Here in the south west, there is no doubt that there are endless sights to explore. Throughout the region, inspiration is everywhere to create a trip best suited for anyone.
From family-friendly beaches of Somerset, scenic views of the Jurassic Coast in Dorset to the striking coastline of north Cornwall, there are many ways to find escape. And a perfect example is two towns in north North Devon dubbed 'Little Switzerland'.
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Only two hours from Bristol by car, Lynton and Lynmouth are at the coastal edge of Exmoor National Park. They sit at the top and bottom of the same hill. The twin Georgian and Victorian settlements have been repeatedly named among the most beautiful spots in Devon - and it’s not hard to see why, Dorset Live reports.
Not only do both boast scenic views of the coast, but there’s also two pretty rivers running through Lynmouth, as well as a little harbour and a shingle bay called Blacklands beach. Both are home to a number of quaint chocolate box fishing cottages, museums and other amenities.
This includes a number of traditional venues that will make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time, such as Lynton Cinema, which is housed in a converted Methodist chapel and features just one 68-seat screen, showing just one nightly performance plus a matinee on Mondays in the winter.
Despite its size, it has been named one of the best cinemas in the UK by Time Out in 2021. Other kitschy spots include the Lyn Toy Museum and Shop, which contains toys, games and action figures that date from the 1960s to 1980s.
The picturesque twin villages are an ideal place to head if you’re a railway or engineering enthusiast. The two are connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway, a unique water-powered funicular train that is the highest and steepest of its kind in the world.
First opened in 1890, this quirky working heritage railway is Grade II listed. It’s won multiple awards over the years including the title of ‘UK’s best cliff railway’ in 2020, as well as received 1,436 'excellent' reviews on Tripadvisor for its stunning views and quirky experience.
There’s also the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, a Victorian steam train service located just outside of the twin villages, and the Lyn Model Railway. Up and running again from April 2022, the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway consists of restored heritage carriages and ferries you between Woody Bay Station and Killington Lane.
It's a 25-minute two-mile round trip, but tickets are valid all day so you can ride it as many times as you want. The Lyn Model Railway, meanwhile, is a display room within Lynmouth which showcases a 1935-1940 period LNER train.
Though the room is small in size, the extraordinarily detailed set and moving train has won the tourist attraction many admirers. As for food and drink in Lynton and Lynmouth, the two villages have an abundance of places to grab a cream tea, hearty pub meals or even a fancy bite to eat.
In Lynmouth, well-rated dining spots include the Bay View Restaurant, The Pavilion Dining Room and the Lynmouth Bay Café. The Ancient Mariner, The Village Inn and The Rising Sun are all well-rated pubs.
Lynton has a homely café called Charlie Friday’s, plus Nartnapa Thai and The Oak Room, which both won Travellers’ Choice Awards from Tripadvisor in 2021. Others who are happy to embark on a 40-minute walk or six-minute car ride can head to Watersmeet House, a National Trust property with a tea room that serves cakes and light lunch options.
Walking fans are spoiled for choice at these two beautiful villages, which are considered the walking capitals of Exmoor. Lynton is just a stone’s throw from the Valley of Rocks, where a short climb yields jaw-dropping views and dramatic cliffs.
The area around Lynton and Lynmouth is full of great places to stay, from 18th century B&B Rock House, which featured on Channel’s 4’s Four in a Bed, to the lovingly restored Shelley’s, a quaint hotel where 19th century poet Percy Shelley honeymooned after eloping with his 16-year-old wife. Lynton and Lynmouth’s resemblance to Switzerland was first popularised by several of the Romantic movement poets, including William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge and Shelley.
Much of the coastal spot remembers this history with literary-themed names, including The Ancient Mariner pub, named after Coleridge’s poem ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’.
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