South West England

England's southwestern peninsula, the "West Country", stretching from Bath and the southern Cotswolds to the Jurassic Coast and the Devon and Cornwall shores, with sea views and historic towns in equal measure.

This region corresponds to the South West, one of England's official statistical regions and popularly known as the West Country. It covers Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Devon, Plymouth, Torbay, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It borders Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire in South East England to the east, and Worcestershire and Herefordshire in the Midlands to the north. The Cotswolds span several counties; this entry includes them under Bath. Highlights: the Roman Baths and Georgian Royal Crescent in Bath; Cotswold villages in Gloucestershire such as Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water; Stonehenge and Avebury in Wiltshire; the Jurassic Coast (a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site) across Dorset and East Devon, with Durdle Door as its signature landmark; Dartmoor in Devon; and, in Cornwall, St Ives, Land's End, St Michael's Mount and the Eden Project. A classic trip is a 7–10 day self-drive: London – Bath – Stonehenge – Jurassic Coast – Dartmoor – Cornwall. Trains run to Bath, Exeter and Penzance, but the countryside and coastal sights are still easiest by car. The South West Coast Path is about 1,000 km long and can be walked in sections. Summer is peak season, and the narrow country lanes call for careful driving.

Destinations

• St Ives, Cornwall
• Jurassic Coast
• Bath & Cotswolds
• Dartmoor
• Isles of Scilly
• Newquay
• Plymouth
• Torquay
• Bournemouth
• Bristol

Itineraries

• Devon & Cornwall Coastal Loop – Departing from Exeter, loop through Dartmoor, the South and North Cornwall coasts, and Land's End.
• West Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Island Hopping – Sail from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly, using Hugh Town as a base to hop between islands by boat.
• Hampshire to Dorset South Coast – Head west along the south coast: historic capital, naval dockyard, Isle of Wight, New Forest, and the Jurassic Coast.
• Classic England Rail Tour – A classic rail journey linking London, Bath, Oxford, and York—ideal for first-time visitors to England.
• Great Britain Classic Loop: England & Scotland – A classic British road trip from London, looping through Bath, the Lake District, Edinburgh, and York.
• London, Windsor, Stonehenge and Cambridge in – Four days in central London, plus two day trips to Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath and Cambridge, staying in the city through…
• Oxford, Shakespeare Country and the Cotswolds in – A short trip from London: Blenheim Palace, Shakespeare's hometown, Warwick Castle and honey-coloured villages.