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Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Is Sidmouth God's waiting room or Gen Z heaven? Maddy Fletcher visits the nonagenarian capital of Britain to find out
In the weeks before I went to Sidmouth there were various portents. First, I saw my great-uncle and he told me he had just come back from there. 'Our hotel was like Fawlty Towers,' he said, happily, adding, 'You know, John Betjeman wrote a poem about Sidmouth.' Then I bumped into my friend's dad at dinner. He'd just spent a weekend on the Jurassic Coast and had visited 'the nicest town in East Devon'. 'Was it Sidmouth?' I asked. 'It was!' he replied. He recommended a café on the beach that had good coffee cake. Also, did I know that John Betjeman wrote a poem about it? This year, the ONS said that Sidmouth had the highest proportion of nonagenarians in Britain. Of the town's 5,300-or-so population, 319 people are 90 or older. (That's six per cent, the national average is 0.9 per cent.) The largest age demographic in the area is 60- to 80-year-olds (39 per cent) and the number of people younger than 30 is 842 (16 per cent). I am not 90; I am 28. So, the purpose of my visit was to see how I found Sidmouth as a young person. In brief: could I have a good night out in the town The Times and The Telegraph have called 'God's waiting room'? My boyfriend (who is also not 90 but 33, to be clear) and I arrive in Sidmouth on a Friday morning. We unpack our bags and walk to the seafront, past the local croquet court. It's populated with a few players – in their 70s, I'd say – dressed in neat white kit. You can see the ocean in the background. (When I ask anyone who seems 70-plus – the woman volunteering in the museum, the man picking up his order at the bookshop – what they like about Sidmouth, they all mention the 'sea air'. That, and the general pleasantness.) On the high street, bunting skips between roofs; a bakery named Flapjackery sells gourmet flapjacks; outside a boutique called Forever England, floor-length nightgowns hang on a clothes rail, drifting a little in the wind. I search 'vape shop' on Google Maps – my litmus test for seeing how 'young' an area is – and learn that, in Sidmouth, the nearest establishment the internet thinks might sell vapes is Waitrose. All of the shops are let, bar one: a knackered corner building with a sign advertising 'YRGOLF: 2 state of the art golf simulators and relaxing lounge bar'. Apparently, it's coming 'early 2025!' This is now summer. I ask a woman working in a nearby bakery what the YRGOLF building used to be and she says Carinas Nite Club, the only one in Sidmouth, which shut in 2018. She leads me outside it. 'You can't tell, but it was massive. Tardis-like. There would be hundreds of people inside and queues outside.' A friend of hers, who works in another shop on the street, joins us. 'We're talking about Carinas,' says the baker. The newcomer looks at YRGOLF, sighing. 'We had a lot of fun in Carinas.' They're in their 40s and say they wouldn't go clubbing now anyway. When I ask what young people do for a night out in today's Sidmouth they both reply: 'Go to Exeter.' It's a different, logistical sort of evening. There are buses to Exeter but they leave hourly and the last one is at 11.40pm. The alternative is a £50 taxi. On a council cork board, I see a leaflet for Sidmouth Sea Fest. There isn't much information, only that it's a two-day festival in Connaught Gardens – a public park at the top of a hill. It takes place – and this wasn't planned – on the weekend we are here. I consider this a promising coincidence and decide to go. I don't really know what I expect: maybe a man playing gentle guitar, possibly some morris dancing. As we walk uphill, past big houses and one of the town's 11 care homes, we start to hear music. It's not folky but, rather, electronic and dancey. My boyfriend turns to me, confused. 'It sounds like we're in Ibiza.' The noise gets louder until we enter Connaught Gardens and arrive at the festival. It is, basically, a different planet. The flower beds are illuminated by technicoloured lights; large papier-mâché jellyfish dangle from trees. At the back of the gardens is a stage with a DJ. Around the perimeter, stalls sell food and drink. And in the middle there are loads and loads and loads of young people. We get pints and watch the crowd singing to a remix of Dirty Cash (Money Talks). I panic briefly that maybe this oasis of Gen Zers isn't local. Maybe they're free-spirited types from Exeter who have come for the night. I approach one, wearing a gigantic scrunchie and a low-waisted denim skirt. 'Are you from Sidmouth?' I ask. 'Yeah,' she replies, pointing to a group of her friends. 'We all are!' She introduces me to the festival's organisers, Louise, Coco and Tara, locals in their 40s and 50s who run Sidmouth School of Art, a charity that encourages creativity in the area. They started the festival in 2014 and the whole thing is non-profit. This is, really, the one weekend a year Sidmouth is like this. But look – they nod to all the 20-somethings – there are plenty of young people here, they just need things to do and places to go. 