England Was Never on My Radar – Then a Road Trip Through the Cotswolds, Devon and Cornwall Changed Everything

Inspired by our son’s holiday photographs, we swapped airports for a ferry to Wales and discovered honey-coloured villages, dramatic coastlines, incredible food and a side of England we’d never properly explored

Travelling is one of my greatest pleasures. I love discovering new places, faces, food, scenery and cultures, and I’ve been lucky enough to see a fair bit of the world, from the US to South America, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean and much of Europe.

Despite all that travelling, I barely knew our nearest neighbour. England had never really held any attraction for me. Apart from a few short weekends in London, I didn’t know much about the country and never considered exploring it.

Then last summer, our son Luke and daughter-in-law Danielle headed on a road trip through the Cotswolds, Devon and Cornwall, and our family WhatsApp was pinging with photographs of honey-coloured villages, cosy pubs, dramatic coastlines and postcard-perfect little towns. My husband Neil and I were completely hooked.  And one year later, we decided to follow in their footsteps, right down to borrowing their roof box and camping gear for the first couple of nights.

The trip, which started at Rosslare, turned out to be one of the best holidays we’ve ever had. There is something wonderfully civilised about travelling by ferry. The pace slows, and the holiday begins before you’ve even upped anchor. There’s no manic rush through airports, no anxiously checking departure boards, no worries about flight delays or excess baggage charges, and no dragging suitcases down one flight of stairs in the airport only to haul them back up the steps of the plane again. Instead, you simply drive on, park up and let the holiday begin.

We departed at 8.15am on a three-and-a-half-hour crossing from Rosslare to Fishguard on Stena Line’s Nordica. We paid €60 each return for the Club Lounge and I’d highly recommend it.

Comfortable seats, complimentary newspapers and magazines, endless tea, coffee, juices, drinks, fruit, croissants and pastries on the outward leg and a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere.  You also get to embark and disembark first when you pay the excess.

Our first stop was the Cotswolds, about four hours from Fishguard, although we had a heart-stopping moment when Google Maps initially told us it would take eight hours. It took it a minute to realise we were in Wales and not still sitting in Rosslare before it reset itself.

The Cotswolds were spectacular. We had never seen villages quite like them. It felt as though we had driven onto the set of Miss Marple. In fact, we visited the Cotswolds village of Bampton, which doubled as Downton in Downton Abbey, with its church featured in the TV series. Every village seemed prettier than the last, with honey-coloured stone cottages, flower boxes bursting with colour and tiny lanes leading to hidden gems.

We based ourselves for two nights in Chipping Norton at the Cotswold Hills Country Park campsite, where we stayed in Luke and Danielle’s remarkably comfortable roof box .  

The campsite was spotlessly clean, with plenty of green space. It was just a ten-minute walk from town and only two miles from Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm. And after checking it out, Neil said the hot dog was the best he’d ever had. We skipped the shop because of the queues but wandered around the farm instead. It was smaller than I’d expected, but full of character and well worth checking out.

That evening we ate in The Chequers, the oldest building in Chipping Norton, dating back to 1444. It felt exactly how an old English country pub should, with an open fire, low ceilings, cosy nooks and crannies, snoozing dogs at their owners’ feet and wonderfully friendly staff and locals. We both ordered the beef and ale pie with roast potatoes, root vegetables, cabbage and leeks, washed down with a couple of excellent pale ales. It was so good that we went back the following day for one of the pub’s award-winning roast beef Sunday lunches with all the trimmings.

The next morning we had breakfast in Bromley’s Café in Chipping Norton, and this is where we both fell a little in love with England. As we were walking up the street, we realised we had no phone signal, and were stopped by a local who explained that the internet was down throughout the town but should be back by lunchtime. My husband looked for some information in the café when he was paying and, before we knew it, the entire café had joined the conversation.

“You must go here.” “No, don’t miss this place.” “Have you been to Burford?” “Definitely see Bampton.”  Everyone wanted to help.

This set the tone for the friendliness of people throughout the entire trip – everywhere we went the people were lovely, warm and welcoming. 

We visited Bampton, instantly recognisable to Downton Abbey fans, and wandered around Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill.

