A 2026 Guide to Visiting Devon & Cornwall
Devon and Cornwall make up the far southwestern tip of England, along the Atlantic Ocean. Jutting out into the Bristol Channel, the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean beyond, the counties of Devon and Cornwall are popular English holiday destinations. This article gives you a background to the region, all the key visiting information and plenty of facts, first-hand experience and insider hints and tips along the way.
Geography and Landscape
These two England counties measure around 4000 sq miles – that’s roughly six times the area of Greater London or five times the area of another popular England holiday destination the Cotswolds. Flanked on three sides by the sea, they offer visitors over 1200 miles of coastline to explore. Towering cliffs drop down to secluded coves or long sandy beaches. With a long history in fishing and seafaring, there are hundreds of small harbours to see too, boats bobbing on the water.
But look beyond the deeply-rooted maritime culture and you’ll find the interior of Devon and Cornwall just as captivating as its coastline. Undulating hills are crisscrossed by thousands of tiny roads, footpaths and cycling routes. At their intersections, you’ll find beautiful, whisper-quiet villages or bustling market towns. For international visitors, Devon and Cornwall give you the perfect taste of England’s seaside culture, history, landscape, society and cuisine.
National Landscapes and Parks
Within Devon and Cornwall, 6 areas have been given the designation: National Landscape. A National Landscape is an area of land which represents significant value for conversation purposes. Until November 2023, these were referred to as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONBs.
- North Devon
- East Devon
- South Devon
- The Blackdown Hills
- The Tamar Valley
- Cornwall
Slightly confusingly, the two moorland areas in the regions, Exmoor and Dartmoor, aren’t part of the National Landscape, but in fact, have been given the National Park designation. Fun fact, Devon is the only county of England to have two National Parks.
Travelling in Devon and Cornwall
Being away from the more major cities in England, Devon and Cornwall can be a bit harder to get to. The region is served by one major motorway, the M5 whilst the Great Western Railway operates all of the trains in Devon and Cornwall. From London – the likely arrival if arriving from abroad – travellers can choose to drive to the region, although catching a train is perhaps the easiest and fuss-free option.
For those traveling by rail, here is a guide to the major stations in the region:
| Station | Region Served |
|---|---|
| Exeter | East and North Devon |
| Plymouth | West, Central and South Devon |
| Bodmin Parkway | Cornwall |
| Falmouth | Cornwall |
| Penzance | Cornwall |
Several scenic branch lines take you onwards to other places in Cornwall like Newquay and St Ives. A charming trip we can recommend is the journey on the Looe Valley Line. Assuming you are travelling from London, take the Penzance train and alight at Liskeard before jumping on the small, one-carriage train to Looe on the South Cornish coast. This small train doesn’t get up much speed, but chugs in and out of wooded valleys and overlooks charming estuaries.