So, last year, Mrs D2 agreed to a week's holiday just down the road from CyB, followed by another week just down the road from Afain.

Result!

That isn't going to happen this year. She's gotten wise to that trick and is insisting on somewhere in Devon or Cornwall, "near to a beach".

So, I could bow to the inevitable and spend a week lying on the golden sand under a clear blue sky slowly turning bright red. Yeuch.

Or I could try to nudge her towards somewhere with lots of good trails.

So – suggestions please!

Woolacombe (sp?) is a great beach – you can spend the day body boarding rather than cooking.

So, I could bow to the inevitable and spend a week lying on the golden sand under a clear blue sky slowly turning bright red.

In England?

I'd say North Devon.

spend the day body boarding

Yep, plenty of surfing beaches to choose from.

you will need a wetsuit of some description though – even in August

Croyde is well worth a look, not too big a place, but big enough, pretty, nice beach, etc etc….

lets see… how about east Cornwall
right on the edge of Bodmin Moor
9 miles to the beachs of Looe and the south coast
40 mins. to Watergate bay
sounds like heaven to me…. >

http://www.english-country-cottages.co.uk/sites/english-country-cottages/pages/PropertyDetails_C.aspx?QS=2B831DC8-E0A4-4868-B1DF-DDB2FE4FD44A~C~TJ7~~216~GBP~~0~~A~N~~57785292-e130-493e-baff-2f5a6193e9fa~19767~0~0~~~Y~N~

[/end shameless plug]

What's your budget?
If it's larger – head to South Devon, the South Hams specifically. Avoid Salcombe or Dartmouth (full of Londoners and Yachters), and head for Thurlestone, and stay at the hotel there. Amazing facilities, incredible staff, great location, lovely quiet beach, good snorkelling, easy to get to other local beauty spots (Bantham for surfing).
And – the water is much warmer on the South Coast!
You can even get around the endless local bridleways on your bike for an explore, or 25mins drive to South Dartmoor, 45mins to Haldon forestry trails.
Also try Ugborough, Modbury, Ringmore, Noss Mayo for holiday lets (the latter being very nice, but probably more pricey).

Been to Croyde once, and it was lovely. Even in October.

if you want riding then neither north devon or cornwall would be on my list. south hams is a pretty decent shout. slapton sort of area perhaps? enough access to beaches locally, pop into totnes for a mooch about, same at dartmouth, then if you feel inclined take the ferry over the river and on into torbay for a look round a rather down at heal, typical english 'resort' ( as in 'last' 🙂 ). plenty of coastal path for exploring and whatnot, and you're not miles away from the moor or haldon for riding.

Avoid Salcombe or Dartmouth (full of Londoners and Yachters), and head for Thurlestone, and stay at the hotel there

Agreed. Salcombe used to be lovely (I spent a very large amount of my childhood there, on the right side of the estuary, though…!)

The Thurlestone is a lovely little spot, but tends to be a bit full of old duffers at times! Not that that is always a bad thing, mind you! Also, have a look at the Sloop at Bantham, just over the way. Rooms and self-catering available. Great beer/food in the pub and a nice stroll to a great beach.

Google Millbrook Cottages. About 10 mins from Barnstaple, 20 mins to decent surfing beaches. Its excellent and I reckon there MUST be some semi-decent riding around there. If not, its only 30 mins or so to Dartmoor and less probably to Exmoor.

Grynch, I'd be interested in that Mid-late March, if you're affiliated with it like you imply…

The Sloop at Bantham is a corker, accomodation very good and well priced, food excellent (all the fish there is superb!) and you can avoid the exhorbitent flat rate car parking fee for the beach (holy sh*t it's got expensive there).
True about the Thurlestone being a bit of a retirement zone, but it's very civilised because of that.
Also – my wife and I got married there! it is pricey though, but they are open to haggling on the phone if you're late-notice or staying a while. Consider for a half board deal as the restaurant is rather nice, and the views…wow!

zokes, mrs. and I own it but all bookings are handled thru the website listed there.

cheers,
g

but if you have any questions email me : lynch1295@hotmail.com

( btw.. a couple of changes from the website.. the pond is gone (not very kid friendly ) and the summer house is gone — that should be replaced , well, by summer )

it is pricey though

No kidding. I've had a fortnight in the Caribbean for the price of a long weekend in Cornwall.

EDIT : double post.

Thanks grynch. Shall point the Home Office to it tonight. Hopefully that will reduce her risk of turning into the War Ministry when I say I'm going riding tomorrow…

*L*, enjoy your ride ( I hope )

5th Elefant – I know, but that's kind of what's wrong with the world these days, things that should be expensive (like travelling thousands of miles) aren't, and those which should be cheap (like holidaying in your own county in my case) are anything but.

I stand by this though – you can give me a good day in my chosen bit of Devon or Cornwall over one anywhere else in the world.

anywhere near exmoor or dartmoor and you're onto a winner.

see http://www.roughrideguide.co.uk – new holiday mtb guidebook.

salcombe is amazing, well i think it is anyway. but stay on the east portlemouth side rather than the salcombe side if you prefer peace and quiet to lively evenings at the pub.

