This new second edition of South Devon and Dartmoor is part of Bradt's
distinctive 'Slow travel' series of guides to UK regions, offering
in-depth exploration of one of England's most popular areas, a part of
the country that has deep, historic ties with the USA. Written by
resident experts Hilary Bradt and Janice Booth, it is the essential
companion guide to discovering not just the obvious and most popular
sites, but also for getting off the beaten track. South Devon has many
links with the USA. The port city of Plymouth is where the Pilgrim
Fathers set sail from on the Mayflower in 1620 (a wide range of events
is in the pipeline to mark the 400th anniversary in 2020). The region
was also the birthplace of several US-connected sons, including Sir
Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh, while in more recent times it was
the site of the ill-fated and little-known 'Exercise Tiger' during World
War 2, in which up to 1,000 American lives are thought to have been
lost. And for family history enthusiasts, the guide's detailed
descriptions of village churches are used by visiting genealogists
searching for ancestors from Devon. Colourful and witty writing, along
with the authors' enthusiasm for their subject, makes reading the guide
a pleasure. Much of the information has appeared in no other guidebook
as the authors uncover the lesser-known charms of the region and
different aspects of the more popular places, together with colourful
characters from the past, folk history, and literary links from Agatha
Christie to Conan Doyle. Discover the region's new whisky distillery;
learn what really goes on at a wassail gathering; find out what you
should do if you're harassed by pixies on Dartmoor; and discover unique
local events like the annual Orange Race held in Totnes. The guide has a
special emphasis on car-free travel: walking, cycling and river boats,
as well as local buses and trains. Local food is covered, while
accommodation and places to eat and drink have been hand-selected with
additional advice from a Devon-based tour operator, from idyllically
located campsites to stylish boutique B&Bs.