'Now,' they say, 'if you'll excuse us, we need to hang up some jellyfish!' We order more beers and join the dancing, shouting about how surreal this is. At 10pm, because of the council's stipulations, the music ends – but the night isn't done. We follow crowds down the hill and to the sea, along the high street, past Flapjackery and Forever England and the houses full of sleeping people. Everyone stops at a pub called The Black Horse. Inside, it's rammed, with Gen Zers and a karaoke machine and a boy giving a genuinely brilliant performance of Don't Look Back In Anger. When he finishes, a group of at least 15 girls sing That Don't Impress Me Much. My boyfriend and I do a committed duet of She's The One. After, at the bar, I look at all these young people and think about how they're all having such a good time, and how no one will want the pub to close at 12, and how we would all absolutely love it if the nightclub down the road still existed. Earlier that evening at Sea Fest, we had stood at a viewing platform where you could see the cliffs and coast. After a while a boy appeared, young – obviously – and I think drunk and happy. He asked if we were from the area and we said no. He wasn't either, but his uni friend's mum helped organise the festival so he'd come to support. He was from and lived in Manchester. Then – and I promise I am not making this up – he gestured to where the music was playing, then to the sea and the cliffs, and he said, quite sincerely, 'but, honestly, I wish I lived in Sidmouth'.
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Pretty UK market town with best food is the 'loveliest in England'
Which? Travel asked more than 9,000 people to rate their favourite inland towns and villages' food and drink offering. Ludlow, a historic market town in Shropshire, came out on top The quaint market town is one of the UK's top foodie destinations, according to a survey by Which? Travel. After polling over 9,000 people in 2024, Ludlow in Shropshire emerged as the nation's best-rated inland town for its culinary delights, boasting an impressive five-star rating for its food and drink offerings. This picturesque town, with its 500-plus listed buildings, has long been admired for its charm, with poet John Betjeman once describing it as "the loveliest town in England". Ludlow's recipe for success lies in its emphasis on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, which are showcased in its numerous pubs, cafes and restaurants. A spokesperson for Which? said: "Instead of a handful of high-end eateries, there's a culture of local produce as well as numerous pubs and cafes, served by people who care about the food." Some of Ludlow's top-rated eateries include The Old Downton Lodge, Vaughan's Sandwich Bar, The Boyne Arms gastropub, and CSONS, a riverside cafe. Visitors can sample the best of the region's produce at the Ludlow Local Produce market, held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. The market features food and drink produced within a 30-mile radius of the town, promoting sustainable and locally sourced fare. Wells, the UK's second-smallest city, took second place in the survey as the best inland destination for foodies. Top UK Towns and Villages for Foodies.
Telegraph
11-05-2025
- Telegraph
Cornwall is overrated. Head for Somerset instead
As a Bentley is to a Rolls-Royce, so Somerset is to Devon and Cornwall – less flashy but just as good. Somerset is the county you pass through on the way to a holiday in Devon and Cornwall and yet this overlooked part of the West Country is a worthy destination in its own right. For those in search of the seaside, Somerset has plenty to offer. Weston-Super-Mare is the largest resort on England's west coast south of Lancashire, with three miles of sandy beach and a huge pier offering all kinds of amusements, while extending seven miles south to Burnham-on-Sea is the longest unbroken stretch of golden sands in Europe. To the north, the dignified resort town of Clevedon sports a graceful Victorian pier described by Sir John Betjeman as 'the most beautiful pier in England', while early 14th-century Clevedon Court is amongst the National Trust's oldest properties. Clevedon's Curzon Cinema opened in 1912 and is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas in the world. To the south, the picturesque village of Dunster offers an octagonal 17th-century yarn market, streets lined with rose-covered thatched cottages, a dovecote, watermill, medieval tithe barn and packhorse bridge, all watched over by a Norman castle on a high hill – oh, and a beach. Minehead is a mix of sandy beach, quaint fishing village and traditional seaside fun – including the largest of Britain's three Butlin's holiday parks and the West Somerset heritage steam railway. The starting point for England's longest National Trail, the South West Coast Path, which runs along the coast for 630 miles to Poole in Dorset, Minehead is the Gateway to Exmoor, where steep cliffs, riven by deep ravines and strung with waterfalls, bring the Somerset coastline to a dramatic conclusion. Exmoor itself is a world of purple heather and yellow gorse, rounded hills, deep valleys, dark woods and exquisitely pretty villages. Not two miles