Woolacombe in North Devon is great. I'm sure you could find some trails near by to ride on. Plus you could perhaps convince your Mrs to get on a bike and ride down the nearby Tarka trail – nice flat well surfaced trail which goes alongside the estuary to Barnstaple and and then back the other side towards Bideford. Not very exciting for mountain bikers but the views are great and its nice and easy and all off road if you start in Braunton (can hire bikes there).
Also would recommend Bude in North Cornwall.
Both places good for surfing/body boarding if you fancy something different from the bike!

My mum has a cottage she rents out in North Devon, about 6 miles outside Bideford. Easy access to loads of nice beaches, some great ones for surfing. Also as mentioned above you can get the Tarka Trail from Bideford if you want some easy riding. There is also South-West Extreme if you fancy a bit of 4X or Freeride action about 2 miles from Bideford. Being in between Exmoor and Dartmoor is great as good riding on both. You could also make an easy day trip down past Dartmoor to Tavistock for Gawton and Tavi Woods if you're interested in that sort of thing (I've been and they're great!). Oh yeah and some ok riding in Abbeyford Woods near Okehampton, also easily reachable. You could also get into Cornwall from here in 30 mins or so. And you could stay here (ha ha!)

lexiekay – can you send me some details please? lukeDOTburstowAThotmailDOTcoDOTuk

wwaswas – have emailed you!

Woolacombe.

good choice of beaches – woolacombe town beach is excellent, clean and lifeguuarded. the other end is really nice too – Puttsburgh, a bit more sheltered if wind is SW.

Croyde, in my opinion, is a place that likes to take as much dosh as is humanly possible, while not being that friendly. (the village is extremely pretty though).

We got stung for £62 for 2 nights in a two man tent staying in "surfers paradise". right on the beach but def one to avoid.
Croyde beach also tends to have bigger surf than Woolacombe, making it hard work/intimidating for beginners and kids.

Have you thought about staying on the Gower peninsula? beautiful beaches, half the price of Devon and 45 minutes from Glyncorwyg. a good compromise?

We're going there at Easter, really looking forward to it.

Can recommend this self-catering place in Woolacombe: http://www.woolacombeseascapes.co.uk/ There is a very well appointed flat available for 2 people (good price too) and also a house available during summer hols. Stayed in the flat last yr with my hubby and it was really really nice, the owners (Brett & Sarah) are very friendly and its located right in the village centre. Bike/surf friendly too.

For our hols this year we're going for a week camping at http://www.oldmacdonalds.co.uk/index.htm on the north coast of Cornwall between Padstow an Newquay costing us £129 and then a week in a mates cottage on the south coast in Polperro (near Looe) costing £500(mates rates would normally be £150 ish more) this is at the start of the school summer holidays so I don't think £630 is bad at all.

We just had a week in Cornwall last year and 2 in Greece and both the wife and I agreed the UK holiday was far and away more enjoyable than abroad , our 4 1/2 year old agreed too. I'm already saving up pastie money , mmm nom nom.

We recently rented a cottage near Crediton – just north of Dartmoor. Ideal if you want to be kind of central and explore differnt parts of Devon as well as head into Cornwall. Most journeys were 1-2hrs each way, but we did the north coast, south coast and west coast. Plenty of biking to be done around Dartmoor too. And if you're on the southern Cornish coast you've got to check out Sams Diner at Fowey or Par.

Exmoor. Defo.

The riding around Porlock, Minehead and inland from there on Exmoor around Dunkery Beacon and pretty much all around there is bloody fantastic. There are more bridleways in that area than you can shake a big stick at. It's v cute too with thatched cottages. And bridleways. Minehead itself is not too hot, but you can drive to decent beaches such as Woolacombe, Croyde Bay etc. v easily.

You could be out on the trails v early & get a 2-3 hour ride in before people wake up, sorted.

Beers rubbish though, but it's down south so that's inevitable. Just hold your nose or try cider.

Braunton, Saunton, Croyde, Putsborough, Woolacombe and Morthoe are all good and reasonably close to Exmoor (45 mins) and the Quantocks (1hr ish). South Devon beaches aren't as good on the whole, but access to Dartmoor is better.

Thanks. Some good suggestions there. I think we'll be trying to find somewhere in the Bideford/North Dartmoor/Bude area.

lexiekay – could you send some info here too please.

lexiekay – could I get details as well please. Thanks.
Email in profile.

Emails sent 🙂

who needs to drive to the beach, here's the view from my holiday home (well, seeing how everyone else is plugging theres)…

no interior shots as its undergoing a complete rennovation, but its an edwardian beach house in west cornwall and very full of character.

website (www.pilchardstore.co.uk) with rebuild blog should be up this week, but for now anyone wanting details email me.

should anyone from the forum make a booking i'll donate some cash to the stw office beer fund.

very shameless plug over!

The pilchardstore site seems to be down right now….

Okehampton area is great for MTBing, on the edge of Dartmoor, super in the summer.