Branscombe Airfield and Camping

Stay at Branscombe at the beginning of August to frolic at the world-famous Sidmouth Folk Week, or mosey along to this part of Devon at any time of year to ramble and rockpool on Branscombe Mouth beach, be tempted by tasty treats in the thatched roof restaurant or take a boat out to land some mackerel and pollock for supper.

Branscombe village has the Old Forge, the Old Bakery and the Norman St Winifred Church to see, while the regency town of Sidmouth five miles to the west has a sauna, cinema, indoor pool, restaurants and gift shops as well as beaches for splashing and sunbathing.

The fishing village of Beer is nearby: this sheltered beach is the spot for catching the sun’s rays, and if you don’t want to angle yourself from a boat to cast off, you can buy some fresh fish on the beach before getting on your mining helmet to explore the Beer Quarry Caves or climbing the hill (sans helmet) to the model railway exhibition and gardens at Pecorama. Cavers and trainspotters can also try the Kents Cavern Underground Caves and the South Devon Railway, both at Torquay.

Devon day trips include browsing for lace in the market town of Honiton, taking a tram from Seaton along the River Axe for birdwatching at the estuary, fossil-hunting at Lyme Regis, history hunting in Exeter at Exeter Cathedral and wandering the National Trust walks over Exmoor and Dartmoor. For the small fliers, the Crealy Adventure Park, Paignton Zoo and Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium should have them soaring.