Attractions in the

Southwest

Dorset    Wiltshire    Somerset    Devon    Cornwall       

Dorset 

Dorset is Thomas Hardy Country. Many of his literary works were set in Dorset’s towns and countryside. Hardy’s birthplace, Higher Bockhampton, and his final home of Max Gate, Dorchester, are preserved by the National Trust. Much Hardy memorabilia can found in the county, particularly in the Dorset County Museum. Dorset's western point, Lyme Regis, has impressive cliffs which are popular with fossil hunters. Dorset’s delightful coastal and inland scenery and many of its quiet lanes and stone-built villages seem almost untouched by time. 

Attractions In Dorset:

 Abbotsbury Swannery, Abbotsbury 

 Brewers Quay, Weymouth 

 Corfe Castle, nr Wareham 

 Deep Sea Adventure, Weymouth 

 Dinosaur Museum (The), Dorchester 

 Dorset County Museum, Dorchester 

 Dorset Heavy Horse Centre, Verwood 

 Dorset Teddy Bear Museum, Dorchester 

 Farmer Palmer's, nr Poole 

 Horn Park Gardens, Beaminster

 Keep Military Museum, Dorchester 

 Kingston Lacy, Wimborne 

 Knoll Gardens and Nursery, nr Ferndown 

 Lulworth Castle, Wareham

 Mapperton Gardens, Beaminster

 Monkey World, Wareham 

 Nothe Fort, Weymouth 

 Oceanarium, Bournemouth

 Portland Castle - English Heritage, Portland

 Red House Museum & Garden, Christchurch

 Sea Life Park, Weymouth

 Sherborne Castle, Sherborne

 Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne

 Sherborne Museum, Sherborne

 Smugglers Barn, Abbotsbury

 Swanage Railway, Swanage,

 Tutankhamun Museum, Dorchester 

 Walford Mill Craft Centre, Wimbourne 

 Wolfeton House, Dorchester  

Wiltshire 

The very famous Stonehenge is found in this county, and attracts many visitors every year. A few miles south of Stonehenge Old Sarum can be seen, site of the first Salisbury Cathedral. The grass mounds around the original cathedral site still remain.  The current Salisbury Cathedral is an dominant landmark, with its 404 foot high spire. Also, the Avebury Stone Circle can be found here. The huge stone circle is unique in that many of the cottages of the village of Avebury are located within the circle of standing stones.

 Attractions In Wiltshire:

 Abbey House Gardens (The), Malmesbury 

 Bowood House and Gardens, Calne 

 Broadleas Gardens Charitable Trust Ltd, Devizes 

 Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm Park, Salisbury 

 Corsham Court, Corsham 

 Dyrham Park, nr Chippenham 

 Fox Talbot Museum, Lacock 

 Hamptworth Lodge, Salisbury 

 Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot Museum & Village, nr Chippenham 

 Larmer Tree Gardens (The), nr Salisbury

 Longleat, Warminster

 Lydiard Park, West Swindon 

 Malmesbury House, Salisbury

 Old Sarum Castle - English Heritage, Salisbury 

 Peto Garden At Iford Manor (The), Bradford-on-Avon 

 Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, Salisbury

 Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury

 Stonehenge Stone Circle, Salisbury

 Sheldon Manor, Chippenham 

 Stourhead Garden & House, nr Warminster 

 Wilton House, Salisbury

 Woodhenge Wooden Circle, Amesbury

Somerset 

The attractive rural county of Somerset lies to the south of the Bristol Channel, north of Dorset. Somerset offers beautiful scenery, quaint villages and ancient history. The famous Roman Baths are well worth a visit. 1,900 years ago, when the ancient Romans colonized England, they built a fine bath which is remarkably preserved. Glastonbury is associated with Arthurian legend as the resting place of King Arthur, and the Holy Grail.  Bristol, The largest city in the southwest, has a scenic waterfront area with interesting shops, cafes, art galleries. 

Attractions In Somerset:

