A PICTURESQUE town in Devon is home to one of the UK’s most beautiful beaches – complete without arcades and rides.
The Victorian town of Sidmouth in east Devon has a 200million-year-old coastline, being the gateway to the Jurassic Coast.
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What’s more is that the town is also loved by celebs including Jeremy Vine and Stephen Fry.
Fry stayed nearby the town when starring in the TV adaptation of Jeeves and Wooster.
As for Jeremy Vine, the radio presenter got married nearby and spends summers returning to the town.
In fact, when he set his first whodunnit novel called Murder on Line, in the town, he included a scene where a wave sweeps a radio station manager and her just-sacked DJ into the water together.
Vine noted in The Guardian: “What I love most about Sidmouth is that it feels like a town going places.
“It’s chintzy in places, drab in others, but it feels real.
“And real by the sea is a different kind of beauty.”
But celebrity visitors also extended to literary legends and royalty.
Jane Austen – famous for her novels Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey – spent the summer of 1801 in Sidmouth.
The town had become a popular spot among high society due to its spa waters, mild climate and calming atmosphere.
During the summer Austen was in Sidmouth, she had a fling with a young man – however, it had a tragic end.
Her suitor caught typhus and died, ending the fleeting relationship.
Austen isn’t the only writer to have spent some time in the town – JRR Tolkien, the creator of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit also holidayed at the seaside resort.
Tolkien used to stay at Kennaway House, which is rumoured to be the location where he wrote the first parts of Lord of the Rings.
And in the town itself, one of the pubs is believed to have inspired Aragon’s introduction.
Later, in April 1908, Beatrix Potter was also in Sidmouth.
On family holidays, the popular children’s writer would stay at the Hylton – where there is now even a plaque commemorating her stays.
Potter used to talk of the views, her local walks in the area and also the atmosphere – which helped her to complete the Tale of Little Pig Robinson.
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As for royalty, Queen Victoria (who at the time of visiting was Princess Alexandrina) also frequented the town.
In 1819, she stayed at Woolbrook Cottage – now known as the Royal Glen Hotel.
However, the holiday was not particularly happy as her father became ill and died.
For things to do in Sidmouth, there is plenty of choice, with the beach undoubtedly being the main attraction.
This year Sidmouth Town Beach was awarded a Blue Flag for the sixth year in a row – recognising the pebble beach as being under excellent management including beach safety and water quality.
Being amongst the cleanest beaches in the UK, it is a great spot to go for a dip when the sun is shining before heading into the town and grabbing an ice cream.
My own experience of Sidmouth
GROWING up, I always associated Sidmouth with ‘that place that had donkeys’.
This is due to Sidmouth being home to the free-to-visit Donkey Sanctuary that has over 100 donkeys that they have improved the lives of.
It’s a great spot for children and learning about animal welfare.
Away from the sanctuary, I also visited the beach on occasions growing up.
Sidmouth is pretty, but I often think people also forget how impressive it is with the dramatic cliffs dating back 200million years.
They are part of the Jurassic Coast – which is made of vibrant reed sandstone cliffs from the Triassic period.
They are a wonder to see and within the area, there are many places to go and things to do where families can learn more about the Jurassic Coast.
But if you aren’t done with exploring, you could always head over to Hill View along the coastal walk, which boast amazing views across the sea.
One particularly special thing about Sidmouth though, is that it doesn’t have any amusement arcades, loud sports bars or dodgy street food vendors.
Instead, the places that these would usually be have been filled with galleries and antiques shops, independent retailers and tearooms.
To get to the quaint town, from London it takes around four hours to drive.
Alternatively, also from London, you could hop on a train to Honiton, taking around two-and-a-half hours before catching a bus from Honiton to Sidmouth.
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