This ‘town at the seaside’ is loved by its active locals, and continues to provide a coastal tonic for visitors
When the going gets tough, the tough should go to Sidmouth. I was having a busy time of it when I arrived, parked, paid and promenaded along the seafront. It wasn’t long before my pace slowed to leisurely levels. I gazed over yonder. I sat on a bench. One could get used to this. Sidmouth has long been just the tonic for folk who need a change of scene and to breathe in some therapeutic sea air. Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, Sidmouth was somewhere for the nobility – including the royals – to visit and the town established a reputation as a fashionable regency resort.
Their grand hotels and beautiful villas are still here, well-preserved and well-used by the visitors who continue to flock to this area of East Devon during the busy summer season. But life doesn’t stop when they leave. As one resident put it, Sidmouth is more of a town at the seaside than a seaside town. This is thanks largely to its active community of like-minded people who keep things ticking over very nicely all year round. I met some of them digging and sweeping over at Chairman’s Garden. They were members of Sidmouth’s popular croquet club and when they have a spare few hours, they volunteer to maintain the grounds near their clubhouse, lawns and pavilion. A sense of pride in Sidmouth’s surroundings is what keeps this town looking so immaculate and has scooped them gold at the Britain in Bloom awards. The town centre is packed with colourful municipal gardens, flowerbeds and little pockets of green that lift the spirits. Sure, a lot of the residents here have time on their hands. Sidmouth has long been an attractive destination for retirees and last year it was revealed that the town has the highest proportion of residents aged over 90 in England. They’re doing well on it, though. There’s dancing, music, gardening, pottery painting, festivals, guided walks, art workshops, sea swimming, a film society and more. You don’t have to sit still for long, unless you want to, of course. I did. After a potter around the lovely selection of shops (Fields, Kingfisher cards and gifts and Annie’s) and a walk up and down the esplanade, I was ready to find that bench again and do some more looking out to sea. Ah, Sidmouth. Thanks for the much-needed rest.
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Jeremy Vine reveals a taste of some of his favourite spots in Devon
3 TO SEE
Tree trails
Sidmouth is a Civic Arboretum – one of the first of its kind in the country. There are many fine specimens planted in and around the town in the 19th century. You can choose from a series of trails (leaflets available in the tourist information centre) that take in trees, including a twin-trunked oak and a magnificent Japanese maple.
sidmoutharboretum.org.uk
Hee-haw
The free-to-enter, award-winning The Donkey Sanctuary is a must-visit while you’re in this part of Devon. Hundreds of residents call this quiet corner home. Many of the donkeys hang out in Dawn Barn, which has plenty of space for foraging and playing. The sanctuary has gardens and trails to explore. There’s also a restaurant on site. thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk
Childhood fun
Sidmouth Toy and Model Museum will be a trip down memory lane for all the generations. The former chapel building houses an incredible collection of dolls, model trains, famous characters from film and television, teddy bears, board games and more. Don’t miss the model of the Titanic made from 22,000 matchsticks.
sidmouthtoymuseum.com
Business time
Paragon Books has been keeping Sidmouth reading for more than three decades. Any book can be sourced and delivered, or else people can pop in for a quiet browse along the well-stocked shelves. There’s a substantial children’s section with space for them to have a quick flick through in store. Val Jackson took over this much-loved shop two years ago and says she loves meeting and greeting readers of all ages who come in to read and have a chat. ‘Our books about railways are popular and we sell a lot of children’s books,’ she says.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
There were people sat outside enjoying the sunshine and scones (best in the South West, apparently) at Someday Something (Church Street). The savoury tea – a cheese scone served with chutney, tomato, cheese and a pot of tea – looked right up my street but, alas, I went up another one. Cross Lane is a little side street that takes you to The Bagel Shop. I love a bagel, especially when they’re this stuffed full of delicious things. I went for ‘Cali style’: roast chicken, avocado, cream cheese and sun blushed tomato. Then I went and ate it on the beach in the sunshine and concluded that this was one of the best lunch experiences ever. I even phoned my dad to tell him. Other equally nice lunches are available at newcomer Miriam’s in Church Street (above). The licensed corner café serves local bakes, sandwiches and ‘crafted coffee’. Caramel cornflake brownies, cookies and cream pie and seasonal showstopper bakes are just some examples of the treats on offer at Browns’ bakery and café (Church Street). The team recently hosted a running club social with Ascend Training Club where participants can restore their energy levels with a post-5k coffee and protein flapjack.
