all ages and abilities. They are led by a trained & experienced Coastal Leader. Walks and tours can be arranged for individuals, couples, families or groups.
Reviewed By 997DanielC - Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
If you want to avoid paying for parking you can park your cars higher up the hill and walk down to see the sights of the South English countryside. Once you reach the famous coast you'll see it is filled with rocks, watch your step because you can slip and maybe twist your ankle. Look up at the cliffs next to you and you'll history that dates back 80 million years back when dinosaurs still walked the Earth. You can also see that the cliff is in layers, each one piled on top of each other and showing a different time period. Surprisingly when you touch the stone it feels soft and brittle as it easily breaks off in your hands, sometimes some will rain on your head from above. Keep your eyes open and you may even find some real fossils trapped in huge rocks or in the cliff itself; the fossils are of sea creatures called ammonites.Keep walking out to the sea and you'll be surprised by how far you'll get since the rocks are hidden beneath the water, it almost looks like you're walking on the water. Follow the rocks around the edge of the cliff and you'll find some great photo opportunities suck as large rocks sitting on their own in the water that you can jump over too. Once you've finished here there is usually an ice cream van and a Mexican food van nearby, or you can go to the nearby village and visit a pub. Across the road is a museum all about the dinosaurs that had once lived here which takes about an hour to explore.
4. Sculpture by the Lakes
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,366 reviews
Beautiful 26 acre Sculpture Park & Gardens, with Gallery cafe. Due to deep water NO CHILDREN UNDER 14 years of age (including babies) and NO DOGS are allowed. Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, hut bookings are from 10am to 4.45pm. Entry is £12.50 per person. The Gallery Cafe is now open serving tea, coffee, light meals, delicious cakes, cream tea's, ice creams etc., visitors can choose to eat inside, outside (at the newly created seating area), or take it out into the Sculpture Park using one of the picnic baskets provided, complete with rug. Visitors are able to enjoy the Gallery & Gallery Cafe without entry to the Sculpture Park. Described as one of the most beautiful & unique sculpture parks in the United Kingdom, Sculpture by the Lakes marries the soft beauty of nature's wild river landscape with the more formal presentation of monumental outdoor sculpture. It is that combination of art and landscape that inspires Sculpture by the Lakes.
Reviewed By matttJ1645KV
So so Tranquil.easy to find on Sat Nav.some beautifully thought out by some very friendly and approachable staff.going to go again as soon as.Alot of thought and sensitivity about and how each sculpture is placed.i highly recommend this venue for sculpture newbies.
5. Fistral Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,365 reviews
This splendid beach offers excellent water for surfing and body boarding.
Reviewed By mummatash73
Love love this beach ... The facilities are fab.The Life Guards are highly trained & observant ..We are generally here most weekends .And while Covid has played havoc this season in Cornwall & UK .. Procedures are mainly respected with a one way system in place for restaurants /toilets ... Although it is a dog friendly beach.You wouldn’t know it the owners are in a huge majority of cases respectful
6. Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,487 reviews
Timed tickets are required. Please book in advance from website. The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden contains the largest group of Hepworth's works, permanently on display where she lived and worked from 1949 until 1975.
Reviewed By RedJock
Lovely little sculpture garden in the middle of St Ives with some amazing sculptures set in a lovely garden.
7. Lundy Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 498 reviews
Located off the coast of Devon, this granite outcrop lies between England and America and is famed for its marine reserve.
