East Devon is a beautiful area in which to live, and there is plenty on offer for those who want to live in the villages that add to the area’s rich pageant of rural life. This week we feature Woodbury and Woodbury Salterton.
The neighbouring villages of Woodbury and Woodbury Salterton are quiet, historic and charming places, surrounded by beautiful countryside.
Yet there is nothing isolated about these villages – they are a short drive from Exeter in one direction and Exmouth in another.
Woodbury village has an early 15th century parish church, antique shops, a renowned studio gallery and two pubs.
It has a traditional English village green and a strong but friendly community, along with a village shop and post office.
Nearby Woodbury Salterton is also a pretty village with a historic pub serving real ale and locally-sourced food. The two villages form a busy and lively rural community.
They are surrounded by wonderful scenery – woodlands and heathlands, which offer glimpses of the sea in places, as a reminder that the Jurassic Coast is not far away.
One local resident said he considers his home village ‘a very unusual place’, being both an idyllic rural location and also very close to Devon’s capital city and a bustling seaside town.
Transport
The number 56 bus runs between Exeter and Exmouth, stopping at Woodbury and Woodbury Salterton on the way, but only Monday to Saturday.
The M5 junction is on the outskirts of Exeter, on the way in towards the city centre.
The nearest railway station is in Exton, on the Exeter to Exmouth line.
Food and drink
Woodbury has The Maltsters Arms and The White Hart; the Maltsters has an a la carte restaurant, the White Hart serves traditional pub fayre.
The Maltsters Arms also stages a lot of events including its own blues festival.
There is also a Chinese takeaway. In Woodbury Salterton, The Diggers Rest also has a good restaurant menu and runs a weekly community supper club. The Woodbury Park Hotel & Golf Club, a short drive away, has a bar and restaurant.
Education
Both Woodbury and Woodbury Salterton have a primary school rated ‘good’ by OFSTED.
The villages are in the catchment area for Exmouth Community College; there are plenty of other secondary schools in Exeter.
Sport and leisure
Woodbury has recently benefited from the addition of an all-weather multi-sports pitch to its community playing field.
The Woodbury Park Hotel & Golf Club also has a pool, spa and gym for members; spa sessions and beauty treatments are available to non-members.
The surrounding countryside is wonderful for scenic walks and cycle rides; family attractions and recreation facilities are a short distance away in Exmouth.
READ MORE: Guide to Topsham
READ MORE: Guide to Budleigh Salterton
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