iKnow Devon
All East Devon Accommodation
The spectacular Gothic Cathedral of St Peters at Exeter, a marvel inside & out
Red sandstone cliffs of the Jurassic Coast at Exmouth & Budleigh Salterton
Excellent specialist shopping at Topsham near Exeter on the Exe Estuary
Exeter Quay - lined with arts and crafts, and plenty of chic cafes & barsEast Devon, Exeter, Exmouth & Exe Estuary, Sidmouth, Tiverton Devon UK
East Devon has a character all it's own, and a varied mix of Devon holiday magic. For Devon cities Exeter reigns supreme, with it's central gothic cathedral, superb shopping, a cafe/student culture and an excellent contemporary art, cinema and arts centre scene. Combine this with it's chic quay, the Exeter Ship Canal, woollen trade and Roman and Medieval history and you have the perfect mix for a Devon city of culture.
The East Devon coast holds more Devon delights. The Jurassic Coastline, taking in Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth and all the way into Dorset through Lyme Regis is of international importance, and marked by it's red sandstone cliffs. Throw in a sprinkling of bohemian culture with the renowned Sidmouth Folk Festival and you're away! The Exe Estuary is prime territory for bird watching holidays, fishing and leisurely boat trips. Or move inland to ancient market towns like Tiverton on a Medieval woollen trade trail. East Devon family holiday hotspots include Sidmouth and Exmouth, both of which have great beaches, with rockpools galore at Sidmouth, and lots going on for kids around the Exe Estuary - check out Powderham Castle and Crealy Adventure Park!
Exeter & Exeter Airport
Exeter, city of southwest culture, have you heard. Exeter is rich in Roman, Medieval, and Wool Trade/Canal history, but there's more! In these contemporary times, Exeter, a prestigious university city, has evolved offering visitors a choice of cinema, contemporary art and popular culture centres. Quayside on the River Exe and at the beginning of the Exeter Ship Canal has evolved like so many UK watersides. We're talking cafe culture tourism now, not bustling industrial woollen trade. As Quaysides go, Exeter is a delight retaining many of it's old buildings such as the historic Customs House which dates back to 1681.
Exeter's Gothic Cathedral is one of the best in the UK. As you'd expect from city of culture and the arts, Exeter, the choice of restaurants, cafes and bars is simply superb. With a nod to Devon produce, especially fish dishes, you'll find everything from informal yet glamorous café dining with entertainment, say at the Brazz, to the delightfully accessible cuisine of French trained guru chef Michael Caines.
Exeter has developed a reputation not just for superb art house cinema venues, but as a hotspot for exploring the history of cinema and popular culture. In conjunction with Exeter University, the relatively new Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema and Popular Culture puts Exeter on the map as a city for cinema fans.
Exeter is rich in Roman, Medieval, and Wool Trade/Canal history, but there's more! Exeter offers a choice of cinema, contemporary art and popular culture centres. It's a superb city for shopping as well, particularly off the wall clothes shops and off beat designer names. Check out the clothes shops on Gandy Street near the Phoenix Art Centre - fantastic stuff!Exeter Tourist Information
Exmouth & Exe Estuary
Exmouth is simply a great Devon family holiday resort offering great family cliff walks, the two mile long seafront with attractive promenade and lots of family seaside entertainment. Exmouth Bay is perfect for swimming and watersports, and Exmouth forms part of the UNESCO designated Devon Heritage Coast. Start your exploration of this beautiful coastline at Orcombe Point in Exmouth.
The Exe Estuary is an area of supreme natural beauty, inhabited by an array of wildlife including migrating birds. Why is the Exe estuary such a haven and habitat for birds. Well, the Exe has extensive salt marshes, reedbeds and enormous mudflats and sandbanks which provide an essential feeding ground and habitat for both birds and plant life.
Exmouth fishing for fishing fans is certainly on the menu. Various companies operate chartered fishing trips and one of the best is Stuart Line Fishing based just outside Exeter. They offer a choice of Mackeral fishing trips, lasting about 1 1/2 hours, or how about an all day fishing trip leaving at 9am, coming back about 5pm.
If your penchant is for all things wildlife, including birdwatching and walking around the Exe Estuary then you may prefer idyllic Topsham as a holiday base, conveniently close to Exeter. Topsham has a real community atmosphere, you can get a feel for it on the little Topsham local community website (link to the right). Exmouth Tourist Information
Sidmouth & Jurassic Coast
The World Heritage Site, the Jurassic Coast, stretches all the way from Orcombe Rocks in Exmouth to Studland Bay in Dorset, and here on the East coast of Devon visitors have access to what is the oldest stretch of the Jurassic Coast dating back to to the Triassic period 250-200 million years ago. The triassic rocks and cliffs in East Devon from Exmouth to Sidmouth are a record of a time when the area was actually forming millions of years ago, and of real international interest. The area was once locked in the interior of a large continent made up of North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Antarctica, India and Australia. The Jurrassic Coast World Heritage website will tell you more!
Sidmouth on the East Devon coast is a delightful seaside base from which to explore the Jurassic Coast. Situated in the green wooded haven of the Sid Valley, Sidmouth is marked by it's once Regency heyday. Visitors can expect a choice of beautiful Devon gardens, and a laid back bohemian atmosphere largely influenced by it's internationally famed annual Sidmouth Folk Festival at the end of July/beginning of August. The red rock coloured cliffs add to Sidmouth's picture postcard character, with a superb promenade, and famous Park The Byes as well as river side walking along the River Sid or sunbathing on the western beach at Jacob's Ladder - Sidmouth appears to have it all and more!
Tiverton Devon
Ancient market towns abound in East Devon, and delightful Tiverton north of Exeter is still famous for it's Pannier and Farmers Market. Tiverton on the River Exe evolved from a pre-Saxon settlement to a key Devon Market town in the 16th century. Tiverton is the largest town in central/east Devon and in the past was a prime industrial centre in Devon, particularly for the wooltrade, but also to the fore in both agriculture and in lace making. You can find out more about Tiverton's industrial and agricultural past in the superb social history extravaganza, The Tiverton Museum.
Like Castles, then don't miss a visit to Tiverton Castle, built in 1106. Tiverton's boom past is evident in it's large number of churches, some of them pretty old such as the 16th century Church of St Peter which has some exquisite gothic carvings. Tiverton is a grand walking spot with a difference. The charming Exe Valley Way passes through the town, on up to join the Two Moors Way, and there's a treat for canal fans. The Grand Western Canal reaches from Tiverton to Taunton, and you can walk this canal's attractive tow path.
