Devon is famous around the world for its traditional villages, many with thatched wattle-and-daub cottages dating back three or four centuries, and each with a pub or maybe two at its centre. Steeped in history, oozing atmosphere, each one is a gem waiting to be uncovered.

1 SHALDON
Teignmouth’s much smaller ‘twin’ settlement lies on the opposite bank of the Teign estuary, where lack of space for modern development has worked wonders to preserve its distinctive period charm. Shaldon’s sandy beach is backed by delightful streets and flower-decked whitewashed cottages.
Another beach can be found on the far side of the lofty headland known as The Ness. The rock has been pierced by a 100-yard tunnel that may date from Napoleonic times. If you go here, don’t miss the Shaldon Wildlife Trust’s collection of exotic animals.

2 COCKINGTON
It is nothing short of a miracle that an archetypal Devon thatched village like Cockington can survive surrounded by Torbay’s urban sprawl. However, preservation comes at a price; its novelty value is exploited by tourism, with horse-drawn carriages taking visitors between its gift shops.
Cockington Forge evokes the now-distant days of the village blacksmith, Cockington Court contains 115 hectares of beautiful gardens and the Drum Inn, constructed in 1934 using 600-year-old masonry from other buildings, admirably succeeds in blending in despite its comparative newness.

3 EAST PRAWLE
This is the southernmost tip of Devon; beyond here lies the English Channel and Brittany. The village is a sprawling yet attractive settlement loosely centred around a village green. The Pig’s Nose Inn, named after an oddly-shaped local rock, feels nicely isolated without actually being so.
A road leads to a car park overlooking Prawle Point, a spot highly prized by birdwatchers because of the number of rare species which land here after crossing the Atlantic. The coastal path leads to many tiny hidden inlets and rock pools, and slate beds that are wonderful for sunbathing.

4 HOPE COVE
This former fishing village nestles beneath the great headland of Bolt Tail at the southern end of Bigbury Bay. It has become two settlements in one – Outer Hope, a largely 20th-century development centred around the Hope & Anchor Inn and Mouthwell Beach, and the much older Inner Hope, comprising of the sheltered harbour beach and most famously of all, a classic square of Devon thatched cottages.
As elsewhere, the traditional fishing boats have given way to pleasure craft, and Hope Cove is now popular as a year-round resort. It is also great for walks; South Milton Sands and the spectacular Thurlestone Rock are only around half an hour away.

5 RINGMORE
For those seeking quintessential Devon cob and thatched cottages, this is the place to go. The 12th-century church of All Hallows and the excellent Journey’s End Inn, of similar vintage, are the main focal points of the village, which is also noted for its abundance of flower-filled gardens.
Two smugglers’ lanes lead on either side of another valley to secluded Ayrmer Cove. This is one of south Devon’s best-kept secrets, and is National Trust property protected from development.

6 NEWTON FERRERS and NOSS MAYO
These sleepy villages cling to the steep sides of a wooded inlet of the River Yealm estuary. The sailing fraternity flocks to them, making them almost a miniature version of Salcombe. The main road leads to Newton Ferrers from the north and narrows as it descends through the old part of the village down to the waterfront. The creek dries out at low tide leaving the flotilla of small leisure craft high and dry.
A road around the head of the inlet leads to Noss Mayo, from where a coastal path through Ferry Wood leads to the River Yealm. There are no beaches at either village, but a short drive inland brings you to a static caravan site at Stoke, through which a public footpath and a steep descent down an iron staircase leads to a wonderfully secluded stretch of golden sand. This cove remains sheltered even during the days that every other beach in the South Hams is blasted by high winds.

7 POSTBRIDGE
In the heart of Dartmoor lies the tiny village of Postbridge, which takes its name from the medieval stone ‘clapper’ bridge which crosses the crystal-clear waters of the East River Dart, in which children love to paddle on sweltering days. At the hamlet of Bellever a mile downstream, you will find another clapper bridge crossing the river.
For those crossing the moor by way of the B3212, Postbridge and its cluster of beech trees appears like an oasis in the middle of nowhere, with welcoming tea rooms, a pub and shop.
Nearby stands Powder Mills. Gunpowder was once made here, but it now hosts a craft centre. Three miles away lies Two Bridges, from which a footpath runs across open moors for a mile and a half to the eerie ancient copse of Wistman’s Wood. The oak trees here are so gnarled and distorted that they would look at home on the set of Lord Of The Rings.

8 WIDECOMBE-IN-THE-MOOR
Made famous by the folk song Widecombe Fair, this immortal Dartmoor village has been a day trip destination for decades, and despite the expected cluster of tea shops and souvenir outlets, it has lost none of its charm.
Known as the ‘Cathedral of Dartmoor’, St Pancras church was hit by a thunderbolt in 1638, killing four people and injuring 60. It stands sentinel over the village green. A warm welcome can be enjoyed at the reputedly-haunted 14th-century Old Inn nearby. Widecome Fair features a character called Uncle Tom Cobley, and in one gift shop you can sit in his chair. Widecombe is a short hop from craggy Hay Tor, another much-loved moorland beauty spot, the slopes of which are adorned in purple heather and ling in late summer.