Devon is one of England’s largest counties, spanning a huge area of southwest England (divided into three areas: North Devon is less touristy and South Devon more for sailing resorts). Then you have East Devon, home to quaint little seaside towns like Sidmouth (which has its own little local team of ‘plastic warriors’ to keep the town litter-free).
Devon also has two of England’s smallest national parks: Exmoor and Dartmoor (both known for their wild ponies). Then there are two big cities: elegant Exeter and the maritime city of Plymouth, near the border with Cornwall. Further inland is the alternative town of Totnes, home to the world’s first transition town (which means people try to shop local and use community energy solar panels, so don’t have to suffer higher food and energy prices when oil goes up).
Buckfast Abbey is the local Catholic monastery, run by Benedictine monks. It’s known for making Buckfast Abbey wine, which not everyone likes the taste of as it’s extremely sweet (plums, cherries, cola and anise are the ‘notes’). But it’s very high in caffeine, and for this reason, its best clients are certain people who live on housing estates in Scotland! Apparently the Scottish council tried to get it banned but the monks said why don’t they ban whisky too? It’s known locally as ‘rock the hoose juice’ or a bottle of ‘what are ye looking at?!’