Many of us will have fond memories of a Great British holiday. When summers lasted forever and the annual trip to the coast was something of a tradition. Walking down a rickety pier to your favourite arcade, sandy picnics accompanied by Dad’s industrial thermos full of tea and sending postcards to friends back home.

Things have moved on a little and a holiday on the English coast is as captivating and exciting as a week on a faraway island. Turquoise water, scenery that takes your breath away, scrumptious seafood and not forgetting gorgeous accommodation to return to after a lazy day on a sun-drenched beach.

A holiday in the UK is often the first we share as a family and the place we gather our friends and family for a special celebration; it’s a nostalgic affair that stays with us for years to come.

As we celebrate English Tourism Week, we discover why we don’t have to venture too far from home to find our perfect escape.

Every day is a holiday!

It’s always an exciting time when family from South Africa decide to pop over for a visit, and living in the seaside town of Paignton means planning an activity-packed agenda for their time with us is a breeze.

Making the most of the summer sunshine and precious time together, we love getting out and about, and the town’s sandy stretches and sparkling clean water are easily accessible, and the perfect place to lose yourselves in hours of catching-up conversations.

Once settled in, one of the family’s best loved excursions is an amble along the coastal path that takes you from Goodrington to Broadsands. This walk is dotted with a variety of great beachside cafes and waters-edge pubs, an essential element of a successful day out. A highlight of the trip is catching a glimpse of the steam train chugging its way around the sandstone cliffs, and after snapping away to grab the best photo of its billowing plumes before it disappears, we take a refreshing dip in the sheltered waters at Broadsands beach followed by an ice cream.

Larah, Marketing Executive

A holiday at home

Growing up in the harbour town, Brixham, you’re never far from the tourist life! Ice creams, crabbing along the harbour wall and fish n chips at the beach are just the staple for both visitors and the locals when the sun is shining.

But it’s when you go slightly off the beaten track that you find the real bay. Fishcombe Cove, with it’s clear waters and pebbly beach, home to Sammy the seal who is often swimming up to shore to see what’s going on. Elberry Cove, another pebble beach with beautifully blue waters where many a boat, jet ski and wakeboarder start their day. And in between those two, if you’re brave enough, there’s the climb to a private, secluded beach or two where you can watch the sun go down and be anywhere in the world.

James, Marketing Director

Exploring the North Devon coast

There really is no finer place to spend a lazy week or two than right here in glorious Devon. One of my most cherished memories is a blissful week in North Devon back in June 2018. Even though the north coast is only an hour away, we had always travelled south for our holidays, so on the promise of the mercury rising to 25 degrees for the next week, we headed north!

We spent our days exploring the coast, driving between pretty villages, always finding a small café for a cream tea. This section of the South West Coast Path offers walkers sublime views and its rugged beauty is staggering. We found hidden coves and pretty harbours and the sunsets, well, they were out of this world.

Laura, Brand Director

Find your perfect Devon holiday

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