Places to visit on your Devon Holiday

Devon, South West England is an absolute delight and heaven when it comes to family holidays and weekend getaways. There is so much to do, you can keep on visiting Devon, and never tire of it! From gorgeous beaches to breathtaking views, endless shopping and dining options, to endless activities and attractions, there is something for all to enjoy in Devon.

Here are a few attractions to enjoy on your Devon holiday:

Jurassic Coast: This is England’s first natural World Heritage Site, and covers 95 miles of stunning coastline from East Devon to Dorset.

Pecorama: Pecorama has three attractions in one with an indoor model railway exhibition, gorgeous gardens and a light railway, perfect for a family outing.

Babbacombe Model Village: This is another fantastic place to visit on your Devon holiday, for both young and old. It has impressive replications of miniature gardens, buildings and people. Discover many fun and animated characters and features and bring back wonderful childhood memories as you explore England’s history in a quaint and quirky manner.

Pennywell Farm and Wildlife Centre: Your holiday to Devon will be incomplete without a visit to award winning Pennywell Farm. Located in South Devon, this farm is suitable for everyone, and gives the opportunity to see all sorts of animals up close and personal.

National Marine Aquarium: This exciting aquarium is the largest in England and deepest in Europe, and houses over 400 different species. These include sharks, seahorses, and turtles to name a few.

Blackpool Sands: This is an excellent sheltered family beach, which is perfect for kayaking, windsurfing and building castles in the golden sand.

Bradworthy Transport Museum: This attraction will give you a first-hand account of England’s transport history. The museum houses over 80 historical vehicles ranging from lorries, vans, cars, motorcycles, tractors and farm equipment, dating back to 1914.

Crealy Adventure Park: This park is fun for all ages – it has go kart racing, steep and scary slides, bumper boats, train rides and ponies to name a few.

Kents Caverns: These famous caves are the site of the earliest evidence of humans in England – from the Stone Age days. The caverns have been fitted with good concrete pathways, so it is safe and easy to navigate your way through.

Paignton Zoo: This is a must visit for animal lovers, as it is home to hundreds of species of animals. The zoo is home to 250 exotic species, 70 of which are endangered. See these beautiful animals, and learn all about them with a visit to the zoo.

London Golf Courses

Golf is a relaxing and rejuvenating sport – it is entertaining, challenging and provides a great way to socialise with family, friends and work colleagues. Also, a round of golf is one of the most affordable ways to pass time in London. Here are some of the best golf courses in London ranging from private exclusive tracks such as the Heritage Course at the London Golf Club to the public Trent Park Golf Centre.

Here are a few of the best golf courses in London in no particular order:

Heritage Course at London Golf Club: This 7, 208 yard track course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and officially opened in 1994. It is a challenging track, which is long and full of hazards. There are large bunkers protecting the greens, and water comes into play on several holes. It is designed with five sets of tees, enabling it to be accessible to a range of skill levels.

Richmond Park Golf Courses: This is located in South West London and has two 18 hole courses, a 250 yard practice range, one of the largest pro shops in the UK, a team of PGA teaching professionals and a handicap facility just to name a few of the facilities offered. The Duke course measures 6,165 yards and is flatter and longer of the two, whereas the Princes course is only 5,868 yards, but is rather wavy in appearance, thus adding the challenge. Richmond Park golf course is an excellent environment for all the family and a great place to play golf. No membership is required; this golf course is open to the public.

Royal Blackheath Golf Club: This 70 par 6000 yard golf course is the oldest in England. It was established by the court of King James in 1608! Visiting the club is a great experience. The greens have improved greatly, and this course is a wonderful place for traditionalists who love the history of golf. Although it is only 9 miles outside London, the course is spotted with trees, excellent fairways and true greens giving you the impression that you are in the countryside! This club requires membership as it is a private one.

Trent Park Golf Centre: This is an 18 hole public pay and play golf course situated in Oakwood Village, Enfield, North London and is set within the grounds of the stunning Trent Park Country Park. This 6, 216 yard course is situated on 150 acres of rolling countryside about 30 minutes outside central London. The centre has a driving range, a bar, restaurant and golf shop as well.

Holiday cottages in North Devon

Devon, South West England is one of the best tourist destinations in England. It is home to England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Jurassic Coast and the Braunton Burrows UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Devon prides itself on having two national parks – Dartmoor and Exmoor, and many seaside resorts, historic towns and cities and endless beaches, accounting for the large tourist sector of its economy. There is much to do in Devon including attractions and activities, shopping and restaurants, stunning scenery and sandy beaches, making it the perfect destination for a family holiday.

