Family Holidays In Torquay, Devon
For sweeping countryside, cosmopolitan towns, rugged moorland and beaches galore
, youd be hard pressed to find a family holiday destination as varied as Devon, and a holiday in Torquay is a great place to start.
Surrounded by attractions that offer a mixture of in- and outdoor activities, the seaside town was first discovered with the arrival of the railways, making Torquay and the south Devon coastline directly accessible from across the country.
Nowadays it is still popular as a family holiday destination, still in part due to the fact that it is easily reached, but also because of its long sandy beaches such as Torre Abbey Sands, a favourite for swimming and sand-castle building and hosting a range of events throughout the summer season. The beach was even named the best popular tourist beach for sandcastle-building by Bournemouth University scientists who came up with a formula for sandcastle-making success based on the weight of the sand, sand to water ratio and the irregularity of sand grains!
For splashing about in warmer water, the Quaywest waterpark has splash areas ideal for little people as well as courage-testing water slides, whilst for a more leisurely day out with a dose of learning-made-fun Occombe Farm allows you to explore a working farm and meet the farm animals including hens, pigs and alpacas.
In nearby Paignton, animals from more exotic climes reside at Paignton Zoological Park, which remains a firm favourite amongst locals and visitors alike. Catch the train around the huge park to take in views of the lake and wading birds, try to spot the elusive red pandas and dont miss the big cats being fed.
The choice of stately homes to visit in Devon is also huge and Greenway is a great example of a mixture of indoor space steeped in historical charm and gardens and grounds fit for exploring. The former holiday home of Devons most famous literary export Agatha Christie was restored to its former glory by the National Trust four years ago and allows you to step back in time as it is laid out as Christie had it during her time there. The location is also stunning with views of, and access to the River Dart from where you can catch the ferry upriver to Dartmouth and Totnes, or around the coast to Brixham and Torquay. For a real giggle-jerk ride, the vintage bus takes you up the long drive to catch the steam railway on to nearby Paignton.
Further afield, the vast open space that is Dartmoor National Park takes some beating when it comes to getting the family out and about walking, picnicking, pony spotting and letterboxing. Letter what? This long-standing tradition is an activity probably as far removed from the games console as you can get, but is nonetheless held in high nostalgic regard by Devonians. There are hundreds of letterboxes across the moor and the object of the activity is to find a box, stamp your book with the supplied stamp and feel proud! Well, it doesnt exactly amount to rollercoaster levels of excitement, but it does get you out exploring a really beautiful area.
For a more structured approach to sightseeing, try a Treasure Trail, trails that you can purchase online or download onto a free purpose-built app. They give you a suggested route to follow in your area of choice in Devon, some on foot, others by bike, car or even wheelchair & pushchair friendly. Themes include murder mystery and treasure hunts.
If the kids arent exhausted after all that, they will be by the time theyve worked their way through a huge Devon ice cream on the beach or slap-up meal back at base.
by: Polly Bale
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