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Torquay

Hey all, We have lots of planned Winter and Christmas type content, but today we thought that we would write something about our home town, as we haven't really talked much about where we're from, and as you can tell by our blog, it's kind of a big part of our blog's identity.

Many people who are from the South West, or a fan of the legendary 70s British sitcom Faulty Towers, or have spent many childhood family holidays besides the seaside may have of Torquay or have visited here before.

Torquay is the heart of the English Riviera.

Where is Torquay?

Torquay is situated on the southwestern coast of England and forms one third of Torbay, alongside neighbouring towns Paignton and Brixham.I t lies 18 miles (29 km) south of the county town of Exeter and 28 miles (45 km) east-north-east of Plymouth. It has a mild microclimate, which means that it receives the longest hours of sunlight per day in the south west of the United Kingdom. Its winters tend to be wet and mild.

Where does Torquay get its name from?

The towns Torquay, Paignton and Brixham collectively form Torbay. Torbay consists in total of 62.87 square kilometres (24.27 sq mi) of land, located around an east-facing natural harbour on the English Channel. Torbay has been dubbed "The English Riviera" due to it's beaches and mild climate. The name Torquay originates from being the name of the quay in the quiet village in Torre. Torre's name comes from the tor meaning that the original name was Torrequay, which turned into Torkay, Torkey and Tor Quay, before the Torquay that we know, was formed and has remained that way ever since.

Directions to Torquay

Whether cars, trains, coaches or even planes are your preferred method of transportation, Torquay isn't too hard to find.

Road

Torquay is connected to the UK motorway network via the M5 at Exeter. The fairly newly completed South Devon Highway between Newton Abbot and Torquay has made traveling to Torquay via car so much easier than ever before.

Rail

Torquay has two railway stations, Torre and Torquay. Torquay railway station is situated near the sea, close to Torre Abbey Sands and not too far away from town. Torre railway station is situated a bit further out from the town centre. Trains travel directly to Torquay from London Paddington, Birmingham New Street, Bristol and Manchester Piccadilly with no changes. The route also takes in the picturesque Riviera Line, which offers great scenic train journeys along the South Devon coast between Exeter and Paignton.

Air

Torquay doesn't have an airport, but there are three airports within 100 miles of Torquay that you can fly to. The nearest is Exeter Airport, which is 26 miles (40 minutes’ drive) from Torquay town centre.

Why so many visitors?

Torquay and its surrounding areas have such a variety of things to offer its visitors, and despite cheap flights abroad readily available, the draw to this traditional British seaside resort is very much still there. Torquay is famous for its sandy beaches, family attractions and Victorian appearance. It is also still very much traditional in the sense of British seaside resorts with things like arcades, the annual summer fair and fish and chip shops, hotels everywhere, as well as beaches of course.

Up Babbacombe? Visit Hanburys famous fish and chip shop

In terms of beaches, the main Torquay beaches of Torquay are Oddicombe Beach, Meadfoot Beach, Maidencombe, Watcombe, Babbacombe Beach, Anstey’s Cove, Redgate and Torre Abbey Sands.

Meadfoot Beach.

Torquay’s Tourism History

Torquay was a relatively minor settlement until the mid 19th Century when the railway linked it to the rest of the UK. The improved transport connections saw Torquay expand rapidly to cater for the area’s popularity with the Victorians. After the First World War, the Great Western Railway Company extensively promoted Torquay. This helped the town to become a major UK holiday resort.

So that's a little bit about our home town. Torquay may have its moments, but overall, it's really not a shabby place to be.

Until next time, S&K.

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