The elegant Regency seaside town of Sidmouth lies at the base of the River Sid Valley in South Devon. With it's level beaches overshadowed by towering red sandstone cliffs, Sidmouth was originally built up around the Manor House, with most of the original settlement being stone-built workman's cottages with thatched roofs, some of which are still in evidence today.
Sidmouth has an abundance of listed buildings, many now being the impressive villas of the regency period. Modern Sidmouth also boasts an a host of modern restaurants, inns and bars to compliment it's proud architectural heritage, and its long beach is a favourite attraction for young and old alike. The beaches of Sidmouth and it's surrounding area are also famous as being part of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, where it's almost impossible not to stumble across some form of fossil or other, having previously been buried in the surrounding sandstone cliffs for thousands of years, before being gradually exposed again by the elements.
Also long established in Sidmouth, but not quiet for a million years, is the famous Donkey Sanctuary, who's charitable work is world renown. Here you can see the rescued animals being loved and cared for, and even lend support yourself, by adopting a friendly donkey. If you are a keen golfer and even more so if you enjoy the exiting spactacle of Formula One motor racing, no visit to Sidmouth would be complete without visiting Nigel Mansell's nearby Woodbury Park Golf and Country Club and his World of Racing Centre. Yet another not-to-be-missed attraction at Sidmouth is the Sidmouth World Folk Festival, which has now reached it's fiftieth year. The Folk Festival attracts visitors and performers from all around the world, satisfying varying musical tastes in folk, from Morris dancing to ceilidh.
For the inquisitive visitor who wants to escape the hurly-burly of planet earth completely, there is always Sidmouth's historic Norman Lockyer Observatory and Planetarium, where (weather permitting) it's possible to focus one's gaze far out into space.
In fact, Sidmouth offers something for just about everyone, and it's handy situation and plentiful amenities make it an ideal base for further exploring the numerous attractions of South East Devon.
Missed something? |
