EAST DEVON & THE JURASSIC COAST | Bradt travel guide

travel guide

Part of Bradt’s distinctive, award-winning series of ‘Slow’ travel guides to UK regions, this new, thoroughly updated third edition of Bradt’s East Devon and the Jurassic Coast (Slow Travel) remains the most comprehensive – and only standalone – guide available to this area. Written with insider knowledge that can only be gained by living in the area, and combined with colourful, enthusiastic and witty writing, plus contributions from local experts, this guidebook is as much a pleasure to read as an invaluable companion for exploring east Devon and west Dorset.

Devon is the fourth most popular county for UK holidaymakers – and for good reason. Over a hundred square miles of East Devon are designated a ‘National Landscape’ (formerly ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’) and the internationally famous Jurassic Coast stretching into Dorset is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The charming coastal town of Seaton benefits from sensitive development, including the extension (to wildlife-packed Seaton Wetlands) of the Stop Line Way, a long-distance cycling and walking route to Bristol, originally designed to bolster World War II defences. Dorset’s Lyme Regis, meanwhile, is Britain’s fossil-hunting capital – as featured in the 2020 film Ammonite, starring Kate Winslet.

With an emphasis on car-free travel – walking, cycling and local buses – this Bradt guide’s detailed descriptions, historical glimpses, folklore and personal anecdotes whet readers’ appetite for exploration. Many activities are covered for the first time in this new edition. Coastal walking has never been better following the reopening of the South West Coast Path locally. Paddleboarding tours and lessons now operate off Seaton beach and a new section of the Stop Line Way walking and cycling route has opened up through the sensational Seaton Wetlands. Savour the artisan coffee that has become a big deal locally, or taste the produce of the region’s fastest-growing agricultural sector: wine. Giggle at the goings on at the ancient Goose Fayre in Colyton, and enjoy other idiosyncratic local festivals such as the Ottery tar barrels and Honiton hot pennies. And when you’re done, reward yourself with one of Beer’s Devon cream teas while admiring this picturesque fishing village. Wherever you amble, let Bradt’s East Devon and the Jurassic Coast (Slow Travel) be your companion.