Devon has several accommodation options for all your needs – luxury hotels, bed and breakfast joints, holiday cottages, camping and caravan sites to name a few. Holiday cottages are an excellent accommodation choice – they are comfortable, self catering, affordable and most are baby friendly and even dog friendly!

North Devon is an excellent location for families, friends or couples to take a holiday in Devon. Holiday cottages in this region offer you the chance to explore the nearby villages, visit bustling market towns, explore the moors and relax on the beaches.

Here are a few holiday cottages in North Devon:

Bolt Hole, Highampton: This is a self catering comfortable, well equipped holiday cottage suitable for couples wanting to get away from it all. It is situated in three and a half acres of peaceful countryside with excellent views across unspoilt woodland and farmland.

Bowood Farm, Bideford: This property consists of three cottages adjoining a farmhouse, set amongst peaceful open countryside with fine views. They cottages are ideally located for touring North Devon. It is only two miles from the coast of Bideford which has tennis, golf and indoor swimming and three miles away from the sandy beach.

Crofters Lodge, Near Bude: Set in a magnificent countryside and surrounded by an 18 hole golf course, this lodge is excellent for walkers, bird watches for anyone looking for a tranquil holiday. It is within easy reach of the attractions that North Devon is famous for. The lodge has grassed areas outside for sunbathing purposes, as well as raised decking for outdoor meals with gorgeous views over the lake and surrounding countryside.

Georgian Antique Furniture

English antique furniture styles and periods mirror England’s history in general. Each period has furniture that has a distinct degree of craftsmanship and a certain attention to design. There are several periods, each unique in their own way.

The Tudor Period in England consisted of the time when Henry VII, Henry VIII and Edward VI ruled (1485-1558), and this saw great advancement in the making of furniture, which was made from oak and other trees such as beech, chestnut and cypress wood. The Elizabethan Period followed from 1558-1603, under Queen Elizabeth’s rule, and this incorporated the addition of ivory, box, cherry and ebony to the classic furniture. The William and Mary Period (1689 – 1702) saw the use of walnut, olivewood and laburnum and the Queen Anne Period (1702-1727) produced its own style, with the introduction of the Windsor chair, made in elm and fruitwoods. The Georgian Period (1727-1820) is well known as being the classic furniture period and the Regency Period (1800-1830) reflected the empire design, and furniture in this era was more subtle. The Victorian Period (1837 – 1901) was recognized as the era where English antique furniture became heavier in design.

Georgian Antique Furniture was produced in the Georgian Period (1727-1820), and is one of the most popular types of furniture from the past centuries. The new wood which was used in this period was mahogany, and this era was captivated by talented designers such as Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton.

The styles in early Georgian antique furniture followed the styles produced in the Queen Anne period and before, and underwent modifications of their own. The main change was the replacement of walnut by mahogany. Mahogany was introduced due to it being strong, durable, long lasting, and less prone to infestation, scratches, wear and tear and so on. Due to these reasons, mahogany rapidly became popular especially with cabinet makers.

Mid Georgian Antique Furniture saw the need for more curvy, light and less architectural styles – something similar to French counterparts during the Louis XV era. This style was called the Rococo, and came to dominate the mid Georgian era in England.

During the latter part of the Georgian Period, a movement in furniture history, known as the Neoclassical style came about. This was in reaction to the previous styles in the Georgian Period, and was mostly associated with the names of the designers Chambers and Stuart, and the more famous Adam, Hepplewhite and Sheraton. This style came about due to a renewed interest in ancient classical civilisations of Greece and Rome.

All you need to know about Live in care

Elderly care is very important. As people get older, they become more prone to injuries and sickness and will require proper supervision to remain in good health. Usually, family members look after elderly relations, however in this day and age, with everyone working so hard, it is difficult to stay at home to look after them. Therefore, the senior or the family that loves them must then decide what must be done - if they should move to a retirement or nursing home or need a form of assisted living or home care.

Seniors very much prefer to stay in their own home, where they have accumulated memories over the years, rather than moving to a nursing or retirement home. For seniors to be able to stay at home, an option to hire a caregiver to provide live in care is attractive. This means that the senior can remain in his or her own home rather than going to a nursing or retirement home.

Live in care is perfect for your loved one, as if they need support, they can be provided through visits from hourly caregivers employed by a home care agency. These caregivers will be able to deal with the upkeep of the house, help with shopping and meal preparation, hygiene and provide full time assistance with daily living.

If the senior has some medical needs, then live in care can allow them to remain in the comfort of their own home. A registered nurse can supervise an aide providing the service and develop a detailed plan of care, medical appointments and a medication regime. Both live in care aide and nurse supervisor can be employed and managed by a professional agency.

