Devon
Devon has two coastlines and a moor in the middle, and they are not interchangeable. The south coast is the English Riviera and the estuaries: Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, Teignmouth and Dawlish, plus Totnes and the Dart. The north coast faces the Atlantic: Ilfracombe, Woolacombe, Croyde and the surf beaches, with Barnstaple and Braunton as the towns you actually buy food in. Dartmoor sits between them, a granite national park of villages, ponies and narrow roads. Exeter is the cathedral city and the rail junction, not a resort.
People underestimate the driving. A line across the county on a map can be an hour and a half of lanes, slower on a Saturday in August. Staying on one coast for the week is the version of a Devon holiday that does not become a commute.
Matching the room to the landscape
South Devon resorts have hotels, guest houses and holiday flats in town, so you can arrive by train and walk to dinner. North Devon is more cottages, pubs with rooms, and campsites behind the dunes. A week in Croyde without a car works only if you are happy to stay on that beach. Dartmoor accommodation is village inns and farm stays. They are a good base for walking and a bad base for a spontaneous night in Torquay.
Exeter is the sensible one-night stop if you are arriving by train from London or the north and picking up a car, or if you want the cathedral and the quay rather than a beach. It is also the place to change for the Riviera line that runs along the sea wall.
What the coasts feel like
The south coast has palms, a milder winter, and sheltered bay beaches. Torquay is the busiest of them. The Teign towns are smaller. Further west, the South Hams, around Salcombe and Dartmouth, are estuary and sailing country with a high cottage price in summer. The north coast is wind, surf and National Trust headlands. Baggy Point at Croyde and the beaches at Woolacombe are the names people come for. Ilfracombe has the harbour and the tunnel beaches.
Practical notes
Trains from London Paddington reach Exeter in a little over two hours on the faster services. From Exeter, the Riviera line covers the south-coast resorts, and a separate line runs north to Barnstaple. Buses exist, but a rural cottage usually means a car. If you only have a long weekend, pick Torquay or Dawlish and skip the moor. If you have a week and want one beach, read the Croyde page before you book a cottage in the wrong village.
Guide me to UK is an independent information site. We do not own hotels or take bookings. Fares, opening hours and timetables change, so confirm them before you travel. Reviewed October 2026.