Help needed in Pretty Photographic locations in the south west of UK

ndwgolf said:
I need somewhere nice to stay for one night between Bristol and Bideford.........any recommendations??
Also need a stoperover between Port Isaac and Lyme Regis
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Not far from Bideford, but Woolacombe/Ilfracombe is interesting, esp Woolacombe beach with both rock formations and surfers. We had a long weekend there some years ago.
 
ndwgolf said:
I need somewhere nice to stay for one night between Bristol and Bideford.........any recommendations??
Also need a stoperover between Port Isaac and Lyme Regis
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Take the coast road off the M5, so Bridgewater, Porlock (steep hill), etc then look for somewhere along that route? Gets you close to Ilfracombe and woolacombe
 
ancient_mariner said:
Woolacombe/Ilfracombe is interesting, esp Woolacombe beach
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Went there a few times many many years ago & loved it. There were plenty of old hippies about in those days too. There was a good café there then (Red Barn, I think)

Byker28i said:
Porlock (steep hill),
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Now that IS a steep hill (about 1;4 but feels steeper) :wideyed: great views.
 
You could try Exeter for your stop over between port Issac and Lyme Regis. Exeter has a lovely Cathedral and quay area. Or Exmouth. There is a new premier inn in Exmouth right on the seafront. the beach is used for kitesurfing, so could be some photo oportunities.
 
TBH, I would say that Bristol to Bideford was an easy hop of about 90 minutes (taking it fairly easy) so would extend the stay in one or the other rather than split the journey.

Much as I love Exeter as a place to live, it's not the ideal tourist stopover IMO, Exmouth would be better. As pointed out, the new Premier Inn is right on the sea front - literally across the road from the beach, looking West over the estuary and Dawlish Warren nature reserve. Half way between Exeter and Exmouth is Topsham, very pretty but a bit "up itself". Apparently there are a couple of good restaurants there as well.
 
Nod said:
TBH, I would say that Bristol to Bideford was an easy hop of about 90 minutes (taking it fairly easy) so would extend the stay in one or the other rather than split the journey.

Much as I love Exeter as a place to live, it's not the ideal tourist stopover IMO, Exmouth would be better. As pointed out, the new Premier Inn is right on the sea front - literally across the road from the beach, looking West over the estuary and Dawlish Warren nature reserve. Half way between Exeter and Exmouth is Topsham, very pretty but a bit "up itself". Apparently there are a couple of good restaurants there as well.
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Would there be enough to do if I spent two nights at Bideford............the thing is I probably won't be leaving bristol until the afternoon as I will be seeing my daughter off as she needs to fly back to Scotland for work?
 
Out of all of my proposed stopovers is there any that would have plenty to do if I extended my stay to two nights??
 
ndwgolf said:
View attachment 38322
So what I am thinking is this as a template for 8 days.
Day one stay in Solihull with mum for one night
Day two Warwick castle, Bourton on the Water, hotel near Castle Combe ~100 miles day two
Day three early morning Castle Combe shoot then drive to Bristol and stay in Bristol for one night with family
Day four Drive to Bideford along the Exmoor heritage Coast stay in Bideford for one night ~100 miles drive
Day five drive to port Isaac stay the night ~50 miles drive
Day six drive to Lyme regis stay one night ~100 miles
Day seven drive to Avebury stay the night there ~100 miles
Day eight drive back to Solihull and spend the night with mum
Day nine fly back home to Malaysia

Now comes the nitty gritty stuff. What are the must sees along this route?

We plan to do this from the 4th to the 12th September so hopefully all the tourists will be gone and there will still be some nice weather to be had :)

What do you guys think??
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Exmoor is a must on the route down and Dartmoor on the way back
 
Update 05/06/15 ........getting there :)

Day one………Leave Nigeria

Day two……… One night in Dubai
  • Hotel Booked

  • Half day Sunset Desert safari including a camel ride and sunset dinner (I have no idea why but the old lady wants to do a camel ride)
Day three…….Fly to Scotland overnight in Fort William
  • Pick up rental car drive to Fort William
  • Sightseeing on the way……….any ideas??

  • ?
Day four…….Early morning drive to a nice view point to catch the Jacobite train crossing the Glenfinnan viaduct.

  • Any recommendations of viewpoint and other photo opportunities?

  • ?

