This is a country house hotel, ideally situated if you have to catch a morning ferry from Plymouth. We stayed two nights for a family wedding and the food was excellent. The highlight however was the breakfast, the full English of course. Tasty sausages, organic eggs and properly cured bacon are all sourced locally. The breakfast was the best we've eaten anywhere and my husband is very fussy about his sausages! Excellent bread, a plethora of cereals and pastries and friendly service. The hotel isn't large - the term boutique springs to mind - and is set in pretty gardens close to the village of Plympton St Maurice. Apparently it was once a nunnery.

www.stelizabeths.co.uk
Longbrook Street, Plympton St. Maurice, Plymouth, Devon PL7 1NJ
+44(0)1752 344 840
Google map: bit.ly/fvp3bq

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For one of the best outdoor pools in cities, you can't beat the Tinside Lido in Plymouth. Beautifully  & lovingly restored. A place for all ages to enjoy a swim, have a lazy relaxing time, as well as, meet and make new friends. It has those beautiful Art Deco lines you would expect and so much more.  A must see sight for swimmers and Art Deco lovers alike.

Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3DE
01752 261915

Google map: tinyurl.com/2wuun34

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I use the site www.plymouthdevon4u.co.uk. It has some handy info on Plymouth, particularly the latest events.

www.plymouthdevon4u.co.uk

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www.plymouthdevon4u.co.uk/ is a new travel website all about Plymouth in Devon.
Information on upcoming events, bars, restaurants, areas and a lot more.

www.plymouthdevon4u.co.uk

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I recommend Newton Ferrers, situated about 10 miles southeast of Plymouth for the best rockpooling in the UK.
Actually I haven't been there for years now, but my rose-tinted memories of endless summer holidays are so vivid, I hope the reality still lives up to it.
There are two beaches near the fishing port of Newton Ferrers, one is called Stoke Beach, and it had a caravan and camping site above the beach. It was a long walk down from the field/carpark and then we found a stretch of golden beach with dozens of coves, caves, rocks and pools to explore. The other beach was/is called Warren and it is found nearby, across a meadow filled with butterflies and ladybird colonies dotted all over the wildflowers and long grass. I remember a tricky scramble down over rocks and then a leap across the sand to get to the beach. It was like a secret beach as very few people made it past the obstacle course.
My tip for rockpooling is to turn over the large flat stones with the pinky markings on and you're sure to find tiny starfish clinging on. Just look and leave them there, of course! For crabs, a good root around under the knobbly seaweed will offer a cluster of the little demons. Pick them up by their two sides between your thumb and forefinger. Watch them wave their claws at you with attitude, then place them back in the salt water and watch them scuttle off. I love the little, inch-long cat fish and dog fish - if I'm correct - that inhabit the pools. I love everything about these beaches. I would still go rockpooling today, given half a chance, even though I'm 47 and my creaking knees hamper any clambering.

Devon, Plymouth, Newton Ferrers, Stoke Road

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As you walk along Plymouth Hoe taking in the spectacular sights of Plymouth Sound, there are several different ice-cream vans that you could stop at, but there is only one you should stop at - the Langage Farm one.

This is by far the finest local ice-cream you will find, made with real Devonshire cream and with a fantastic array of flavours from the traditional to the unusual. You could try Thunder & Lightning, which is filled with honeycomb pieces, or Turkish Delight flavoured ice-cream, or you could just stick to the farmhouse clotted cream flavour. They are all delicious!

Normally parked towards the Barbican end of Plymouth Hoe, underneath the Citadel.

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So many amazing shows for competitive prices and the atmosphere is lovely.

Royal Parade, Plymouth

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A cosy self catering "garden shed" with all mod cons and a sea view to die for.

www.self-catering-cornwall-cottage.co.uk

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The sunken Scylla is the UK’s first artificial reef created in 2004 and a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to enjoy a dive there.

I dived with BSAC (the British Sub Aqua Club) after being recommended by a friend who told me that I could join BSAC no matter where or who I had originally trained with. After a few weekends in my local swimming pool refreshing my skills I finally was able two join my local BSAC branch who just happened to be planning their trip down to Plymouth a few weeks later.

The dive was great and it was such an enjoyable experience to spend a day with a group of active, adventurous people all around my own age and all on hand to support me with my dive.

Once in the sea the sunken Scylla was breathtaking. Although originally an artificial reef there is now an abundance of colourful, lively marine life at this site and I could have been entertained for hours. There was perfect visibility and I was able to spot sea urchins, reefs, corals, crabs and much much more. I’m not sure of all the correct names but it was definitely a bright and interesting show that was easily on par with the few dives I have done abroad in the past.

If you want more information on BSAC and diving in the UK it’s definitely worth visiting their website www.bsac.com I’ve been doing a bit of research and they literally have branches all over the country with the joining fee being from as little as £10 I think. A club well worth joining – especially if you want to try something new this Summer without having to even leave the country.

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A view to brighten up even the dullest day. Great to run to in the early morning to free your mind. Stunning on a sunny day when chilling out on the grass with friends and family. Bracing on a wild and windy day. Strangely magical on a wet and blustery day! Always something to see, always something to do and plenty to think about. A great space to chill out in or to be active in.

PL1 2NZ - approximately

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Langage Farm have their own herd of Jersey cows, which they milk to make all sorts of yummy dairy things, but most especially the best ice cream ever!

They've got about 20 flavours, including cointreau and chocolate, ginger and apple and blackberry crumble.

www.langagefarm.com
You can visit the farm in Smithaleigh, PL7 5AY, just off the A38 or for a more scenic ice cream opportunity they have a van on the road that circles the Hoe in Plymouth itself.

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A wonderful literary and arts festival from July 21-23 in the blissful grounds of Port Eliot House, a stately home just over the Devon/Cornwall border. Starting next weekend, it's got two areas dedicated to children with storytelling and activities for younger children and a special area for teenagers with slam poetry and VJ workshops (whatever they may be).

I went last year with my kids and they loved it, and I loved it because it felt wonderfully safe and they could have a good run around in between laughing their socks off and being vaguely educated!

We camped in the grounds, lots of space and lots of other kids around. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing Hanif Kureishi and Martin Parr, but that all depends if I can extract the kids from the kids area for long enough!

Great organic breakfasts and lots of Cornish treats. If I could I would've tried out the massage teepee, but well, that never happens does it?

St Germans, Saltash, Cornwall
Nearest station: Liskeard or St Germans (change at Plymouth)
www.porteliotlitfest.com
01503 232783

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