Jethro's "The worlds Funniest Cornishman" has his home in the next Village of Lewdown where he often performs at his restaurant/club. Many travel from far and wide to attend such shows and a shuttle service for guests is operated on performance evenings, for details of dates etc go to the official Jethro's site.

TAVISTOCK
A charming market town on the river Tavy 7 miles from Lydford, once a stannary town where local mined metal was weighed. It was the home of Sir Francis Drake. The town has many interesting and specialist shops including the covered Pannier Market with plenty of cafes and restaurants to choose from. There is a pleasant walk along the river meadows where the towns leisure/sport facilities are situated.

OKEHAMPTON
A market town 7 miles from Lydford which also has a castle established by the Norman's and rebuilt in the 14th century. The remains owned by English Heritage are the largest of their kind in Devon. The town has an interesting Victorian Shopping Arcade and the Museum of Dartmoor Life is worth a visit.

MELDON
Above Okehampton lies Dartmoor's two highest peaks one being the highest point in Southwest England. There is a long and wild walk to visit both peaks, Yes Tor (618m) and High Willhays (621m), below the peaks is Meldon Reservoir (wind surfing, sailing and canoeing) a pleasant stretches of water, fishing permits are obtainable. At Meldon Station there is a visitors center, a buffet and access onto the Granite Way Cycle Path from which you can admire Meldon Viaduct. It is possible to cycle here along the Granite Way from Lydford House. Trains run on public holidays and at the weekends across the moors and down into Okehampton

THE COASTS
For a change of scenery Lydford House is equal distance between the North and South Devon/Cornish coasts, taking less than an hour to reach both by car. To the North is, Padstow, Tintagel, Bude, Clovelly. all small resorts with cliffs and sands and great surf beaches with superb cliff walking. To the south is a choice of either the south Devon or Cornwall coast. South Hams the southern most part of Devon has very beautiful coastline with sandy beaches and mighty cliffs between the estuaries. Places to visit include Dartmouth, the cliffs at Start Point and Prawle Point,, the resort of Salcombe, Bigbury and Slapton sands. Nearer to Plymouth are Ness Mayo and Newton Ferrers, which lie opposite each other on a creek, a haven for yachtsmen. Alternatively head south into Cornwall and find a coastline with long stretches of sandy beach Whitsand Bay, high headlands and sandy coves at the foot of cliffs-Lantic Bay. Classic fishing villages Polperro, historic ports-Fowey and pleasant resorts-Looe

HOUSES AND GARDENS
There is a number of houses and gardens that are worth exploring one of the nearest is Cotenhele an enchanted remote medieval house in the Tamar valley. There are miles of riverside and woodland walks together with formal gardens. Buckland Abbey the 13th century home of Sir Francis Drake was originally a monastery, there is an exhibition of its famous owner. Castle Drogo built by Sir Edward Lutyens for a tea baron in the early 20th century as his dream house combines the grandeur of a medieval castle with the comforts of the 20th Century. There are stunning views and wonderful walks along the Teign valley. Lanhydrock is one of the finest houses in Cornwall set in 450 acres of woodland and gardens with many rare plants. Lastly Saltram House near Plymouth is an imposing mansion with a landscaped park. The Eden Project is less than an hour away and a good destination for a rainy day The Lost Gardens of Heligan are a beautiful and mysterious place to delight the visitor time and time again, restored in 1990 after 75 years of neglect. The Garden House has become one of the most written about gardens in Britain today

CITIES
For those who want culture and entertainment and quality shopping the cities of Plymouth and Exeter are equal distance away, around 30 minutes by car. Each city has additional attractions Plymouth with its navel history and Exeter as one of Britain's oldest cities.



 

 

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