"Not just Cream Teas and oooooh aaarrrr!! " a Devon Travel Page by debtravers

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Brentor church, Dartmoor

Come to Sunny Devon....

Ok, its not always sunny, but you'll have a great time anyway! Devon just has to be one of the most beautiful counties in England. Dramatic cliffs and coastal path along the north coast, where you'll find a beautiful unspoilt beach at Woolacombe, take a trip to Lundy Island from Ilfracombe further along the coast; the coast path runs, in fact, along both the south and north coasts of Devon and is a terrific way to see the area. Dartmoor National Park covering much of the mid/south region of Devon, wild, rugged and spectacular landscapes here, and one of the few places in our overcrowded country where you can escape the crowds; down to the busier south coast holiday towns of Dawlish and Torquay to mention but two. Exeter and Plymouth are the major cities and merit separate pages.

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Jack Russell

Famous Devonians..

SIR WALTER RALEIGH hailed from East Budleigh, an explorer and seaman who got as far as America and named Virginia for his queen, Elizabeth I. He returned with gifts of tobacco and potatoes (apparently thinking tobacco was a cure for the cough!) for a delighted Elizabeth who then knighted him. Unfortunately her successor, James I, wasn't as keen on him and he was beheaded for treason in 1618.
THOMAS NEWCOMEN, an inventor born in Dartmouth in 1663, he invented the atmospheric engine.
PARSON JOHN (Jack) RUSSELL, born in 1795, also in Dartmouth, a dog breeder who created the breed 'Jack Russell.
AGATHA CHRISTIE, born in Torquay in 1890 became the worlds biggest selling 'whodunnit' writer. She started writing after her mother suggested she make best use of her time when stuck indoors suffering from a cold! Good motherly advice eh?
JOHN LETHBRIDGE, another inventor, needed to come up with a winner as he had SEVENTEEN children to feed! He did just that in 1715 when he came up with the world's first underwater diving machine after conducting trials in the family garden pond!
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE was born in Tavistock and went off to sea at the age of 13yrs. He successfully went around the world on the 'Golden Hind' and became another of Elizabeth I's favourites after presenting her with treasure plundered from Spanish & Portugese ships. Allegedly not the nicest of men he's been labelled 'arrogant, covetous, ruthless & amoral'.

and not forgetting of course, Devon's own Basil Fawlty, well-known hotelier and general all round lunatic....