West is best

Of all the regions of Britain, the Westcountry has historically been the least populated and one of the poorest. However, that has been an advantage when it comes to attracting tourists

When the industrial cities of the North expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries the Westcountry became more and more isolated. The two major ‘industries’ in this region were traditional farming and fishing, along with tin mining.
However, in the 20th century, a decline in tin mining, along with quotas on farming and fishing, meant that tourism became, the most important industry in the Westcountry.

With over 702 miles (1,130km) of coastline, it’s not surprising that the Westcountry has been popular with tourists since the 19th century, when doctors used to send patients from the industrial, polluted cities to the seaside to ‘take the waters’ and recover. In the 21st century surf competitions, stag and hen parties, exclusive holiday villas and budget holiday camps still allow the over-worked and health-conscious a place to relax and have fun.

The South-west coast has the longest unbroken coastal path in Britain, so it is possible to walk from the fossil-packed, World-Heritage coast of Dorset along to the popular tourist resorts and red-cliffs of Devon, down to the wilder and more dramatic secluded coves and tiny fishing villages Cornwall. Turn the corner at Land’s End and you can walk up past the popular surf beaches of North Cornwall towards the wide, long, windswept beaches of north Devon then to the popular resorts in Somerset, and the more industrial landscape around Bristol.

The climate of the Westcountry makes it perfect for the summer and winter ‘get away’. We don’t have the hottest summer temperatures (the south-east of England has these) but we do have the longest average amounts of daily sunshine, combined with cooling sea-breezes. And it is the warmest part of the country in the winter, which makes it very popular with the older generation, who come down to retire.

If you want to be more adventurous and don’t like sitting around on the beach with sand between your toes (and everywhere else), stuffing your face with fish-and-chips and ice-cream, the Westcountry has three spectacular wild, upland areas: Dartmoor and Exmoor can be found in Devon, while the smaller, but just as stunning, Bodmin Moor can be found in Cornwall. All of these are perfect for rock-climbing, hill-walking, horse-riding and generally being macho and healthy.

To the east of the region, in the county of Somerset, lies the spectacular Cheddar Gorge with its dramatic scenery and famous caves, while Wiltshire and Dorset offer the tourist the chance to explore ancient archaeological sites and see magnificent chalk figures carved into hillsides. That’s not to mention one of the most famous tourist attractions in Britain – Stonehenge situated on the wide open landscape of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. [AT]