Thurlestone — Devon, England
Thurlestone is a village and a parish that includes the hamlets of Buckland, Avenmouth and Bantham; with the village located slightly inland on a rise near the spectacular Devon Coast in An Area of Outstanding Beauty, which offers a panorama of coastline dotted with dramatic cliffs, sandy coves and vistas of rolling hills covered in farmland.
This small, quintessential English village with its thatched roofed, cream and pink cottages has become a well known stopping point. This ancient village, whose origins go well beyond the 13th century Church of All Saints with its Lady Chapel, is an area rich in prehistory, with Devon being one of the first areas to become settled after the end of the last ice age. Whereas Dartmoor is purported to have been settled by Mesolithic hunter gathers circa 6,000 BC, it is not unthinkable that Thurlestone Parish, which is in close proximity to Dartmoor, may have also seen such activity. Thousands of years later the Romans occupied parts of Devon, followed by other conquerors until, in the 9th century the major threat to Saxon control came from the sea by Viking Raiders; until the Norman Conquest. Devon has weathered numerous conflicts such as the War of the Roses and the Perkin Warbeck's conflict in 1497, all of which continued until William of Orange and the Glorious Revolution of 1688. All of these conflicts affected Devonshire inhabitants in one way or another, which makes for interesting and colorful past. Of course, even more colorful are the tales of smugglers and shipwrecks along this historic coastline, known today for its panoramic beauty that attracts many tourists throughout the year.
Thurlestone is also known for its proximity to numerous nature walks, with the Heritage Coastal Path running through Thurlestone which is a gateway to hundreds of miles of trails offering vistas of splendor. The South West Coast Path passes by Thurlestone Golf and Tennis Club and continues on to Salcombe through a spectacular section where you will see kestrels and peregrine falcons near Bolt Tail, and rock formations can be found at Soar Mill Cove. Look for the wild flowers near Warren Point and stop at South Milton Ley, A Site of Special Scientific Interest that is wonderful for bird watchers as this is the second largest reed bed in Devon, while the South Milton Sands provides a great place to snorkel and to explore the rock pools. One of the most spectacular sights along the coastal walks is Thurlestone Rock, a pierced rock in the shape of a natural arch. This namesake of the village and parish has weathered countless centuries of harsh ocean tides and storms. If you stop at Hope Cove, a small village once used by smugglers, you will find beautiful beaches where you may see dolphins and seals, as well as finding a pub to refresh yourself. On the Bolt Trail you will find views of an Iron Age hill fort built somewhere about 500 to 600 BC, as well as seeing the remains of a WWII lookout and RAF satellite station. In addition to seeing Thurlestone Rock, which is off of Thurlestone Sand, there is also Thurlestone Marsh, one of three small wetlands south of the of village, with South Milton Ley and South Huish Marsh being the others; and then there is the Bantham and Thurlestone Walk that is an exploration of the Saxons and smugglers as well as the sea and the coastline.
For a change of pace from the coastline, many tourists take a day at the nearby Dartmoor National Park and visit the prehistoric landscape of Bronze Age stone circles, cairns, hut circles, hill forts and standing stones on the moor. Dartmoor has many bogs, with many places having peat that is 12 ft. deep, with the concentration of most of the worst bogs being in the northern section of the moor; however mist and fog are a constant threat wherever one travels. There are paths on the High Moor as well as in the valleys that attract many tourists despite its drawbacks. A visit to the 600 year old Dartmouth Castle on the waterfront of the Dart estuary is another interesting day out.
There are a number of other interesting places to see during your stay in Thurlestone, such as the neighboring Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum , in a 17th century schoolroom, or the Norman motte and bailey Totnes Castle, or Paignton Zoo for a family trip to experience deserts, polar regions, Africa and South American rainforests. There are many sights and castles to visit, each with their own unique story and sights; there is even the Newton Abbot Racecourse within easy reach of Thurlestone that provides competitive National Hunt racing.
In addition to being centrally located, Thurlestone is extremely popular for its warm, sunny days, having one of the most sheltered and mild climates in mainland Britain; and though this is a small, quiet village, the ambience is such that you will wish to return not only for the famous Devonshire cream teas of scones, jam and clotted cream, or for the well known golf and tennis club, but to enjoy the beauty of the natural surroundings in their unspoilt splendor.
Where is Thurlestone?Thurlestone is located in the south west of Devon off the A379. The nearest populated areas include Kingsbridge to the east and Salcombe to the south-east.
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