Then came Burford, a picture-postcard Cotswolds town. Breakfast was in Bakery on the Hill, four scrambled free-range eggs each, sourdough toast and enough coffee to keep us going all day. The rest of the morning was spent browsing boutique shops, antiques and independent retailers. Not a multinational chain in sight.

Then we drove to Bourton-on-the-Water. Our home for the night was The Dial House, a beautiful old Cotswold stone boutique hotel with 13 bed rooms, dating back to 1698. Its gorgeous eclectic décor includes a magnificent open fire in the drawing room. We didn’t eat there, but several locals we met said the food was excellent, and local recommendations are usually the best kind.

The town is spectacularly charming, with little stone bridges crossing the river and people strolling along the banks eating ice cream. We wandered through antique shops, where we picked up a few little pieces and visited the famous model village.  We really enjoyed just slowing down here, which was very easy to do. 

From there we headed for Devon. It rained on the drive for nearly four hours and visibility was poor. Then, as if by magic, the skies cleared just as we reached Lynton and Lynmouth.

The area is often called the “Little Switzerland” of England and it’s easy to see why. Dramatic cliffs plunge into the sea and the roads are spectacular, particularly around Porlock Hill, one of the steepest roads in England. I’m glad that I wasn’t driving! 

We stayed at Highcliffe House in Lynton, a beautiful Victorian guest house perched high above the coast. The breakfast was legendary, with the freshest fruit and berries, yoghurts and porridge, a full English and award-winning poached eggs with smoked salmon. The hospitality from owners and Corkmen, Robert and Richard, was exceptional, and the views were breathtaking, sweeping across the Bristol Channel.

The house itself has a wonderfully relaxed feel, helped by the soft soundtrack of Classic Gold music playing in the background, and the most beautiful signature scent wafting through the rooms, making the place feel extra special.

Lynton is linked to its sister village, Lynmouth, below by the famous cliff railway, a Victorian  funicular that’s been carrying passengers up and down the steep hillside since the 1800s. Both villages are packed with bars and restaurants offering Devon cream teas, which we tried and loved. The villages are surrounded by some of the most spectacular walks from the dramatic Valley of Rocks to beautiful riverside trails.

It is the kind of place where you arrive for a couple of nights and immediately start wondering how quickly you can come back – at least we were! 

Next up came Cornwall, and our first stop was Padstow, a foodie paradise. We had lunch at Rick Stein’s fish and chip bar on the quay, beside his cookery school. The cod was fresh from the sea and the freshly-cut chips were among the best we’ve eaten.

Then came St Ives, where we stayed for two nights, another gem with turquoise water, golden beaches, little cobbled streets lined with quirky shops and incredible seafood restaurants around every corner. We checked into the Harbour Hotel, overlooking the beach, and were once again met by wonderfully friendly staff. The hotel was lovely, but after the cosy charm of The Dial House and Highcliffe House, I realised I’d become a fan of the more intimate feel of smaller places to stay.

Our ferry back to Cork was departing at 2pm and, according to Google Maps, the journey to Fishguard would take about five hours, so our original plan was to leave the hotel at 7am. However, after chatting to a few locals, we were warned that traffic on the route can be chaotic, with lengthy delays, so we decided to hit the road at 4.30am instead. Luckily we did. We ran into what turned out to be an almost two-hour tailback approaching Bristol. Fortunately, we managed to leave the motorway just in time and find another route around it. If you’re planning to drive from Cornwall to Fishguard, give yourself plenty of extra time.

Our trip was out of this world. Looking back, you could easily spend a week in the Cotswolds and another in Devon and Cornwall. There was definitely far more to see and do than we could fit into one trip. Then again, that’s probably a good thing as it gives us every excuse to return.

If you’re a dog owner planning a similar trip, you’ll be in heaven. I have never seen so many dogs everywhere, in shops, pubs, cafés and restaurants.  The region is incredibly dog friendly and I’m sure there is no shortage of places to stay with your four-legged friend.

We came home feeling as though we’d only scratched the surface and will definitely be back, not only to retrace our steps but to explore more of England. The Lake District has already made its way firmly onto our list. And to think, it all started with a few photographs on a family WhatsApp group!