Hi all, We're hoping to holiday in Devon or Cornwall at the end of August and I'm looking for some suggestions, both in terms of locations and accommodation. There will be me, OH, and Harv. What do you think?
I prefer the South coast of Cornwall to the North, particularly when it comes to being with dogs. The North coast is busier and I find the South coast slightly less touristy (it still is very touristy) with more chance (but still not a great one) of getting a table in a dog friendly pub after 6pm in August....the beaches are better on the North coast though, but it's only a 40 minute drive coast to coast so a day trip out to a North coast beach is no bother. I'd look around the Lizard peninsula, in striking distance of Penzance, Newlyn and Falmouth, with Lands End, Fowey, and the North coast being easy day trips (so towards the top of the pennisula), with a feasible option of jumping on the ferry to make the Scillies for a couple of nights. Holiday cottages around Helford passage would be where I'd start looking and work my way West. I've rented a cottage in Port Navas from these people and it was excellent (although a bit quiet and a very, very long walk for a pint of milk in winter.....more might be open in summer). http://www.cornishholidaycottages.net/properties/helford-river
Biased to the south coast, as its close to where I live but there is a fabulous safe beach on the north coast, dogs welcome all year, easy parking and the water quality of excellent, we were there yesterday, its called Daymer Bay . Because its on the estuary , you don't get the massive Atlantic rollers that can be a tad daunting . If you visit the Cornwall Council website , go to Leisure , they have a comprehensive list of dog friendly beaches which could help you to decided your location .
We're staying on Exmoor at the moment, and finding it really lovely and dog friendly - though you do have to be aware of livestock and have a rock solid recall from sheep, deer, ponies etc. We went to Woolacombe Sands yesterday, which was fabulous. Good parking facilities near the beach. For the first 500 yards you need to keep dogs on the lead, but after that it's two miles of beautiful open beach, with a cafe at the far end too, so you can have a lovely long walk with a cup of tea for you and a drink of water for the dog. Very highly recommended.
I hope there was a scone or two at the cafe, too! You can't go to Devon and not fill your face with scones and clotted cream Assuming you're in the Devon part of Exmoor and not the Somerset part. In which case you'd need to be drinking Scrumpy cider!
We are going to Whitsand Bay in Cornwall, it's described as the forgotten corner of Cornwall on the website. I've never used this company before, although any contact I have had with them has been super. http://www.uniquehomestays.com/unique/search.asp?by=type&data=unique_houseparty.unique_selfcatering
That's lovely to know as it's a treat for husbands birthday, probably won't make the beach as it will only be three weeks after Mabel's surgery but the change of scenery will be more than welcome. X
