Cottage Holidays in Sidbury, Devon, England

Sidbury in East Devon is a picturesque Devon village with thatched white stone cottages surrounded by rolling hills and an ancient church in its midst. It is situated in a valley on the river Sid just three miles from the coast. The village has a pub, the Red Lion, a butcher’s shop that sells groceries and newspapers and a village hall acting as a post office one day a week.  This pretty village could be an excellent choice for a rural retreat or country cottage stay.

The village of Sidbury is a very old settlement that was protected by a castle in the iron age, on a site aptly known as Castle Hill. The history of St.Giles Church is full of interest, being one of only a few churches in Devon to include a Saxon crypt. When enjoying a cottage holiday in Sidbury why not visit the church?  It also has a Norman tower, a 500-year old font and a gunpowder room that dates back to the time of Napoleon.  

One mile north of Sidbury, off the A375, is the historic house Sand that has been in the same family for 500 years. The Elizabethan house and its 6 acres of beautiful and diverse gardens are open to the public. Directly to the south on the same road is the small, popular, Regency seaside resort of Sidmouth. Golden sands and safe seas help make Sidmouth an ideal family resort that includes a bracing promenade, rock pools, award-winning blooms, specialist shops and a market selling, among other wares, locally caught fresh fish daily. Donkeys and the seaside used to go hand in hand, but these days Sidmouth is home to the Headquarters of the Donkey Sanctuary, rescuing, protecting and caring for donkeys from all over the world.

The South West Coastal Path above Sidmouth provides stunning views of the town, the sea and the Jurassic coast and is a recommended walk. The path runs from Ladram Bay west of Sidmouth to Beer in the east. Beer is a sheltered mostly unspoilt fishing village close to the border with Dorset. Once a popular haunt for smugglers, the cliffs at Beer rise high above underground caves. Tours of these fascinating caverns are available. Beer is also the base for the model railway manufacturer PECO and at Pecorama you can see exhibitions and take a ride on the Beer Heights Light Railway where you can take in fantastic views of the coast and countryside.

Well within a short, easy drive of  Sidbury are also the beaches at Branscombe and Budleigh Salterton and for a look at some stunning scenery be sure to take a ride on the Seaton Tramway.  With so much to see and do during a cottage holiday in Sidmouth just when will you visit?