St Andrews Church, Colyton

Queen Street, Colyton

Colyton together with the Coly and Axe valleys are havens of peace in East Devon. Picturesque villages, lively towns, and the wonderful scenery of the area combine to make any visit memorable and relaxing. Colyton itself has a wide range of shops, inns and places for refreshment, as well as a plentiful supply of catered or self-catering accommodation in the area (click here for helpful links)

The town is steeped in history and has direct links with King Henry VIII and Judge Jeffreys. The little town is criss-crossed with winding narrow streets, many thatched cottages, and dominated by the octagonal tower of St Andrews Church. The tramway from Seaton to Colyton follows the route of the old Southern line, and is a delightful way to see the Axe and Coly valleys.

This heron is one of the frequent avian visitors to the River Coly - the photograph was taken from the front door of the shop presumably at lunchtime.

The Dart Valley Railway

The seaside towns of Seaton, Beer, Lyme Regis and Sidmouth are all within easy reach and offer all the facilities of friendly family resorts, whilst inland Honiton is a must for antique collectors. At Beer, Pecorama is a Mecca for railway modellers in the smaller gauges. The gardens are superb with spectacular views eastwards along the coast towards Dorset, and passenger-carrying steam trains regularly circumnavigate the grounds.

In South Devon the Dart Valley Railway operates between Paignton and Kingswear, and the South Devon Railway between Totnes and Buckfastleigh. Both lines are well worth a visit. In Somerset the West Somerset Railway runs from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead - Britain's longest preserved line.

At Bovey Tracey the Devon Guild of Craftsmen has a shop and gallery at the old watermill, where furniture, woodturning, ceramics, jewellery and textiles are on show and for sale; superb craftsmanship, but prices can be a little hefty! The local major centres of Exeter, Taunton and Dorchester have lots to offer visitors apart from shopping. All have award-winning museums, and all three are worth exploring. We recommend speaking to the local Tourist Information centres to get the best out of your stay.