Devon

Devon countryside

Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, and Dorset and Somerset to the east. It is unique among English counties, in that it has two separated coastlines, on the English Channel and Bristol Channel branches of the Atlantic. Although Devon is the official county name, Devon and Devonshire are commonly used interchangeably in general use, with Devonshire often indicating a traditional or historical context.

Devon is the fourth largest of the English counties, with a population of 1,109,900. Much of the county is rural, and it has a low population density.

The main settlements in Devon are the cities of Plymouth, a historic port now administratively independent, Exeter, the county town, and Torquay, the county's tourist hotspot. Devon's coast is lined with popular tourist resorts, many of which grew rapidly with the arrival of the railways in the 19th century. Notable examples include Dawlish, Exmouth, Seaton and Sidmouth on the south coast, and Ilfracombe and Lynmouth on the north. The Torbay conurbation of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham on the south coast is perhaps the largest and most popular of these resorts. Rural market towns in the county include Axminster, Barnstaple, Crediton, Bideford, Honiton, Newton Abbot, Okehampton, Tavistock and Tiverton.

Selected places of interest:

Bicton Park and Gardens
Dartmoor National Park
Paighton and Dartmouth Steam Railway

Dorset, Somerset, Devon