The Best Hidden Gems in Devon.

This is a collaborative post.

Among the many consequences of the pandemic has been a downturn in overseas tourism. While it’s still possible to get on a plane and travel to a different part of the world, the risk is too great for many of us.

Consequently, the domestic tourism industry has enjoyed something of a bounce. For British holidaymakers looking to get away, there’s never been a more apt time to see what the United Kingdom has to offer. And, when it comes to natural beauty, culture and history, it’s difficult to match Devon. It’s remote enough to be unspoilt, and yet perfectly reachable with a long-term rental car from ZenAuto.

Let’s take a look at some of the spots that visitors to Devon will want to consider visiting.

Lundy Island.

Since 1969, the National Trust and the Landmark Trust have looked after the island of Lundy. It’s rare that you get a chance to explore a landmass without roads, cars or pollution, and the experience of walking around is amazingly invigorating. The abundant diversity of plant and animal life make it a must-visit for hikers.

Killerton Woods and Gardens.

If you’d like to wander around a gorgeous 18^th-century estate, complete with a landscaped garden and a beautiful stretch of woodland, then it doesn’t get much more appealing than Killerton. There are fairly strict social distancing measures in place, but you’ll still be allowed inside the house.

Grand Western Canal.

This nature reserve meanders through just under twelve miles of Devonshire countryside, adjoining the sleepy little villages between Tiverton and Lowdwells, near the border of Somerset. There’s plenty to do along the way, including enjoying a horse-drawn barge trip, picking up trinkets in the gift shop and enjoying a break in one of the cafés throughout the day.

Heddon Valley.

Exmoor national park is enough to draw in the curious hiker. It’s wide open and stunning, and there are plenty of walks that’ll expose you to the area’s beauty during autumn. With looming cliffs and thick woodland to explore, Heddon Valley has an enormous amount to offer.

Berry Head National Nature Reserve.

Berry Head provides an unparalleled view of the Devon coastline. More than two hundred varieties of bird make their home here, with the most notable being the guillemots, which flock here in their hundreds during the breeding season.

Heddon’s Mouth Beach.

In the county’s north, we find a craggy cove, which marks the end of the river Heddon. It’s a very small river (though it isn’t a stream), and thus it’s the mouth which draws the majority of tourists. As such it is nice and isolated, with huge, round rocks running across the beach. It’s so isolated, in fact, that German sailors were able to sneak in during World War II in search of freshwater. If you’re arriving after a long car journey, then the salty sea smell and the fresh breeze might give you a sense of relief those chaps must have felt, having been crammed into a U-boat for months on end.

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