MOVE TO WOOLACOMBE

There’s almost something not British about Woolacombe. If it wasn’t for the tea rooms, the dry stone walls and the occasional thatched cottage, you might think the entire place has blown in from Australia. Aside from a long stretch of Bondi-style beach, there are hotels with sky-blue outdoor pools, surf shops, sand dunes, golf links and palm trees. When the sun’s out, it looks more New South Wales than North Devon.

Off season, it’s a slightly different story. The surfers are still out in force – good all-year-round surfing conditions means a long season – but