Sidmouth, Devon
Spend a day in Sidmouth when you’re on your holidays in Devon and it’ll be a day well spent, whether you while away the hours on the beach, browsing the town, or a bit of both. The shops are nearly all independently owned, one-offs, some being passed down through the same family for generations.
The main beach is a long mostly pebble one that stretches right along the front of the town, backed by the esplanade and Regency buildings that give an elegant air to the town. The smaller Jacobs Ladder Beach is more sandy, though both are good for safe swimming and rockpooling and are popular with families. Stroll up over the towering red sandstone cliffs on the South West Coast Path, walk to The Donkey Sanctuary or Branscombe, feel the breeze in your hair.
If you’re here in August you might catch the eclectic buzz of Sidmouth Folk Festival with live music and stalls popping up all over town; be prepared to walk into a pub and find an impromptu music session in full swing. Talking of which, The Clock Tower is good for cream tea, Neil’s Restaurant is the place for seafood, and if you’re after pub grub, try The Bowd just outside of town.
All information correct at the time of writing