Seaton

Steam trains puff along the three-mile track from Seaton to Colyton, following the old Southern Railway route through the Axe Valley. This proper seaside town sits where the River Axe meets the Channel, though it's not your typical bucket-and-spade destination. The shingle beach stretches east towards Beer, backed by red cliffs that glow brilliant orange in evening light.

Colyton makes for a lovely inland excursion - the narrow-gauge railway terminates at this ancient market town, where Colcombe Castle's ruined walls overlook the valley. Beer Quarry Caves tell the story of centuries of stone extraction, the same creamy limestone that built Exeter Cathedral. The caves stay cool even in summer heat.

Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs National Nature Reserve protects one of Europe's largest landslip areas. It's a proper wilderness - eight miles of scrambling through dense woodland where nature reclaimed the coast after massive cliff falls. Not an easy walk, but the isolation is remarkable.

Haye Farm Brewery sits just outside town, crafting ales using water from their own spring. Their taproom opens weekends, well worth the detour for a proper pint. The Seaton Labyrinth offers something completely different - a modern stone circle on the clifftops where you can walk the spiral path while waves crash below.

Seaton sits fifteen minutes from the A30 via Colyton. The tramway runs Easter through October, though the town's quieter outside peak season. Staying at nearby holiday parks like Ladram Bay or Oakdown puts you within striking distance of both the coast and inland villages, with Exeter forty minutes north for rainy day diversions.