Organisations that can help you, your business and your visitors.
Outdoor tourism links in the South West.
South West Coast Path; one of the world's greatest walks (Lonely Planet Guide)
Key tourism facts
- The South West Coast Path is the jewel in the region’s crown, providing a continuous trail around the South West peninsula and giving access to some of the best coastal viewpoints in the country.
- The South West Coast Path is the UK’s most popular National Trail and is listed as one of the world’s greatest walks by Lonely Planet Best in travel 2009.
- It follows the coast for 630 miles (1014 km) from Minehead in Somerset to the shores of Poole Harbour in Dorset, making this the longest National Trail.
- It passes through 5 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), 17 heritage coasts, a National Park, 2 World Heritage Sites, a UNESCO Geopark in Torbay and Britain’s first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in north Devon.
Cornish Mining World Heritage Site: mining culture that shaped the world
Key tourism facts
Key facts for visitors and Resources to help you here
- Recognised by UNESCO, World Heritage Sites are places of significance and value to the whole of humanity. This puts Cornish Mining on a par with international treasures such as the Pyramids, Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China.
- Ten separate Areas make up the World Heritage Site. Each has its own character, opportunities for adventure, and a different combination of the features that make up the Cornish Mining landscape
- The Site contains over 200 iconic Cornish engine houses, the largest concentration of such monuments anywhere in the world.
Key facts for visitors and Resources to help you here
1 South West: cycle adventure
Key tourism facts
Key facts for visitors and Resources to help you here
- 10 sites across the South West with dedicated off-road cycling facilities
- 2000km of trail across the South West
- The original target was for a total of 455,000 passes on trails constructed by the project by the end of 2013, these have been exceeded by 34%
Key facts for visitors and Resources to help you here
Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site
Key tourism facts
- Recognised by UNESCO, World Heritage Sites are places of significance and value to the whole of humanity. This puts the Jurassic Coast on a par with international treasures such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
- The Jurassic Coast is England’s only natural World Heritage Site. It stretches 95 miles from Orcombe Rocks near Exmouth in Devon to Old Harry Rocks, near Swanage in Dorset. Within these 95 miles, 185 million years of the Earth’s history are revealed in the rocks, fossils and landforms.
- Erosion is a natural process and is what makes the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site such a special place. Without erosion, the Site would not look like it does and would not regularly reveal fascinating new fossil finds. However, because the Site is constantly eroding, this means it is unpredictable and people need to be aware that rock falls, landslides and mud flows are very common. It is important to pay attention to safety signage and coast path diversion signs – they are there for your safety.
Key facts for visitors and resources to help you here
South West Lakes Trust
Key tourism facts
http://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/home
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- The South West Lakes Trust looks after 50 inland water sites, spread across Devon, Cornwall and West Somerset, attracting in the region of 2m visits annually.
- Over 80,000 people take part in sport activities at the Trust’s Outdoor + Active centers each year.
- Activities range from sailing to climbing and the new cable wakeboarding system at Siblyback Lake; they also host major events like triathlons.
- Most visits are for informal access, picnicking, children's play, bird watching and dog walking
- Camping at some sites, Camping pods at Tamar Lakes, cycling is popular with purpose built trails around many lakes and all ability 'wheelyboats' and trampers at some lakes.
http://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/home
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Tamar Valley AONB
Key Tourism Facts
http://www.tamarvalley.org.uk/
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- The Tamar Valley AONB is located on the border of Devon and Cornwall and encompasses the lower valleys of three Westcountry rivers, the Tamar, Tavy and Lynher, joining together at Plymouth Sound. It borders Dartmoor National Park to the east and lies just north of Plymouth.
- The Tamar Valley has a wide range of activities for visitors – from walking, cycling, horse riding along one of our recreational trails, to shopping, eating, sight-seeing and visiting historic houses and gardens.Visitors can also take a train along the Tamar Valley branch line to appreciate the beauty of this scenic journey from Plymouth, through the Bere peninsula, across the historical viaduct to Calstock and on to Gunnislake.
- Part of the World Heritage Site (WHS) for the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape lies within the AONB with over 100 former mine sites and their associated features.
http://www.tamarvalley.org.uk/
English Riviera Geopark
http://www.englishrivierageopark.org.uk/
Stonehenge World Heritage Site
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stone- henge/world-heritage-site/
North Devon Biosphere
http://www.northdevonbiosphere.org.uk/
AONBs in the South West
http://www.landscapesforlife.org.uk/
Dartmoor National Park
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/
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Exmoor National Park
http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/
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