  • Drive to Forfar stay with family for three nights
Day Seven………..Drive to Solihull
  • Hotel booked

Day eight………. sightseeing around Solihull

  • Warrick Castle

  • ?
Day nine………… Drive to Castle Combe

  • Sightseeing on the way

  • Ideas?

  • Overnight in castle Combe (booked already)
Day ten……. Drive to Bristol

  • Early morning photo shoot in Castle Combe

  • Sightseeing Ideas on the way?

  • ?

  • Overnight in Bristol

  • Bristol B&B booked
Day Eleven………… Drive to Bideford

  • Stay two nights in Bideford (one night booked already and plan to extend to two unless someone thinks I am missing an opportunity staying in Bideford for two nights

  • Cheddar Gorge

  • Watersmeet

  • Exmoor

  • Sightseeing recommendations?

  • ?
Day thirteen……..Drive to Tintagel

  • Overnight Tintagel

  • Sightseeing recommendations?

  • ?

  • B&B recommendations?
Day fourteen …….drive to Lyme Regis

  • Somewhere in between Port Isaac and Lyme Regis needed…….Recommendations

  • Sightseeing?

  • ?
Day Sixteen …..Drive to Avebury

  • Blounts Court Farm in Potterne full need alternative recommendation

  • Sightseeing recommendations?

  • Stourhead

  • Stonehenge

  • ?
Day Seventeen…… Drive to Solihull

  • Hotel booked already
Day eighteen …….Fly back home to Kuala Lumpur

Day nineteen to twenty eight………..CHILL and check out all the fantastic pictures (I hope) :) :)
 
Booked to stay two nights here "Sampsons Farm Country Hotel" in Newton Abbot Dartmoor National Park Devon instead of Lyme Regis
 
Note that you can't just turn up to visit Stonehenge these days, you need to book in advance to get a slot. Avebury is still free apart from the car park.
Other recommendations for the area are Devizes (I'm biased as I live there) and Steeple Ashton.
 
If you are staying in Bideford I can recommend a day trip to Lundy Island if the weather is good, the boat goes from Bideford or Ilfracoombe depending on the day and time of year. Lots of walking involved but a very special place to visit. Lots of opportunity for pictures of the coast/cliffs on the journey out and back.

http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/discovering-lundy/
 
From your base at Sampson's Farm, you have easy access up onto Dartmoor as well as down to Torbay, Teignmouth, Dawlish etc. for seaside. Stover Park is also just up the road for watery wildlife. Be aware that what look like nice soft hedges beside the road on the way up to the moor often conceal sodding great chunks of granite that can really ruin your day! I possibly shouldn't mention that Mifsuds isn't far away if GAS bites!!!

The stretch of North Cornwall around Tintagel is all gorgeous, especially in relatively low season. Our personal favourites include Boscastle, St Nectan's Glen and Trebarwith Strand. The Port William Inn is comfortable and does good food at reasonable prices.
 
Snapsh0t said:
Note that you can't just turn up to visit Stonehenge these days, you need to book in advance to get a slot. Avebury is still free apart from the car park.
Other recommendations for the area are Devizes (I'm biased as I live there) and Steeple Ashton.
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Just heading to devizes now for the shooting range, but why as a tourist spot? Couple of nice shops and the huge chain of canal locks, but not much else?
 
Nod said:
Be aware that what look like nice soft hedges beside the road on the way up to the moor often conceal sodding great chunks of granite that can really ruin your day! .
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That's why my Defender wears a bull bar and that's why it's in the state it's in!

ndwgolf said:
Booked to stay two nights here "Sampsons Farm Country Hotel" in Newton Abbot Dartmoor National Park Devon instead of Lyme Regis
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Good choice. Head through Bovey Tracey to Haytor and Widecombe (Uncle Tom Cobley an' all) or a walk along the River Bovey through the woods in Lustleigh Cleave. If it's a nice sunny day the walk up the Teign from Steps Bridge (on the road between Moretonhampstead and Exeter) is beautiful. Fernworthy Reservoir is worth a visit, as are Trenchford/Tottiford. You can walk right round the latter in a couple of hours. I'd recommend a good map and not relying too heavily on satnav. My partner's get very inventive around that area, which is why I don't have one..........
 
