Devon

There is a distinct, quiet magic in returning to the roads of your youth. Growing up in Plymouth, the landscapes of South Devon, where the rugged granite tors of Dartmoor give way to sweeping coastal horizons, were the backdrop to my early life. Returning decades later aboard a motorcycle adds an entirely new dimension to that nostalgia. The long, open miles through the West Country flow past with effortless rhythm, culminating in a stay at one of Devon’s most captivating historic estates: Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa.

The Thurlestone Hotel boasts a rich and fascinating history, one that elegantly interweaves a celebrated local dynasty, the Grose family, with the golden age of the British seaside holiday. 

Adventure beckons the moment you arrive at The Cary Arms in the positively tropical Babbacombe Bay. A gentle cruise along the cliff-top coast road in the new Bentley GTC brought us to a small single-lane track. So steep that you wonder if the car will make it. Of course, it's a Bentley so it's a breeze.  Though anything without four-wheel drive will struggle. 

Surely there is nothing better than a very full 5* luxurious country house hotel break for a truly relaxing time.  Bovey Castle now under the ownership of The award winning Eden Hotels Collection  – the service has been transformed – it  fills that luxury criterion with aplomb, add in a well-presented building and extensive estate, stunning location and a spa in which you can lose yourself and be pampered.  And, there is the tranquillity of the flower gardens.  Children are equally well looked after with a crèche, visits to the deer park and feeding the fawns and chicken.  There is also a c