from the sea yet surrounded by wild and rugged moorland, romantic St Mary's in Oare, brings Lorna Doone alive, for here in this church she married John Ridd and was shot by the villainous Carver Doone. Deep in the middle of the moor, stretching across the River Barle near Withypool, is Tarr Steps, a clapper bridge 164ft (50m) long and dating back to the Bronze Age, the longest and oldest bridge of its kind in Britain. Away from the candy floss, Somerset offers history, culture and sophistication too. Bath, often described as Britain's most beautiful city, needs no introduction and shares a bishopric with a less-known but equally delightful town. Wells is England's smallest city, its Early English cathedral a building of incomparable beauty. The cathedral's west front, completed in 1280, is the finest gallery of medieval sculpture in the country, a display of 300 mostly life-size statues set in individual niches. The chapter house is the only one in Britain built above an undercroft and climbing up to it is the loveliest staircase in the world, a set of time-worn stone steps that curl and cascade down from the doorway like a tide. Just north of the cathedral lies Europe's oldest residential street, Vicar's Close, laid out in the 14th century and lined with houses built to accommodate the men of the cathedral choir, their chimneys made uncommonly tall so that the smoke wouldn't affect their voices. The wells after which the city is named can be found in the grounds of the moated Bishop's Palace, built in 1210 and one of the few left in England still lived in by a bishop. The mute swans living on the moat are trained to pull on a bell rope attached to the side of the gatehouse to ring for food, a skill passed down through the generations. A few miles south of Wells on the mysterious Somerset Levels lies Glastonbury, cradle of English Christianity and burial place of King Arthur. In the 1st century AD Joseph of Arimathea, who took Jesus down from the Cross, came to Glastonbury with the Holy Grail, which he is said to have buried beneath Glastonbury Tor. He then built England's first church to watch over it on flat land to the west. Some 700 years later an abbey was built on the site which grew rich from pilgrims before it was demolished at the Dissolution in 1539. The impressive remains give an indication of how vast the abbey church was and include a 14th-century Abbot's Kitchen. Glastonbury, once an island, lays claim to being the Isle of Avalon where King Arthur was brought to die after defeating Mordred in battle, and in 1191 the monks somewhat fortuitously found a great oak coffin buried beneath the abbey's Lady Chapel bearing the words 'Here lies interred in the Isle of Avalon the renowned King Arthur'. A plaque now marks the spot where Arthur waits patiently, ready to ride out and rescue his people when peril threatens. A few miles south east the hill-fort of Cadbury Camp is said to be the site of Arthur's legendary palace of Camelot. Today Glastonbury is better known as the home of Britain's biggest music festival, while in winter birdwatchers flock to see the sunset starling murmurations at the RSPB's Ham Wall just outside the town. Laid across the wetlands of the Somerset Levels to the west of Glastonbury is the Sweet Track, a wooden causeway constructed about 3800 BC, possibly the oldest surviving road in the world. To the south is Sedgemoor, site of the last pitched battle fought on English soil, between the armies of King James II and the Duke of Monmouth, illegitimate son of Charles II, in July 1685. Beyond is the Isle of Athelney, where in 878 AD King Alfred the Great sought refuge in a farmer's cottage. Instructed by the farmer's wife to watch her cakes while they were baking in the oven, he pondered instead on how to defeat the Danes and let them burn. He was royally scolded. Rising out of the Levels to the north are the Mendips, a range of limestone hills cleft by England's deepest gorge, the 500-foot-deep Cheddar Gorge, home 9,000 years ago to England's oldest known inhabitant, Cheddar Man. A mere 800 years ago a milkmaid accidentally discovered that the unique conditions of the caves under the gorge were perfect for making cheese when she went back to collect a pail of milk she had left in a cave and forgotten about. Henry II declared cheddar to be the 'best cheese in Britain' and the name of Cheddar has since spread around the world. Somerset is also known for its creamy brie. The sandstone Quantock Hills to the south of the Somerset Levels were designated in 1956 as England's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Long before, in 1796, Samuel Taylor Coleridge settled in the Quantocks with his new wife, in a cottage at Nether Stowey and began his golden age of poetry stirred by the evocative Somerset landscapes. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner was inspired by a visit to the coastal town of Watchet, while Kubla Khan was written after a bracing walk from the 17th-century harbour at Porlock Weir to England's smallest and most isolated medieval church at Culbone, set in a deep green dell between Exmoor and the sea. Somerset. Sheer poetry – and a worthy alternative to both Cornwall and Devon.
Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
UK seaside city with huge 1.3-mile pier ranked the best in the entire country
Southend boasts the longest pleasure pier on the planet, which also holds the world record for having the longest railway on a public pier, according to the Guinness Book of Records Southend-on-Sea is a vibrant waterfront destination on the Essex coast boasting a world-famous pier that was recently voted the best in Britain in a study carried out by the Telegraph. Located in the gaping mouth of the Thames Estuary, Southend isn't technically a seaside destination, but undoubtedly offers the full British seafront experience and atmosphere, complete with a bustling promenade, Blue Flag Award -winning beach — guaranteeing clean, safe and beautiful surroundings — and a lively city centre. Its easy access from London makes it a popular getaway for families, couples and day-trippers alike. Beyond the beach, Southend boasts a variety of attractions, from amusement arcades and adventure parks to historic hotels and cultural venues. But above all, it is the pier that defines Southend's identity and draws visitors from around the globe. Opened in 1830 and rebuilt in iron in 1889, Southend Pier is not just the longest pier in the UK, it's the longest pleasure pier in the world, stretching an astonishing 1.33 miles (2.14 km) into the Thames Estuary. As poet Sir John Betjeman famously put it: 'The Pier is Southend; Southend is the Pier.' The pier is so long that it has its own railway — the first built on a pier in the UK — offering a charming and practical way to reach its head. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it holds the world record for the longest railway on a public pier. At the pier's end, the striking Royal Pavilion hosts live performances, exhibitions and community events. Visitors can enjoy refreshments in quirky beach huts or at the café, all the while taking in panoramic estuary views. For those interested in history, the Pier Museum offers fascinating exhibits on its construction, railway and role in local life. There's a fairground featuring a ferris wheel, wacky walk of mirrors and crazy golf course, meaning there's a wide range of entertainment for people of all ages. Anglers will find the pier a hotspot for fishing, with flounder, bass and mackerel among the common catches. Southend Pier has twice been named Pier of the Year by the National Piers Society, first in 2007 and then in 2023. Recent investments include new eco-friendly trains, upgraded facilities and creative use of historic train carriages as seating, all contributing to record visitor numbers and glowing reviews. In short, Southend Pier offers an experience you simply cannot find anywhere else in the world, never mind the country. Whether you're walking further out into the water than you can anyplace else on the planet, riding on the iconic train, enjoying a show at the Royal Pavilion, or just soaking up the sea air, Southend Pier is without doubt the definitive British pier.
Telegraph
02-05-2025
- Telegraph
The best beaches in Cornwall
Cornwall has 300 miles of some of the most beautiful and varied coastline in Britain: long strands of golden sand, hidden coves with salt-and-pepper pebbles, and rockpools teeming with marine life. Much of the coastline is owned by the National Trust and long-standing Cornish families who play a valued role as guardians against inappropriate development. 'Porth' is the Cornish for beach, so any place on the map that has porth in its name will have one – certainly at low tide. When swimming, beware of undertows, especially on north coast beaches. Larger beaches are usually patrolled by RNLI lifeguards from April to October. For further Cornwall inspiration, see our guides to the region's best hotels, restaurants, pubs, things to do, cream teas, walks and how to plan the perfect holiday. The North Coast Daymer Bay This fine sandy beach is around the headland from fashionable Polzeath. It's best visited at low tide, when the firm sand is perfect for beach games and building sandcastles. Children can paddle here safely on calm days and will love exploring the rockpools. There is no lifeguard service. In summer, there's a glorious view across the Camel estuary to fields of golden corn. The poet John Betjeman loved this beach and is buried at St Enodoc Church in the dunes behind. Dogs are welcome year-round, and the coastal path from Daymer to Polzeath is accessible for wheelchair users and pushchairs. Watergate Bay Watergate, to the north of Newquay, has two miles of fine golden sand and reliable surf. It's a great place for beginners to learn to surf or paddleboard under the direction of well-trained instructors at Wavehunters. It also runs daily beach fitness and beach yoga classes in summer. Too much like hard work? Watch the action over cocktails or lunch at the Beach Hut. Online reservations at Getting there: Follow signs to Newquay Airport and carry on towards the sea. There's a large car park above the beach. Perranporth The wide swathe of sand at Perranporth comes into its own at low tide, when you can play football, build sandcastles, or swim in the