Byker28i said:
Just heading to devizes now for the shooting range, but why as a tourist spot? Couple of nice shops and the huge chain of canal locks, but not much else?
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I was sure I'd replied to this but can't have saved it.
Obviously, it's down to personal preferences but Devizes has a huge number of listed buildings and the museum is a must-see.
BTW I worked at The Ranges up to the end of February so we probably know each-other.....
 
I usually go early saturdays with youngest in tow, who outshoots me with his precharge. :D
Devizes is nice for the little shops, not been in the museum, must do it,

Edit: Having seen the lego thread - yup I know who you are...
 
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I just emailed the Hoops Inn in Bideford to see if I can extend my stay to two nights instead of one and just day trip from there......maybe do the Lundy Island trip if the weather is okay :)
 
What about the red lion in Avebury! Or the white bear In devizes

Or try Marlborough...... Plenty there
While in Avebury you can goto silbury hill or the kennet longbarrows ...... What about Stonehenge?
 
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Mark twiglet said:
What about the red lion in Avebury! Or the white bear In devizes
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The Bear Hotel in Devizes is seriously over-priced but I don't know the White Bear at all. Given its position, I'd expect the Red Lion to be expensive. The Castle in Devizes may be worth a look under its new management. But my recommendation of Blounts Court Farm is from personal experiences and is the number two B&B in Devizes according to Trip Advisor
 
Everything booked................5 weeks to go and back to Sunny Scotland for the start of our adventure.
Quick question about the NEW drink driving laws in the UK................. if you say have 3 to 4 pints of beer at night with your dinner and go to bed around 9pm, will most folks be okay to drive the next day after B/Fast say around 8 am ??????
 
You should be fine. For the healthy average male it takes around 2 hrs for the body to clear 1 unit of alcohol.
 
If in doubt, stick to 1 or 2 pints rather than 3 or 4. Quite apart from anything else, you'll feel far better for it in the mornings!
 
Lol, I know how you feel, a couple of weeks until we are off as well. Have fun.
 
Any of you guys have any experience driving around dartmoor. I will be there for 3 days and looking at it on google maps there's not that many roads?
 
ndwgolf said:
Any of you guys have any experience driving around dartmoor. I will be there for 3 days and looking at it on google maps there's not that many roads?
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Pack some walking boots and go buy some ordinance survey maps!

And have fun
 
For castle coombe day you've got Bibury hour ish drive, loads of walks and trout farm that could take up some part of the day!
Westonbirt Arboretum is a good walk around many trees to look at :D
 
I've booked 2 nights is Sampsons farm and may extend that to three depending on how we get on shooting Dartmoor. If I stay there for the 3 nights it will be a quick drive back to Solihull and a flight home. If I just stay 2 nights we will stop off near Stonhenge for one night and visit Stonehenge the next day then drive back to Solihull.
One week from now it will all kick off with one night in Dubai (camel ride included) then Scotland for 5 days then this part of the trip.............cant wait :) :) :)
 
If the weather isn't playing nicely, you might like to pop up to Exeter - specifically to Camerex http://www.photographywebsite.co.uk/camerex-classic-cameras-i601913.html but check there's someone there first, opening is a bit erratic!

As for Dartmoor, I would look on Google Earth at the photos layer and see what grabs your fancy. Personally, I think the Moor's at its best in winter, with fewer visitors and more dramatic scenery. In the locations area, I've outlined a drive through which takes in several of the features of the Moor, tors, the rivers, open country etc.. Just remember to keep your eyes as much on the road as on the scenery! There's a blanket 40MPH limit on the Moor, mainly to protect the animal population which has free access onto much of the land and includes sheep, cattle and the famous ponies. I see you have the Warren House Inn marked on your route, not bad food there, my favourite being the Rabbit pie.

Enjoy your trip.
 
If you haven't already seen, here are the pictures for that trip that you guys helped me plan out. HERE
We both had a fantastic time, but we were also really happy to get back home to Malaysia. Seventeen days was just way too much photography everyday, yes we could have left the camera in the bag/house but didn't .
Hotels and B&B 's were all fantastic, except I probably put on 4 kgs eating full english breakfasts alone, let alone the 4 to 6 pints of Stella/John Smiths every night.
Once again thanks to everyone who helped me put this all together............we will defiantly do it again next year but limit it to 7 to 10 days max.
Thanks

Neil
 
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