Places in the South West you need to book

A working beam engine running on steam where mining history comes to life: learn of Levant's industry and tragedy. You can visit the buildings at Levant by booking a guided tour. Levant Mine sits on the cliffs of the industrial and dramatic 'Tin Coast', part of the Cornish World Heritage site.

At the very heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site sits the great beam engine in Taylor's engine house, originally powered by high-pressure steam boilers introduced by local hero Richard Trevithick. On a guided tour you'll discover the whole dramatic story of Cornish mining.

Iconic picturesque island crowned by medieval church and castle with views over the bay.

This quirky 18th century, 16 sided house with fascinating interior decoration and collections was built for two spinster cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter, on their return from a grand tour of Europe. It contains many objects and mementos of their travels.

This unspoilt and fascinating medieval manor house is still a relaxed family home. You can wander through rooms untouched by time, warm yourself by the open fire, and unwind in the tranquil garden. Bradley is nestled in a green haven of riverside meadows and woodland, hidden away in the heart of Newton Abbot.

Home to the last set of working Victorian water-powered forge tools in England, Finch Foundry is the doorway to Dartmoor's industrial past with a lovely garden. Get an insight into the life of workers in the 19th century and learn about the enterprising Finch family.

At Greenway, the walled gardens, river views and romantic woodland combine to make up 'The loveliest place in the world' in the words of Agatha Christie. The relaxed and atmospheric Georgian house is set in the 1950s, when Agatha and her family would spend summers and Christmases here with friends, and is home to their extensive collections. If arriving by car, you will need to book in advance to secure a parking space.

A hidden paradise of subtropical gardens, Overbeck's is tucked away on the cliffs above Salcombe. The garden is filled with exotic and rare plants and surprises around every corner.

Famous for red squirrels, wildlife and Scouting, Brownsea Island is dramatically located in Poole Harbour, with views across to the Purbeck Hills. Thriving habitats including woodland, heathland and a lagoon create a unique haven for wildlife.

This tiny isolated cottage in the heart of Dorset was the home of an extraordinary man: T. E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. He furnished the rooms of his rural retreat to his personal taste and they are much as he left them, giving an insight into the complex personality of the writer, warrior and friend of Thomas Hardy. Open for pre-booked guided tours.

Few authors have such strong associations with the natural and cultural heritage of their local area as Thomas Hardy. This cottage, where Hardy was born in 1840, was built of cob and thatch by his great-grandfather and has been little altered since the family left. Open for pre-booked guided tours.

Max Gate is the house that Thomas Hardy, a trained architect, designed for himself and lived in until his death in 1928. Will sitting at the desk in his study inspire you to write? Open for pre-booked guided tours.

This Arts and Crafts-inspired garden with intricately designed outdoor spaces in the rolling Cotswold hills. Explore the maze of narrow paved pathways and discover secret gardens, delightful vistas and colourful planting.

Lodge Park is England’s only surviving 17th-century grandstand, and was a place of parties and entertainment. Set in the expansive Bridgeman Landscape, discover Lodge Park’s rich history and the life of its passionate owner, John Dutton.

The garden of this Cotswold manor house is the perfect place to unwind and explore hidden vistas, quiet corners and unexpected delights. Inside are Charles Wade’s eclectic collections. He was an architect and artist who dedicated his life to collecting; thousands of objects are laid out for you to see just as he intended.

Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote some of his best works in his three years living in this 17th-Century cottage. Coleridge Cottage has a rich and fascinating history, from a humble Georgian home, to its transformation into ‘Moore’s Coleridge Cottage Inn’ during the Victorian era.

This 18th-century Queen Anne townhouse in Salisbury's historic Cathedral Close has reopened with introductory tours, focusing on the architecture and the setting of Mompesson. The delightful walled garden has a pergola and traditionally planted herbaceous borders.

Standing high on the Blackdown Hills, the Wellington Monument, at 175ft, is the tallest three-sided obelisk in the world. The story of its origins, and shambolic construction, repeats itself in the story of its conservation and repair up to the present day.