Getting there

We tell you the best ways to get to Devon, by plane, train and automobile.

Planes

Your best bet in these parts is Plymouth airport: Air Southwest (www.airsouthwest.com) flies there from London Gatwick, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Jersey.

Trains

There are regular trains from London Paddington to Exeter and Plymouth with First Great Western (www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk); journeys take just over three hours. Virgin Trains (www.virgintrains.co.uk) also connects Plymouth to London, as well as other regional hubs such as Newcastle, Leeds and Glasgow.

Automobiles

Drive from the London orbital to Exeter in under four hours (traffic permitting) on the A303. The M5 connects Devon to the north via Bristol (90 minutes) and Birmingham (three hours). A car is invaluable once there, for pootling along the coast or country‑lane cruising.