Map of the South West of England with Towns
Exeter is your gateway, the city with a cathedral that looks like it’s wearing a stone skirt and a shopping centre that’s actually quite pretty. But here’s the kicker: Exeter is too neat. It’s the polite friend who offers you tea, but secretly hopes you’ll leave soon. Don’t get me wrong—the Roman walls and underground passages are cool, but the real action is further down the map.
Then you hit Plymouth, which feels like the scrappy cousin who’s been in a few bar fights. Its Barbican district is crammed with history—think Sir Francis Drake and the Mayflower—but the real joy is eating a pasty while watching fog roll in from the Sound. It’s gritty. It’s honest. And if you miss the naval dockyard, you’re doing it wrong.