The East Devon AONB | Greentraveller Guides

The view across to Branscombe Mouth; photo, East Devon AONB. Photos below, left/far left, Paul Miles; right, The Donkey Sanctuary; far right, East Devon AONB

From its 28-mile coastline, all of which is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and the Southwest Coast Path, to pretty inland villages and towns, this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) of rolling hills, wooded slopes, estuaries and colourful cliffs is a mine of fascination.

Explore a 2,000-year old underground quarry, hunt for fossils among different geological strata on the beach, pedal through quiet country lanes to towns little changed since the 1950s and dine on great local produce that draws visitors from far and wide.

This Greentraveller guide to holidays in the East Devon AONB seeks out some of the best and greenest accommodation, from an Elizabethan manor house to a cliff-top caravan park, places that serve local food, from thatched pubs to Regency hotels and activities ranging from wildlife spotting to walking with llamas. We’ve done the hard work, saving you hours of research!

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Places to stay go

B&Bs, hotels, self-catering and camping

Whether you want views of bobbing boats or rolling green hills on your doorstep, you're bound to find something to suit you in our selection of B&Bs, hotels, cottages and campsites

Places to eat go

Pubs, restaurants, cafés and buying local

Tuck into fresh, seasonal, Devonshire produce at restaurants, pubs, cafés and tearooms throughout the region, or head to a farm shop to stock up on picnic goodies

Local Attractions go

Gardens, animal centres and family fun

Bucolic gardens, steam railways, donkey walking and pirate-themed adventure playgrounds for the children - there's never a moment without something to do in East Devon

Activities go

Walking, cycling and wildlife watching

Explore the Jurassic coastline on two feet, or pedal your way around the myriad country lanes and bridleways; get out and about in the fresh country air in the East Devon AONB

Features

Getting to and around the East Devon AONB

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Nearest national cycle network

A word from the East Devon AONB

Chris Woodruff, Manager of the East Devon AONB PartnershipThe East Devon AONB is a fascinating area with a great variety of landscapes, habitats and wildlife found within a very compact area; we are sure that you will find plenty to suit your particular interests or needs. For further information about what’s going on within our AONB then why not visit our website. We hope that you enjoy your visit to East Devon.

The East Devon AONB Partnership is very pleased to support the development of these Greentraveller pages for our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as we eager that those businesses operating in a sustainable fashion within our area are given a higher profile in order to encourage them in their endeavours.

Chris Woodruff, Manager of the East Devon AONB Partnership.

Did you know?

The East Devon Way is a 40-mile long route designed to pass through all the varied landscapes and habitats that make up the AONB
There are over 2,800 acres of heathland at the Pebblebed Heaths, all easily accessible on foot, horseback and bike
The AONB is rich with archaeological sites; the Farway bronze age landscape is considered to be the most important lowland burial landscape west of Stonehenge
The coastline from Exmouth to Lyme Regis forms the western end of England’s only natural World Heritage Site, known as the Jurassic Coast
East Budleigh, in the heart of the Pebblebed Heaths or The Commons, was the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh
The East Devon AONB has been recognised as a nationally important landscape since 20 September 1963