This is Part 1 of a 3-part series.

Mid-October sees us on the road again for a long 3-day loop from London down to Lands End then back via the Cotswold area. Seven hundred miles of countryside, seaside, coastal towns, great local foods and a game of “spot the Tasmanian town name” kept us entertained.

London to Teignmouth

Up early and out to Heathrow to pick up a rental car for the drive. This time it’s a hybrid Toyota Rav4 as our last trip in a full electric vehicle wasn’t a pleasant experience. This time we have good range, and the ability to find fuel in most towns and no 30-minute delay to fast charge. We have five hours of driving ahead to reach our overnight destination of Teignmouth plus time to accommodate Stacey’s need for retail therapy, so a full day starts now.

Our first stop is in Southampton for a touch or shopping at a large Matalan store. Then onto Highcliffe where we are met by darkening skies that make a striking background for the Isle of Wight. We retreat from the coastline and find ourselves passing through Christchurch where we stop at a very nice restaurant owned by chef Colin Nash. From the outside its quite unassuming and simply looks like a function centre and pub, but first appearances are deceiving. The place is modern, inviting and the food is exceptional. We are the only ones in the restaurant for most of our meal which is a shame as this place should be packed given its quality. Yes, it’s a little out of the way, but it’s worth stopping here to enjoy their delights.

After lunch and with the weather clearing, it’s on to Bournemouth then Poole and a loop of the bay area where we see Brownsea Castle out on an island. We head onto Bere Regis, Puddletown and Dorchester before moving on to Bridport driving through an area known as the Dorset National Landscape. This is a mixture of farming land which looks like a patchwork quilt. It is stunning and stretches out to the sea.

Lyme Regis is the next place on our list. We have been here before on previous holidays as it’s a favourite for us. The earlier storms have cleared leaving us a gorgeous afternoon. Lyme Regis does not disappoint. The bay is picturesque and the mix of old and new buildings blend well. Bath boxes line the foreshore in contrast to the cliffs across the bay. The only part that we need to get accustomed to is the pebbled beach instead of sand.

From Lyme Regis we continue south-west to Exeter before turning and heading back down the coastline to our first night’s stay in Teignmouth (pronounced tin-muhth). We roll into the most charming hotel motel that, for me, seems quintessentially English. I can picture the Cliffden Hotel in an English murder mystery series with Miss Marple trying to deduce who did it. By the time we check in and wander the corridors to our room, the light outside has drained away. We decide to eat at the restaurant contained in the hotel and put off discovering Teignmouth until the next morning.

The next installment has us travelling from Teignmouth to Padstow via Land’s End.