Region

Devon

Base in Exeter or Plymouth for rail and city; base in a coastal town only if you have a car.

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Key facts · United Kingdom

Best months: Apr–May, Sep
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP, £)
Language: English
Plugs: G · 230 V
Time zone: GMT, BST from late March to late October

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Devon is two coastlines and two moors with a rail spine down the middle. Without a car, sleep in Exeter (rail hub, 2 h 30 from London) or Plymouth (ferries, Cornwall gateway) and day-trip by train. With a car, pick one coast — north for surf and cliffs, south for resorts and the Jurassic Coast — and stay put; driving between them eats a day.

Where to sleep

7 places in this region

Sleep base

ExeterCity guide
Two stations, cathedral city, rail to both coasts and Cornwall.
Best Apr–Jul, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
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PlymouthCity guide
Naval base, Brittany Ferries to France and Spain, Cornwall across the Tamar.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Plymouth →
North DevonRegion
Surf beaches and cliffs; needs a car or long bus rides.
Open North Devon →
English Riviera and South DevonRegion
Torquay, Paignton, Dartmouth; rail branch from Newton Abbot.
Open English Riviera and South Devon →

Day trip

DartmoorRegion
Moorland walking and granite tors; go early, weather turns fast.
Open Dartmoor →
TopshamCity guide
Estuary town 15 min by train from Exeter.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Topsham →
ColytonCity guide
East Devon village on the Seaton tramway line.
Best Apr–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Colyton →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

3 nights: Exeter 3, Dartmoor and the south coast as day-trips by train
5 nights: Exeter 2 + north or south coast 3 with a car
7 nights: Exeter 2 + coast 3 + Plymouth 2, Cornwall on the last day

North and south coasts are 1 h 30–2 h apart by road; do not plan to see both in one day.
M5 and the A38/A30 jam on summer Saturdays and bank holidays — drive early or late.
Single-track lanes: check your route if driving a motorhome or large SUV.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Dartmoor	Exeter	60 min	check	Train to Okehampton or Newton Abbot, then bus or taxi; the moor itself needs wheels.
Topsham	Exeter	20 min	check	Frequent local trains; half a day is enough.
Torquay and Paignton	Exeter	50 min	check	Change at Newton Abbot; branch line runs along the coast.
Plymouth	Exeter	70 min	check	Direct trains; the Tamar bridge crossing is the scenic bit.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding culture here; travel light on branch lines, which have limited racks.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Exeter	×	×	ok	go	go	go	go	ok	go	go	ok	×
Plymouth	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Topsham	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	ok
Colyton	×	×	ok	go	go	go	go	go	go	go	×	×
United Kingdom (country-wide)	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Devoncounty-wide	cool	cool	ok	best	best	ok	ok	ok	best	ok	cool	cool

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, grey

Devon: Mild and wet year-round; May–June and September are driest and quietest. July–August is school-holiday peak on both coasts. Exposed coasts and Dartmoor are windy and can be 3–5 °C (5–9 °F) cooler than Exeter.Mild and wet year-round; May–June and September are driest and quietest. July–August is school-holiday peak on both coasts. Exposed coasts and Dartmoor are windy and can be 5–9 °F (3–5 °C) cooler than Exeter.

Book coastal beds early for July–August and school half-terms; outside those weeks prices and traffic drop sharply.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
London Paddington	Exeter St Davids	Great Western Railway direct train	~2 h 30	Fastest rail route in; book ahead for cheaper advance fares.
London Waterloo	Exeter Central / Honiton	South Western Railway via Salisbury	~3 h 30	Slower but serves east Devon towns.
Bristol	Tiverton Parkway / Exeter	Great Western Main Line train	~1 h to Exeter	Tiverton Parkway is a park-and-ride style stop off the M5, not in the town.
Cornwall	Plymouth	Train over the Royal Albert Bridge	~1 h 30 from Truro	The Tamar crossing is the view; sit on the left heading east.
M5 (by road)	Exeter	Motorway, then A38 or A30	~3 h from Bristol	The only motorway into Devon; expect queues on summer weekends.
Roscoff, Saint-Malo or Santander	Plymouth	Brittany Ferries, vehicles and foot passengers	overnight sailings	Check sailing days; not a daily service.
EXT (Exeter Airport)	Exeter city centre	Bus or taxi	~20 min	Domestic and a few European routes; summer schedule is wider.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Advance rail tickets

buy

Book 2–12 weeks out for the London–Exeter run; walk-up fares are far higher.

BritRail / railcards

check

Only pays for multiple long UK legs; run your fares first.

Devon dayrider / bus passes

buy

Travel Devon lists the county bus tickets; a day ticket pays on any two-bus day.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Cream tea (scones, jam, clotted cream)	County-wide, especially Tavistock and coastal tearooms	Devon style is cream first, then jam. Portions are large; one between two is fine.
South Devon crab	Coastal pubs and harbours	Sold as sandwiches, salads or dressed crab; check the day's catch board.
Pasty	Bakeries and market stalls	Traditional filling is beef, potato, swede and onion. Devon and Cornwall both claim it.
Hocking's ice cream	North Devon vans: Bideford, Appledore, Westward Ho!, Ilfracombe	Seasonal, roughly March to October; vanilla with clotted cream on top is the classic.
Devon scrumpy cider	Farm shops and rural pubs	Stronger than it tastes; ask for a half first.
Plymouth Gin	Plymouth bars and distillery	Navy strength is 57% ABV; the standard is 41.2%.

Go next

Cornwall

planned

Train from Plymouth, ~1 h 30 to Truro

Cross the Tamar and keep going west.

Somerset

planned

Train or M5 north, ~1 h to Taunton

Gateway to Bristol and the Mendips.

West Country

planned

Region overview

Plan Devon as part of a wider southwest loop.

United Kingdom

Country overview

Rail passes, tipping and plug facts live here.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 4 bases
Day trips: 4, 20 min to 1 h 10
Nights suggested: 3–7 nights
Ways in: 7 listed
Best months: Apr, May, Sep

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Open West Country Up to United Kingdom

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialVisit Devon
officialTravel Devon (bus and rail information)
officialExeter Airport
officialBrittany Ferries
officialJurassic Coast World Heritage Site
officialDevon County Council — geology guide
secondaryWikivoyage: Devon, revision 5331964 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about Devon

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