Just had an exceptionally stressful exam? Finished and handed-in a lengthy and demanding assignment? Or are you just feeling a bit bored and want to do something fun in Exeter? If any answer to those questions is yes, then this article is especially for you. In this blog post I want to show you my favourite places around Exeter, as it’s always great to get out for a walk and explore the city. Whether you just want to let off some steam, sit down and enjoy your favourite book in the same spot that Jane Austen did or do some sports such as kayaking, then I’ve got you covered! After living in Exeter for over a year I have travelled, on my old rust (but vintage!) bike, to many interesting places. However, there are places I always love to come back to and from those I tailored and chose my favourite three. I selected places that are close to University of Exeter (I swear!) and to get there won’t take longer than 30 minutes’ walk. So, without further ado here is my complete guide of 3 places that you should visit in Exeter.
Exeter Quay
25 minutes’ walk from University of Exeter
Exeter Quay is an extremely picturesque place alongside the beautiful river of Exe. I usually go there early on Saturday morning to get one of my favourite British plates – tea and scones!
Afterwards I go for a walk down the quay alongside the Exe river. It is a scenic place where people come to go cycling, running and kayaking. Last summer I had an opportunity to go kayaking twice and I definitely recommend it. You can go down the river (south) and explore the Exeter’s countryside, or head up (north) and see the city of Exeter from a different perspective. Also, if you want to do something more casual and relaxing you can also rent a paddle boat! However, beware of the swans as they may try to say “Hello” if you are not fast enough. 🙂
There is also plenty of space to sit down and enjoy your favourite book. You can either sit in the Riverside Valley Park, located south from the quay, where you can enjoy your time in nature or, as I usually do, you can sit in one of many quaint restaurants and cafés alongside the river. One of my favourites is a family-owned ice cream shop called Willows Coffee Shop where I always order a cream soda float. They offer quite a large selection of ice cream flavours, I mean, it takes me ages to pick… P.S I recommend cookies and cream.
Stoke Woods
30 minutes’ walk from University of Exeter
Stoke Woods is the only place I never get bored with as there is always a path that I haven’t explored. The trails are perfect for cycling and long walks, however beware as it might be a little muddy after rain, so take your wellies!
Stoke Woods is 400 years old, really old isn’t it? But do you know what’s even cooler? You are walking the same paths as Jane Austen did while she was writing her bestseller – “Sense & Sensibility”. If you continue your walk down the trail for around 10 minutes you will see an information table overlooking the same landscape that was the inspiration of Jane Austen’s book. For those who read the book you might recall a place called Barton Park. This park is reported to be inspired by Pynes, now a wedding venue that can be seen on the left of the landscape.
Reed Hall gardens
5 minutes’ walk from the Forum
Through our life we tend to look for happiness everywhere else before we take a look at what’s right in front of us. This is exactly what we should do right now, look right in front of us. There is a beautiful and scenic place on our University campus that you should visit right next to the Reed Hall. The garden is filled with all different types of greenery, wildlife and tired students.
Walking around Streatham Campus there is so much to see. Bunnies, squirrels, birds, flowers, big broad trees and of course that killer hill that always leaves me out of breath. Campus is the perfect place to sit down and enjoy the outdoors.
So, this is my list of my favourite places to visit near University of Exeter. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you will visit some of those places soon :). However, I know there is still more to see in the city of Exeter, so if you have any recommendations write them in the comment section down below. People from around the UK come to Exeter for holidays to enjoy nature and beautiful surroundings, so why shouldn’t you! Thank you for reading and enjoy your time in Exeter.