Deli delights await at Prime and Preserved (High Street). Artisan cheeses, cured meats and freshly baked pies... mmm. They offer a deli-to-desk service in town where you can order a roll or salad bowl or quiche or toastie and/or millionaire’s shortbread to be delivered to your workplace. Good job I live too far away. Rockfish serves seafood right by the seashore. The Sidmouth restaurant has landed in the town’s former drill hall, a Victorian building originally built for the Devon Volunteer Rifles. It had been vacant for years before Rockfish repurposed it. Elevated dining can be enjoyed up in The Loft (Old Fore Street). Katsu chicken, gnocchi with cider sauce or Korean style pork sit alongside fish and chips and burgers on the pleasingly diverse menu. Everyone’s tastes catered for here. Sidmouth is one of those lucky towns that has a family-run Italian. Roma in Fore Street (below) has all your classics, plus a few locally inspired surprises, including Lyme Bay scallops, sea trout and king prawn risotto.
Meet the locals
Kelvin Dent and Michael Hide
Volunteers
Kelvin and Michael are part of a team that helps to maintain the Chairman’s Garden in Sidmouth. Kelvin, also a town councillor, has lived in Sidmouth for 15 years. Michael has been here for 20 years.
‘It’s a fantastic part of the world,’ says Michael. ‘There are so many activities and clubs going on: croquet, running, swimming, stamp collecting!
You name it.’
The pair were busy weeding.
‘This was completely overgrown with brambles and all sorts – it’s been 15 years of work,’ says Kelvin, adding that this is just one of many gardens dotted across town. ‘There’s no shortage of volunteers to help. It’s a fantastic community.’
Gaenor Wearing
Volunteer
Gaenor volunteers at Sidmouth Lifeboat Station, a self-funded independent lifeboat charity.
‘I look after the shop,’ says Gaenor, who has lived in the town for 17 years. ‘We have a very supportive community here as well as a lot of visitors. It’s lovely being here, I mean, look at that,’ she says, pointing to the sea. ‘This is the best office in the world – on a nice day!
Sidmouth is a very friendly place. I always say it’s a town at the seaside, not a seaside town because it’s busy all year round. You really feel part of a community.’
Did you know
Sidmouth was once home to royalty. Edward, Duke of Kent, the youngest of King George III’s sons, along with his wife and daughter moved into Woolbrook Cottage, now known as the Royal Glen. They had only been in town for a few weeks when he became ill and died in 1820. His daughter became Queen Victoria.
Where to stay
Sidmouth is well-served with high-end hotels, mostly with sea views. My in-laws have had some very pleasant stays at Harbour Hotel Sidmouth. It’s in a prime position, overlooking Lyme Bay.
The Victoria Hotel has rooms of ‘sunshine gold’, plus a heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym, relaxation area and treatment room.
You’ll be able to hear the waves lapping at the shore as you snore in a sea view room at the Bedford Hotel. Some have their own balconies. The adults-only Belmont Hotel has summer break offers until September 12. Hotel Riviera is elegant, traditional and right on the seafront.
Family-run Willow Bridge B&B is a welcoming break. Rooms are simple and stylish. The handsome-looking Canterbury House is right by The Byes, a park and garden between the village of Sidford (a mile from Sidmouth) and The Old Tollhouse.
Talking of Sidford, The Salty Monk is an award-winning boutique B&B in a 16th-century salt house used by Benedictine monks. Each of the seven rooms is individually designed. Some rooms are dog-friendly, too. Oakdown holiday park has been run by the same family for more than 50 years. The well-established, well-run site offers caravan, camping and glamping breaks in the heart of the East Devon countryside. Oakmead golf course is just next to the park with some challenging holes for any ability. Salcombe Regis camping and holiday park is a peaceful place to pitch up and enjoy the views. Tent pitches are spacious and well-maintained and hard-standing pitches have electric hook ups and water taps. There are 37 seasonal touring pitches but get in quick. They book up fast. Dive into a stay at Woolbrook Reservoir (above). The building was bought from South West Water in 2008 and converted into an architecturally quirky, two-storey, home, available as a holiday let through Luxury Coastal. luxurycoastal.co.uk
A sunny terrace, heated swimming pool and complimentary gin. Can’t think why the in-laws like it so much…
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