Reviewed By macstan1 - Stradbroke, United Kingdom
Our friends suggested that we might like a couple of nights on Lundy Island, to seek out some puffins and incorporate it with my birthday. I decided it would be safer for me to travel to the top of the island by land rover and my husband and friends would walk. It is a very steep climb and I made the right decision as it would have ruined my time there, as I’m ok on flattish ground. But at least I was first at the inn and opened a tab, so when the others arrived they had a lovely cold lager to greet them, so I didn’t feel so bad about my ride up. As it was very hot, and we did some exploring, as our cottage would not be ready for about 4 hours. I love it there, the coast line is stunning and we did spot 3 seals in the water below but a long way off. The air is so fresh and all you can hear are the birds and animals, very little else. A place that is good for your soul. Our cottage was a 50s style, basic but clean. But quite quirky in its own way - must add it has a brilliant shower, small but really good. The staff are friendly and always seem to have a smile. Please remember there is no TV, or radio unless you took your own but I don’t know if it would work. And very little internet- and to be honest for a little while it really is quite nice. But we did without and it really wasn’t a problem. And we did get to see the Puffins, lots of them. It was wonderful. You need a good pair of walking shoes/boots and good binoculars and take a picnic if you can,but leave nothing behind. It’s unspoilt let’s keep it that way. We were very lucky with the weather, hot the first day but overcast on the second and I was grateful for that, as walking in the sun isn’t really for me. Even enjoyed the mist late that evening when leaving the inn to go home. But woke up to yet another glorious day. Even the boat trips both ways were perfect and to finish our couple of days off we saw Dave the single dolphin on the way back to Ilfracombe. (Apparently he has been kicked out of the pod, for some reason) so goes it alone. But wonderful to see him in his right habitat. All in all, a great visit, and we will go back one day - when fitter I hope ????????
8. Stourhead House and Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,507 reviews
Stourhead includes a Palladian house and world-famous landscape garden. The garden is perhaps the most beautiful and magical of all the great landscape gardens, Stourhead is an 18th-century view of an Arcadian paradise. On a plateau of high ground Stourhead house was built and became home to generations of the Hoare family.
Reviewed By Jeff1903 - King's Lynn, United Kingdom
There is a mansion in the Palladian style, gardens and extensive grounds. Admission is a touch expensive, but the chances are that you are already a National Trust member, but if you are not, it's worth considering especially as it will also save you £4 parking charges. I thought the house was fascinating, but excessively adorned and it gives the impression that quantity was more important than quality when bringing back stuff from the Grand Tour. However there are some gems like a John Piper painting and a Fredrick Leighton portrait. The grounds are magnificent and you are forever coming across temples or follies among the specimen trees and other plants as you walk round the lake. Picnics seem popular and the ice house is the best preserved I can remember seeing. Add in the gardens, shop, café and gallery and there is enough to do here for a whole day. Bear in mind that there is a good deal of walking, much of it up and down steep paths, so it could be a challenge for some and either wait for good weather or bring your waterproofs.
9. Kents Cavern
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,180 reviews
Kents Cavern, a UNESCO site, is Britain's Oldest known prehistoric home. You are led by a guide through a labyrinth of undergound natural passages used by humankind for thousands of years. Neanderthals and the very first Britons occupied the caves. Here Victorian explorers combined geological time and fossil remains to reveal the antiquity of humanity. Open daily for guided tours. See natural caverns, amazing formations, remains of mammoth, woolly rhino, sabre-toothed cats. These is an Ice Age woodland trail quest, shop and restaurant with views over the Ilsham Valley. Located in Torquay, birth place of Agatha Christie, the caves are part of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark, 1.5kms from Torquay Harbour, close to the South West Coast Path. The caves inspired writers like Agatha Christie, Beatrix Potter and more recently folk-horror writer Adam Nevill. Perfect on any day all year. Pre-booking online essential to visit this UNESCO geological and cultural heritage site.
Reviewed By karene247 - Newton Aycliffe, United Kingdom
We enjoyed a fabulous family morning at Kents Cavern. Cave tour was well lit and informative, Stoneage school was interactive and lots of fun, the woodland trail had tasks to complete such as building a den and the seasonal outdoor activities included making a sabre tooth necklace for £1. The kids had a great time and my son went on to complete a KS2 report for his teacher with top marks! Thank you ???????? Top Tip: there was a children’s play park and picturesque beach across the road with parking.
10. Lanhydrock House and Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,035 reviews
This 19th-century high-Victorian country house is one of the most fascinating in England. Colourful gardens, riverside walks and family friendly cycle trails.
Reviewed By pgould87 - Burton upon Trent, United Kingdom
Keep coming back we love visiting been many times staff are so friendly even our youngest managed to catch a ride back up on the electric buggy car lol cheeky devil definitely worth visiting so much to see beautiful house and gardens
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