Question: What do you get when you combine wild ponies in a national park, a cream tea by a stone courthouse, and a new church in an ancient monastery? Answer: A Devon tour in England.

Devon Tour

Devon Tour

In the same way that Durdle Door was exactly what I least expected to find in England, Dartmoor National Park was exactly what I most expected find. The dense fog, the stone bridges, the rolling hills, the wild ponies, and the prison.

Okay, so I wasn’t expecting to find the prison, but it did add a bit of Great Expectations to the mix, and it doesn’t get more English than Dickens. It was the perfect place to see on my Devon tour.

Valley in Dartmoor National Park

Devon Tour Itinerary

My trip to Dartmoor was a continuation of my three-day southwest England tour in Devon compliments of Rabbie’s. They offer small-group tours in the UK that provide a great balance of group transportation and individual exploration.

We drove across bridges so narrow I worried we would get stuck, followed the trails of wild ponies as they roamed the hillsides, and walked along rushing rivers full of kayakers. We even drove past the prison.

Pony in Dartmoor National Park

Tavistock, Devon

The weather was grey and the skies threatened, so eventually our Devon tour guide took us to nearby Tavistock, a pretty town with a beautiful stone churchyard and colorful boutiques lining the high street.

Tavistock, England

We made our way to a cafe for cream tea, another English tradition that left us pleasantly stuffed full of scones, jam, and clotted cream.

Clotted Cream

Buckfast Abbey

From there we continued our Devon tour with a stop at Buckfast Abbey, home of a certain it’s-an-acquired-taste kind of tonic wine that I tried on a trip to Newcastle a few years back. Suffice it to say it’s a unique English drink.

Buckfast Abbey, Devon

The monastery at Buckfast Abbey in Devon was a pleasant place, with beautiful gardens, a sparkling new church (that, incidentally, was built to look like a very old church), and several gift shops.

Buckfast Abbey Church

One of them sold goods produced by monasteries and convents from around the world.

From anti-ageing remedies (is that really something the church should be promoting?) to honey, soaps (cleanliness is next to godliness), and liqueurs, there seemed to be no end to what the religious orders could produce.

Buckfast Abbey, England

Exeter, Devon

Back on the bus, we made our way through Devon to spend our second night in Exeter. It had been a big day, but our Devon tour in southwest England wasn’t over yet. To be continued…

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Devon Tour

10 Comments on Lady’s Devon Tour Review

  1. I had never thought until this moment how much I really need to go to Devon. Ponies, the perfect tea and beautiful landscapes are all right up my alley.

  2. The bridge looks just like one I saw on a four day guided tour of South West England. We stayed in Lyme Regis and Tavistock actually before moving on to Glastonbury and Stonehenge on the way back to London. Winchester was also included. The countryside in Dorset and Devon was fascinating and loved the homemade ice cream.

  3. Taking quality fun time in new surroundings together is important for creating memories and drawing the family closer to each other. This place is just awesome!

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