Holiday cottages

The South West region is probably England's most well-known holiday hotspot, being home to some of the most famous seaside resorts. Pretty villages and harbours in Cornwall, many with sweeping sandy beaches, such as St Ives, Polzeath and Port Isaac to name but a few, give way to sophisticated seaside resorts in Devon and Dorset which include Bournemouth, Torquay and Ilfracombe. The history of this region is unrivalled; Wiltshire's spectacular downland and the stone circles at Avebury and Stonehenge, through Hardy's Dorset, dramatic Dartmoor and gentler Exmoor, to the mining landscapes of Cornwall and West Devon, which are now recognised as being of international significance, having been awarded World Heritage Site status in 2006. The Trust protects 370 miles of the coastline in Devon and Cornwall and, wherever you are in the two far western counties, you're never more than 25 miles from the sea. As well as this peninsula, the Trust also cares for much of the countryside in Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset and a wide array of fascinating properties to visit and explore. Not surprisingly, perhaps, this area is also home to the widest selection of National Trust holiday cottages.

North Devon with its outstanding coast, glorious moorland, plunging wooded valleys and remote, unchanging rural landscapes inland - has so much to offer the visitor, no matter what type of holiday you are looking for. While on the coast you will find miles of sandy beaches at places like Woolacombe and Croyde, and some of the finest surf in Britain (whether you?re a beginner or a pro), interspersed by long and lonely stretches of dramatic soaring cliffs and rugged headlands, with the South West Coast Path running all the way along the coast, guaranteeing some exhilarating walking, the beautiful wooded valleys and winding rivers of Exmoor National Park add a softer touch to the landscape around the fringes of the high bare moorland. To the north of Exmoor are the dramatically picturesque seaside towns of Lynton and Lynmouth and to their west, the pretty villages of Parracombe and Combe Martin are the gateways to some breathtaking valley and coastal scenery. This is a landscape which captured the imagination of the 19th century Romantic poets and provided the inspiration for Lorna Doone and continues to thrill and delight all who discover it today. The River Heddno runs through Parracombe and then down through the wooded Heddon Valley, a paradise for butterflies and wild flowers, before reaching the sea at heddon\'s Mouth. Combe Martin is a fomer mining village in a sheltered valley that reaches the sea at a beach and harbour beneath the towering drama of the heath-clad cliffs of Little Hangman, with Great Hangman beyond. Like the Heddon Valley, a good network of footpaths here allows for some splendid and challenging walks to be enjoyed through this remarkable landscape. Nearby is lovely Arlington Court with its estate, house and garden and the National Trust Carriage Museum. Ilfracombe, Barnstaple and Bideford bring a bit of seaside sparkle. Inland, there are historic market towns and hidden villages in the lovely unspoilt valleys of the Taw and the Torridge. Activities in the area include birdwatching, cycling, fishing, horse riding, surfing, walking and water sports.