sun-warmed waters of Chapel Rock's natural tidal pools. All-terrain wheelchairs can be hired in the village to explore the beach. At mid tide, the beach is a great place to learn how to surf: Perranporth Surf School offers individual and group tuition, including family lessons. Dogs are allowed on the beach year-round (a rarity), but must be on a lead from 10am-5pm in summer. At the day's end, The Watering Hole and Alcatraz – are lively places to watch the sunset. Getting there: The B3284 into Perranporth can get busy, but there are several large car parks around the village. West Cornwall Gwithian Towans This wide, unspoilt arc of dune-backed sands is located to the east of Hayle. At low tide there's a vast beach with rockpools and caves to explore. It's a favourite with surfers because the swell is consistent, and there are waves for all abilities – with the size of the swell increasing towards Godrevy lighthouse. Sunset Surf Cafe (next to Gwithian car park) serves delicious lunches and has a well-stocked wetsuit and board shop. At the Godrevy end of the beach there's a National Trust car park on a grassy clifftop. Common seals are a regular sight in the water and on the rocks, as there is a breeding colony around the headland. Lifeguard cover runs daily from mid-May to late September, and during Easter and October half-term. Getting there: Leaving Hayle on the B3301, the beach road is a left turn after a mile or so. St Ives Beaches of soft golden sand surround this old fishing harbour. Below the railway station is sheltered Porthminster, where you can rent a paddleboard and enjoy lunch in style at the Porthminster Café. Near the peninsula, the sea laps gently on the sand at funnel-shaped Porthgwidden, making it ideal for families. But for a good Atlantic wave – or a dose of culture at Tate St Ives – head for Porthmeor Beach. Book ahead for a place at the very popular St Ives Surf School which also offers paddleboard and kayak hire and coasteering excursions. At the western end, West Beach serves superb stone-baked pizzas and barbecued fish. All of the beaches have lifeguards from Easter to October. Getting there: Parking in town is very limited. It's best to take the park-and-ride from St Erth station – a scenic 10-minute train ride around the bay. Porthcurno The most photographed beach in Cornwall, this sandy cove is caught between golden granite cliffs – with water so clear that you can see fish swim by. At low tide it's possible to walk around the cliffs to other coves (one is popular with naturists), swim to a sand island, and clamber over an Iron Age cliff castle at Treryn Dinas. The beach is overlooked by the open-air Minack Theatre, whose café has a bird's eye view of the beach. Porthcurno is where the submarine telegraph cables beached: the award-winning Museum of Global Communications explains their importance in international communication past and present. Getting there: It's a 10-minute walk through the dunes from the large car park. South Cornwall Kynance Cove This masterpiece of coastal erosion near Lizard village has attracted tourists since the 18th century. Large stacks of dark red and green marble-like serpentine rock rise from the crescent of pale sand, and are revealed in their full glory at low tide. At high tide there is very little beach left exposed. Kynance has featured as Nampara Cove in the BBC series Poldark, with moorland riding scenes filmed on its clifftop. The beach café, run by a local couple, is open April-October. Getting there: The cove is a 10-minute walk down from the clifftop National Trust car park. Porthluney Cove Tucked away down narrow lanes between Porthscatho and Mevagissey, this large beach is south-facing and privately owned (but open to the public). There's no lifeguard, but it is a sheltered bay and the swimming conditions are good. Porthluney has a seasonal café, and dogs are allowed but must be kept on leads from June-September. Behind the beach sprawls Caerhays Castle, built in the Norman style: its gardens are open to the public from February to mid-June, and there are guided tours of the house on weekdays from March-June. Getting there: Arrive early in high season to get a space in the car park beside the sands. Lansallos Beach A small peaceful cove of sand and shingle, Lansallos is located two miles west of Polperro and can be reached by walking across the fields from a small National Trust car park. It's a great place to hunker down for the day with a good book and a coolbox. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year, and there's a wonderful walk westwards along the coastal path to Polruan – overlooking the Fowey estuary. On the stroll back, take the inland path via the pretty church of St Wyllow at Lanteglos, where Daphne du Maurier was married. Getting there: The beach is a 20-minute walk from the National Trust car park in Lansallos village. How we choose Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations. Gill Charlton is a regular writer in the Telegraph's travel pages. She has lived in Cornwall for 25 years and loves to walk along the coastal path and reward herself with a proper steak pasty and a pint of Betty Stogs ale.
