Road Trips

Tregulland: An Awe-Inspiring Holiday House

Well let’s just start with wow, basically, because this place is truly awesome. A barn and cottage which together sleep 22 Tregulland is so stylish and seriously luxed up you’ll find it impossible to leave. read more

Moonrakers in St Mawes: the Best Holiday House in Cornwall?

Christmas is over, the turkey has been banished and now we’re taking you on a fantasy road trip to this total gem of a holiday house in St Mawes.

At this time of year it seems like half the population head for Cornwall to see in January with crisp sea air and ice cold champagne.

Moonrakers (loving the 007ness of that) is the ultimate beach house with knock out views from every window – the perfect place to retreat and plan a new you. read more

Road Trip to Beer: a True Hidden Gem

Sometimes you come across a West Country gem when you’re least expecting it. Beer, an old fashioned seaside village in East Devon is just such a place.

It’s boaty, festooned with bright coloured bunting and lined with the kind of yatch-faring shops and posh delis you’d expect in  a much grander seaside town. Think low-grade Salcombe but not in a bad way – just without the marauding teenage Yahs. read more

Harlyn Surf School, North Cornwall

We can’t recommend this surf school on the North Cornish Coast near Padstow highly enough. A winning team of instructors who combine great tuition with a lot of fun will have the most reluctant surf dudes queuing up for more. Located in Harlyn Bay, a stunning cove which is protected by Trevose Head and thus lends itself beautifully due to a lack of currents, this is the best surf school we’ve tried. read more

Top 10 Glamping Spots in the South West

Call me a lightweight but I can’t really cope with more than one or two nights of camping – the old school, blow up mattress, damp sleeping bag, hiking to the loos variety anyway. Good news, then, that glamping has hit the mainstream in the West Country with everything from high end yurts to cool and minimalist ecopods to tempt you. read more

My Favourite Train Journey: the 10.06 to Penzance

Glorious fried breakfasts, free coffee, Charlie Watts, Jenny Agutter and a carriage full of gun-dogs – why Caroline Boucher loves the 10.06 to Penzance.

A few years back there was a huge outcry when First Great Western threatened to axe the sleeper train to Cornwall. I’d be much sadder if they did anything to jeopardise my favourite train journey in the world – the 10.06 from Paddington to Penzance. read more

The Best Holiday Houses in the South West?

Main picture: The Fish Store in Mousehole

The West Country has always been known as a holiday haven from Jane Austen types taking the waters in Bath to the thundering Sloanes who descend upon Rock in North Cornwall year after year. read more

Road Trip To Bridport

It would be hard to beat a road trip to Bridport, a cool and laid back market town which is right by the sea and has shops and cafes to suit every taste, however specialist. read more

An Easter Holidays Road Trip to Bristol

Picture credit: Bob Pitchford

When we moved to the West Country from London four years ago we weren’t too sad to leave the city behind. Our expanding, messy and largely male family meant it was a relief to exchange the parking nightmares, crowded schools and our condom-strewn local park for a laid back West Country lifestyle. However a recent trip to Bristol with the kids got me thinking perhaps city life wasn’t so bad after all… read more

Into the Wild: Road Trip to Dartmoor

Dartmoor, focal point of Spielberg’s new movie War Horse, but also the backdrop to one of the best road trips I have ever taken.

We’d discovered Great Burrow Cottage through the Sunday Times (Sunday Times 50 Cool Cottages of UK and Ireland) and booked on a whim. Arriving on a cold, grey February day, down a network of lanes that became thinner and thinner, finally we reached the middle of nowhere. read more