Devon and Cornwall

[Bm101]

Depending on the age of your kids, Lyme Regis (not far from Axminster) might be worth a visit. The town gets very busy in the summer but if the weather's all a bit English you can go fossil hunting on a wet day and it costs nowt. It's a good day out and you can find yourself engrossed walking along the beach with your head down looking for fossils. Head back into town after for a bit of lunch and a pint or two for Dad. Then send them shopping for tat and mooch off and poke your head round the doors here http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com/ and be nice and if you're lucky and they are not too busy you could end up getting a nice wander round having a chat with some good people. Just saying.
Gather up the clan and head to Beer. Traditional fishing and smuggling village just up the road. Lovely spot.
Since you're in the area and it would be rude not to.... Pop in to Lyme Bay Winery. Sample the Apple Brandy. :wink:
https://www.lymebaywinery.co.uk/
The pattern of my Holidays in Devon is starting to emerge I fear.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://nmmc.co.uk/ Falmouth Marine Museum is another.

 

[rxh]

Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum near St. Austell is worth a visit.
https://www.wheal-martyn.com/

 

[Corneel]

Thanks a lot for all the ideas! Two weeks are going to be way too short.

I just hope the wheater won't be too nasty. I am used to spend my hollidays in the southern part of Europe...

 

[sunnybob]

It will be ................................ weather.
(insert one or more of the following at the start of each day)
windy, rainy, sunny, foggy, cloudy, clear, hot, cold.

If you havent packed an umbrella and sunglasses, youre not holidaying in England.
But have fun anyway.

 

[Corneel]

We will be camping in a tent :mrgreen:

 

[sunnybob]

Brave people!

 

[Terry - Somerset]

There's loads to see but in particular I would endorse two of the above:

Finch Foundry is a complete step back in time - hundreds of years not decades

English china clay - nothing much to do with wood although the process and history is fascinating. But make sure you get to the top where you will see the massive open cast mine where it all comes from.

The south west is also well served by National Trust properties - Montacute with quality art exhibition and long gallery, Dunster - medieval village and castle, Knighthayes - grand house largely unchanged since 1930s, Barrington Court - fantastic wooden ceiling in entrance hall.

 

[Corneel]

Finch Foundry cetainly looks great. Not too far from our campingsite, great.

 

[Inoffthered]

If you like "medieval" then check out the churches on Dartmoor. There are some stunning rood Screens, fonts and pulpits , some showing the damage caused when defaced on the orders of Henry VIII. The roof bosses are also worth looking at, especially in the church at Widecombe on the Moor. I defy anyone interested in carving not to see an example of "Tinners Rabbits" or a "Green Man" and not want to have a go at doing one.

If you like walking, check out the South West Coastal path
https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk

If you find yourself in Plymouth, do take a boat trip up the Tamar, visit the Plymouth Gin distillery and go up Smeatons tower on the Hoe.


If you like gardens then The Eden Project and The Lost gardens of Heligan are worth a visit.

As has already been suggested, the Maritime Museum at Falmouth is well worth a visit and you could combine it with a boat trip up the River Helford.

 

[Corneel]

Ah churches, love them! The older the better. I am going to check out your tips too. Thanks.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Temperature due to drop 10c (18f, in real temperature) tomorrow - we'll all freeze.