Living in Exeter

Beyond Exeter

If you want to get out of the city for a day, there are numerous options within easy reach, all linked by a superb public transport network. Everyone will want something different and you’ll find an unrivalled choice in Devon. Below are just some of the tried and tested favourites of Exeter students and visitors. If you visit, you’ll soon discover that the region is blessed with outstanding natural beauty.

Exmouth

Whilst you can easily get one of the regular buses (the 57 goes direct from the town centre) it’s far quicker and more scenic to get the train. Departing from both main stations and some smaller ones across the city, trains run at least every hour and most of the time every half hour.

A seaside resort that retains its Victorian charm, Exmouth is more than just a plush, sandy beach. There are shops and restaurants and a covered market selling allsorts, from art work to gourmet ice creams. If you walk from the train station through the centre and beyond though, you’ll soon reach angled paths that slope back and forth down steep ridges to manicured lawns, which give way to sheltered, sandy beaches. With views across the Exe and a ferry that goes to Starcross on the other side of the bay during the summer, Exmouth’s vast area of beach that curls around the head is a luxury to have so close to Exeter. Summer at Exeter isn’t complete until you’ve sat on the beach with friends and an ice-cream, or stayed late with a BBQ.

Dartmoor

The Dartmoor tors standing proudly among the heath and grazing animals are a haven for walkers and adventurers. Perfect to indulge your passion for the great outdoors or likely to spark an interest in those of you that have never experienced them, the quiet power of Dartmoor is just an 359 bus ride from the centre away, or the X99 or 82 rover service if you’re visiting on a Sunday. Failing that, get a train to Okehampton on the northern border of the moors, and start your trip from there. Check timetables for services as these vary by day and by season.

Dartmoor National Park has over 10 million visitors every year. In between the sheep scampering from the paths, you’ll find a couple of pubs for a sit-down and a drink for weary walkers and even people playing football or cricket not far from the roads. However, it’s just as easy to leave all this behind in the hundreds of square miles of Dartmoor and find a tranquil stroll or vigorous hike between the tors, or over the numerous small streams crossed by short, sturdy stone bridges.

Dawlish and Dawlish Warren

Dawlish and Dawlish Warren, connected by train or a 20 minutes stroll along the seafront, are another popular destination for the seaside. For the most part pebbly, the beach and the path above are only a few metres from a world-famous, scenic train line.

Dawlish Warren has all-manner of attractions; from Go-Karting to crazy golf and shops that sell all the traditional beach necessities, and a nature reserve. Dawlish however, has restaurants, cafés, shops and an amusement arcade. It’s fun enough for the beach and the sea, but Dawlish and Dawlish Warren make a nice alternative if you just fancy a sea breeze, a saunter by the water, or simply a few hours out of the city.

Only a couple of miles further up the Exe to Exeter stands Powderham Castle. Visible from the train line, the castle stands in large, picturesque grounds and is a great day out for students and families especially.

Topsham

If you head south, down the east bank of the Exe the city gives way to countryside only briefly before you reach the town of Topsham. Take the 57 bus from the centre of Exeter, a train from any station, or failing that, if it’s nice weather it’s a short bike ride or pleasant walk from the quay in Exeter if you have a spare afternoon.

The Dutch-style gabled townhouses that surround the quay and waterside have stood for hundreds of years and are a reminder of when Topsham was a prominent trading port for European traffic. Today, the main industry is still centred around the quay and main streets, but is mainly galleries and jewellery shops, second-hand book-shops and small delis.

Go south out of town from the quay in Topsham, you’ll pass opulent houses staring out over the Exe, until it soon gives way to shaded country lanes, and a nature reserve. Beautiful for a walk with great views of the estuary, Topsham makes a great daytrip, especially with family in-tow.

Not that Topsham is just for families. Passed down in university folklore is the Topsham 10. A series of pubs great for a crawl, many students get the train down to Topsham for an afternoon or evening sipping at the ales or just for an outing. Topsham is not a place for hardcore ravers, but it’s a taste of the bustling Westcountry pubs and the pride in locally produced ales and ciders.

Coastal path

Exeter is also within easy reach of the South West Coast Path. Nobody is suggesting you should walk the entire 630 miles while you’re at Exeter, although some might want to, but for stunning views of the Jurassic Coast and some sea air it’s easy to visit part of it for a day. You can pick it up eastwards from Exmouth, and return via bus from Budleigh Salterton if you want to walk that far, or westwards in Dawlish Warren and return via train from several points including Dawlish and Teignmouth.

To the north, a direct train along the Tarka line will take you to Barnstaple, a bustling market town, and a point of the path on the opposite coast of Devon. Even Penzance in Cornwall is a direct, if slightly lengthy, train journey. There are many other points along the coast that are even more spectacular than the ones mentioned above, but often you need a car for these. If you are blessed with your own transport then you might like to visit Tintagel, reputed to be the home of King Arthur, or the Minack Theatre, a huge, open-air amphitheatre carved into the cliff rock overlooking the sea, both of which are in neighbouring Cornwall.

Paignton Zoo

Another enjoyable train journey is down to Paignton and the zoo, a short walk from the station. Home to over 3,000 animals, it is also a botanical gardens set in stunning, tropical 80-acre grounds. The animals are presented in different habitats arranged by zones, with a brand-new viewing platform that gives great views of the tigers below. It's definitely a full day if you want to look around properly, and a lot of walking, but well worth it.

In addition to Paignton Zoo, there is a sister organisation in nearby Torquay, Living Coasts. With penguins, seals, stingrays and many birds besides it’s enough for a whole new day. A joint ticket is available for both with a discount on entry.