Things to see and do Southwest

Spectacular views, rugged landscape, impressive rocks and goats!

A leisure centre with restaurant, bar, coffee shop, swimming pool, games for children.

This spring located just below the Glastonbury Tor pours as much pure water as legends say. It is one of the oldest of its kind in Britain. It is considered sacred and some people attribute it to druidic origins. Others believe that by hiding the Grail in it, Joseph of Arimathea would have given it a healing power... We discover the spring and the charming gardens that surround it, very peaceful for a stroll. The spring is rich in iron which gives it a red colour, it gushes with a flow of 115 000 litres per day.

This beach, or rather this cove, is difficult to find less overcrowded. Moreover, it is sheltered from the wind and surrounded by greenery and cliffs. Pebble beach.

The beaches surround Newquay. To the south, Fistral Beach, considered the main beach, is worth bathing, but especially for surfing. In the summer there are numerous competitions. In the north, Great Western Beach is popular with surfers, Tolcarne Beach and Lusty Glaze Beach attract more bathers. A little further, in Watergate Bay, there is again a question of testing the wave. Each beach has cafés, toilets and rescue swimmers. Beware, however, at high tide, beaches are almost entirely covered and tourists are often surprised!

A mecca for tourism, history, heritage and mystery, Stonehenge is on the bucket list of many visitors to the UK. It is surely Europe's best-known prehistoric monument. Immortalized in literature and film on numerous occasions, it is a Unesco World Heritage Site that still holds all its secrets. Indeed, there are still many questions as to why these enormous monoliths were placed there in the first place, and what techniques were used to move them. Recent renovations have seen the grassing over of a road that had spoiled the site's charm, and the construction of a new on-site museum that will tell you all you need to know about the site. While you can't get within 5 metres of the stones to ensure their preservation, you can admire them from the path around them and soak up their mystical beauty. Immerse yourself in this atmosphere and step back in time to the Neolithic era with the help of the excellent commentary on the audio guide, which will take you around the stones following the different orientations of the sun. A timeless experience.

Don't forget to book your visit online to guarantee admission. A shuttle bus from the modern visitor center can take you to the stone circle, 2 km away. Alternatively, you can take a walk and soak up the sights.

The site's history dates back some 5,000 years. Stonehenge was a Neolithic place of worship and burial, consisting of a ditch and an embankment. 4,000 years ago, the bluestones were brought down from the mountains of south-west Wales, and 500 years later, they were installed at the center of the circle of standing stones we see today, which originate from the Malborough Downs, some 30 km away. The site may have become a Druidic ceremonial place, but its origins are Celtic.

When the Celtic people, of Indo-European origins, arrived in Europe in the first millennium BC, Stonehenge was already abandoned. The Greek writer Ephoros describes the Celtic people as one of the four most remarkable barbarian civilizations, along with the Libyans, Persians and Scythians.

Reputed to be curious, intellectual, creative and resistant to any organized system, they undermined all the states of antiquity, without ever creating one themselves. Their favorite literary form was poetry, transmitted orally.

A must on this site: come on a solstice day when the sun is aligned with the axis of the megaliths.

It is Bath's flagship attraction, inherited from the Roman occupation. In the 12th century, the King's Bath was built there around the spring. The place became again a place to visit and cure for the benefits it was found. In the 18th century, mineral water began to be consumed and the Pump Room was built for this purpose. It was not until 1880 that the Roman remains were discovered and exhumed. The visit is a true journey through time and the ostentation of ancient elegance. Beware, there can be a lot of people in summer!

This magnificent theatre enjoys a spectacular location, perched on the cliffs of the small municipality of Porthcurno. Although it looks like an antique hemicycle, its construction only began in 1930, thanks to the plans of a tireless English lady, Miss Cade, who completed most of it. It still hosts performances in the summer and the back of each seat bears the inscription of a work : The Merchant of Venice, Alice in Wonderland... If you're in the area during the summer, be sure to spend the evening.

The cathedral, built in 1333, is the largest and most beautiful in England. It is a set of lawns and old buildings. Even today, the enclosure is closed every evening and the residents each have their keys.

At the top of the cliffs lie the ruins of this legendary castle, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of King Arthur. The present structure was built later, in the ^13th century, and the site chosen for its construction is exceptional. To reach it, you have to climb steep, uneven steps. The spectacular views will reward your efforts, and both the panorama and the setting are magnificent, with the jagged coastline all around and the sea as far as the eye can see. An exhibition on site tells the story of the site. A pleasant visit.

Built at the very beginning of the 18th century in 1701, during the reign of Queen Anne, the Mompesson House boasts magnificent ceilings and an absolutely sumptuous oak staircase. There is a strange, nostalgic atmosphere in the house that contrasts with the hustle and bustle of Cathedral Close. It was for this reason, among others, that it was selected as the location for the film Reasons and Feelings, based on the novel by Jane Austen. A visit not to be missed for lovers of beautiful homes!