 Allerford Museum, Allerford

 American Museum in Britain (The), Bath

 Barrington Court, nr Ilminster

 Bath Assembly Rooms and Museum of Costume, Bath

 Bath Postal Museum, Bath

 Blaise Castle House Museum, Henbury

 Bridgewater Camel Company, Bridgewater

 Bristol Zoo Gardens, Bristol

 Building of Bath Museum, Bath

 Combe Sydenham Hall and Country Park, Taunton

 Court Farm Country Park, Banwell

 Dunster Castle, nr Minehead

 East Lambrook Manor Gardens, South Petherton

 Fleet Air Arm Museum, Ilchester

 Frome Museum, Frome

 Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury

 Grand Pier, Weston-Super-Mare

 Helicopter Museum (The), Weston-Super-Mare

 Holburne Museum of Art, Bath

 Horsewood Visitor Centre, Whitchurch

 Jane Austen Visitor Centre, Bath

 Montacute House (National Trust), Montacute

 Museum of East Asian Art, Bath

 Museum of South Somerset, Yeovil

 Norwood Farm, nr Bath Prior Park Landscape Garden (National Trust), Bath

 Roman Baths, Bath

 Sea Life Aquarium, Weston-Super-Mare

 Sheppys Cider Centre, Taunton

 Shoe Museum, Street Tropiquaria Wildlife Park, Watchet

 Theatre Royale, Bath

 Tropiquaria Wildlife Park. Washford Cross

 Watchet Museum, Watchet

 Wellington Museum, Wellington

 Wells Cathedral, Wells

 Willows and Wetlands Visitor Centre, nr Taunton

 Wookey Hole Caves, Wells

Devon 

Situated in southwest England, between Somerset and Cornwall, Devon is a favourite destination for tourists. Both north and south coasts offer seaside resorts.   Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks are wonderful, scenic locations to visit. 

Attractions In Devon: 

 Allhallows Museum of Lace and Antiquities, Honiton

 All Saints Torre, Torbay 

 Becky Falls Woodland Park, Dartmoor

 Bobbacombe Model Village, Torquay

 Buckland Abbey, Yelverton

 Cadhay, Ottery St Mary

 Canonteign Falls, nr Chudleigh

 Castle Drogo, nr Exeter

 Cobbaton Combat Collection, Umberleigh

 Coldharbour Mill Trust, nr Cullompton

 Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park, Ilfracombe

 Compton Castle, Paignton

 Crealy Adventure Park, Exeter

 Dartington Crystal, Great Torrington

 Dartmouth Castle - English Heritage, Dartmouth

 Docton Mill and Gardens, Hartland

 Endsleigh House & Gardens, Tavistock, Devon, England  

 Escot Country Park and Gardens, nr Ottery St Mary

 Exeter Cathedral, Exeter

 Exmoor Brass Rubbing & Hobby Craft Centre, nr Lynmouth

 Gnome Reserve (The), Nr Bradworthy

 Grand Western Horse Boat Company, Tiverton

 Hartland Abbey, near Bideford

 Hedgehog Hospital & British Wildlife Garden Centre, Newton Abbot

 Hemerdon House, Plymouth

 High Cross House, Totnes

 Lyn and Exmoor Museum, Lynton

 Marwood Hill Gardens, Barnstaple

 Morwellham Quay, nr Tavistock

 Museum of Dartmoor Life, Okehampton

 National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth

 North Devon Farm park, Landkey, Barnstaple

 Once Upon a Time Theme  Park, Woolacombe

 Otterton Mill Centre and Working Museum, near Budleigh Salterton

 Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, Paignton

 Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh

 Plymouth Dome, Plymouth

 Powderham Castle, Exeter

 Quince Honey Farm, South Molton

 Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter

 RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington

 Tiverton Castle, Tiverton

 Tiverton Museum, Tiverton

 Tuckers Maltings, Newton Abbot

 Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh

 Watermouth Castle Theme Park, Ilfracombe

William Cookworthy Museum, Kingsbridge

 Woodlands Leisure Park, Dartmouth

 Yelverton Paperweight Centre, Yelverton

Cornwall 

In the extreme southwest of England lies Cornwall, with its Celtic culture and character. The Atlantic Ocean lies on the western side of the county, while the English Channel is on the eastern side. Many areas of unspoilt land exist in Cornwall, owned by the National trust. The area is very temperate with mild winters and warm summers. In fact, the south coast has become known as English Riviera, with a collection of small resort towns and villages dotted along the coastline. Tourism and fishing are major economic influences.

 Attractions In Cornwall: 

 Bosvigo, Truro

 British Cycling Museum, Camelford

 Caerhays Castle & Gardens, St Austell

 Eden Project, St. Austell

 Geevor Tin Mine, Penzance

 Glendurgan Garden, nr Falmouth

 Jamaica Inn & Museums, Launceston

 Land's End, nr Penzance

 Lanhydrock House, Lanhydrock

 Military Museum, Bodmin, Cornwall, England  

 Mount Edgcumbe House & Country Park, nr Torpoint

 N.E.D.D.I. Donkey Sanctuary, St. Kew

 Newquay Zoo, Newquay

 North Cornwall Museum & Gallery, Camelford

 Old Mill Herbary, Bodmin

 Pencarrow, Bodmin

 Pendennis Castle - English Heritage, Falmouth

 Pine Lodge Gardens, St Austell 

 Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro

 Screech Owl Sanctuary, St. Columb

 Shipwreck and Heritage Centre, Charlestown

 St. Michael’s Mount, Marazion

 Tintagel Castle - English Heritage, Tintagel

 Tintagel Toy Museum, Tintagel

 Tiverton Museum, Tiverton

 Topsham Museum, Topsham

 Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith

 Tregrehan Garden, Par

 Trelissick Garden, nr Truro

 Trewithen Gardens, Truro

 Wayside Folk Museum, St. Ives