Before selecting an aide, it is best to think about the senior’s outlook on life, habits, personality, cultural background and other characteristics. This way, the agency will be able to select a caregiver whose temperament is similar or compatible with that of the senior. This will mean that they will be able to relate to each other, making it bearable for both parties.

With live in care aides, people can provide adequate support to elderly members of their family. As a Live in care aide stays 24-7 in your home, then everything that the senior needs will be taken care of.

Popular destinations for your caravan holiday in Devon

Devon, South West England is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England. Its gorgeous beaches, seaside resorts, rolling countryside, historic towns and cities, endless attractions and activities, exciting shopping and restaurants ensure that a holiday in this area is worth-while for all members of the family.

There are several accommodation options available in Devon. Caravan holidays are one of the best ways to explore the area. Visitors can go about their own itinerary, can have an affordable holiday and can settle down for the night in some of the most beautiful spots in the area. There are many towns in Devon to visit on your caravan holiday, and these towns all have something unique and special about them.

Ashburton, South Devon – This is an ancient stannary town, which is now popular with tourists as it is an ideal base to explore the moor as well as the coast. Ashburton has plenty of outdoor activities such as walking, pony trekking, canoeing, and fishing, as well as indoor entertainment options such as antique shops, galleries and a museum of the area.

Dartmouth, South Devon – This popular town is built in the valley of the River Dart, which provides visitors an excellent view and a fun holiday. Dartmouth lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has many attractions such as Dartmouth Castle and Kingswear Castle. There is much to do in Dartmouth, you can relax on the promenade, enjoy sights of the busy estuary, while taking in excellent food, arts, antiques and crafts.

Exeter, South Devon – This is the ceremonial county town of Devon and has many notable religious buildings such as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and St Mary Steps. With excellent eating out options and night time entertainment, this is an excellent place to visit.

Plymouth, South Hams – This is a university city, with a massive modern shopping centre, with plenty of entertainment centres, theatres and cinemas. It is one of the two unitary authority areas in Devon, and is situated on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar. Plymouth is famous for the National Maritime Aquarium, which displays more than four thousand sea creatures.

Torquay, Torbay – This is one of the most popular areas to visit in Devon – it has everything that one could hope for in a holiday. Located near Torbay, this fishing and agricultural town is known as the place that Agatha Christie, the famous novelist, lived most of her life. Torquay has much to offer - cafes, pubs, restaurants, shops, night life, family attractions, superb beaches and gorgeous views.

Things to see on your Brixham holiday

Brixham is a delightful small fishing town and civil parish situated in the sprawling county of Devon, South West England. Brixham is located in the southern end of Torbay just across the bay from Torquay and is well known as being a fishing port. It is built around the central harbour area, which is the main lifeline of the town. The two main industries that Brixham offers are fishing and tourism. Brixham is one of UK’s busiest fishing ports and deals with tens of thousands of tonnes of fresh fish and crustaceans daily!

There are several attractions for tourists to view in and around Brixham. Here are a few things to see on your Brixham holiday:

Harbourside – Golden Hind Museum Ship: This is situated alongside the main quay, and is a historic ship that is a replica of the flagship of Sir Francis Drake. Here you can relive his incredible world voyage in the 16th century. The ship gives hands on experience to life on board and is a real treat to visitors of all ages. The Golden Hind also offers a range of special events, from re-enactments to exhibitions.

Brixham Museum: This is one of the best collections of local history in Brixham, offering lots of artefacts, antiques, paintings, pictures, maps and many more collectibles over several centuries. The museum has been arranged in an interesting and engaging manner, making it easy to go through all items present.

Church of St Mary the Virgin: This church located in Churston Ferrers was built in the 14th century and is famous because of its perpendicular style and large clock tower with six bells. Agatha Christie, the famous crime novelist attended this church regularly when she was living nearby.

Shingle Beaches: Elberry Cove is a shingle beach that is secluded and surrounded by woodlands. It is a 10 minute walk along the coastal path with parking at Broadsands a half mile away. At the end of the beach is Elberry Bath House which is similar to a small old castle. Another small shingle beach close to Brixham is Breakwater. This is easily accessible and has ample car parking facilities. It is a Blue Flag and Seaside awarded beach and is thus very popular with families.

Greenway: This is a quaint picturesque garden, which offers visitors the chance to see an unspoilt slice of Devon countryside and gardens on the bank of the River Dart. It creates an atmosphere of romantic wilderness and has been managed by the National Trust since 2000.

These are just the tip of the iceberg of things to do and see on your Brixham holiday.