St Ives has beautiful sandy beaches. Porthmeor Beach, 700 m long, just opposite the Tate Gallery is the favorite of surfers.

Symbol of Glastonbury, this great hill was a place of retreat for the monks, before becoming a chapel, destroyed by an earthquake in 1275. Rebuilt later, the ruins of the Chapel of St Michael can still be seen here. Today it is only a tower, but a mystical atmosphere surrounds it. The Arthurian legends linked to the site are numerous and some see the entrance to Avalon, the burial place of King Arthur. You have to climb it to grasp the magnificence of the place and the flat landscapes that surround it. Beautiful pictures from the top

Saint Augustine's Abbey was built in 1140 and, by 1542, the building had expanded to form the new cathedral. A fine example of Gothic architecture, it boasts a sumptuous and imposing chapter house, the meeting place of the monks. The nave was destroyed in the ^16th century, then rebuilt in the ^19th century according to its original medieval plan. It forms a large, uniform hall with the choir and aisles, which are the same height. A must-see in Bristol. The gardens surrounding the church are equally beautiful.

With its poetic, evocative name, Land's End is Cornwall's other famous headland, along with Lizard Point. This is not the most southerly, but the most westerly point in the whole country, offering a wider, more jagged panorama. Spectacular views of the surrounding cliffs, facing the open Atlantic. It's a pity that the site is so overdeveloped for tourism, with several buildings including a small, typically English amusement complex. The best thing to do is simply to park in the (paying) parking lot and head straight for the coast, avoiding all the unnatural attractions, especially in the off-season when the area is not very busy. A famous (very) long-distance hiking route starts here, linking Land's End to John's O' Groats, the last village in north-west Scotland. Nicknamed the "End to End", it covers more than 1,400 km and attracts mainly cyclists, but also a few hikers ready to cross the length of Great Britain... Arm yourself with binoculars, and you'll be able to spot gannets diving right before your eyes. Land's End is one of the most dangerous places for boats to pass through, with its jutting rocks. In all, more than 37 shipwrecks have occurred here. Explanatory panels explain the dangers of these tumultuous, rocky waters. Take your time, watch the waves and enjoy the fresh air.

This museum is dedicated to aerospace, an industry in which Bristol specializes. The local star is, of course, the Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, designed and built here. It was the last Concorde to fly, and could cross the Atlantic in just three hours. You can see the interiors, but other aircraft are also on display. And don't forget the Red Arrows simulator! The attraction is housed on a former World War I base, renovated and refitted to accommodate it.

As soon as you enter, the legendary Bristol Boxhite aeroplane flies overhead. Housed in a magnificent Edwardian building, the museum is home to archaeological collections, ceramics and porcelain from all over the world, exhibits from ancient and modern civilizations and an impressive natural history section. And don't miss the contemporary art gallery, featuring works by some of the world's most renowned artists. A museum well worth a visit.

Two information sites on Dartmoor National Park - All possible activities are detailed, as well as accommodation and restaurants.

One of Britain's most famous cathedrals, it also boasts the tallest church spire in the UK. It was built between 1220 and 1258 in the early English Gothic style. The cloister, chapter house (which houses one of only four surviving copies of the Magna Carta), tower and spire were not completed until 500 years later. The ceiling of the nave is also beautifully painted. Behind the altar, you'll admire the highly-constructed perspectives, with their pure, perfectly-balanced lines. The arches are painted green or red, accentuating their slender appearance, while the black marble columns add rhythm to the beauty of the proportions. In the cloister, two cedar trees flourish, protected by stone galleries. In the evenings, light shines through their needles, reflecting a soft, slightly green light onto the pale grey walls beneath the bell tower... The painter Constable immortalized this architectural masterpiece and contributed to its popularity. Another must-see is England's oldest working clock. It's a must-see that's sure to leave no one unmoved!

Cathedral Close: the cathedral precinct, built in 1333, is the largest in England. It includes Mompesson House and other beautiful medieval houses. Even today, the site is closed every evening, and residents each have their own key.

Bath boasts a splendid Gothic abbey, renovated by Henry VII and built on the site of a Saxon monastery that was the coronation ground for Edgar, the first king of England, in 973. Now restored to its original splendor, with the vibrant colors of its fan-shaped vaults, the church has a new look. Its construction, in 1499, was interrupted and resumed in 1609, resulting in a mixture of styles. During the reign of Elizabeth^I, it was nicknamed the "Lantern of the West", in homage to its immense stained glass windows: 56 scenes illustrating the life of Christ.