England & Devon
SOL has its two main centres in the neighbouring towns of Barnstaple and Bideford, situated in North Devon just a few kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean with stunning cliffs, rolling surf and glorious beaches. It is 300 km west of London. The journey only takes four hours by coach. A third centre in Tiverton in mid Devon is now fully operational. Tiverton is 40km from Barnstaple.

Barnstaple is a town that has so much to offer it is always a challenge to know where to start. Whether it’s shopping, dining out, leisure and culture or immersing yourself in the towns rich history, there really is something for everyone. Barnstaple is a truly friendly and welcoming town.
For more information visit Barnstaple

Bideford is a safe and friendly market town of about 12,000 inhabitants, and has been a port town since the Middle Ages. The nearest beach, Westward Ho! is only 3 km away. For more information visit Bideford

Tiverton (New centre!!) Tiverton is the largest town in Mid Devon with a population of approximately 20,000. Tiverton has two beautiful rivers, the Exe and the Lowman, which join just south of the Town Centre. The town also boasts a canal, were visitors can experience trips in boats travelling through idyllic scenery.
Tiverton lies at the junction of two important road routes, the A361 and the A393. The A361 provides a link between the M5 Motorway and the towns of Barnstaple and Bideford. Tiverton is also served by a rail link (Tiverton Parkway).

Please visit our picture gallery to view some pictures of the new centre or click here
For more information visit Tiverton


Why would someone want to come this far from London?

The beauty - The ocean itself is an amazing experience for many students.
The towns - Safe for groups in every way - and full of history too!
The people - friendly, accommodating and laid back - they have far more time for you.
Most groups have a full day in London at the end of the course.


Travel

By coach. Directions to Barnstaple
This is usually the most economical way of travelling - the teacher arranges the coach transport from their own country. We organise the ferry and accommodation for the drivers and your own coach is used for all trips. Arriving in England at Dover in the early morning is the most wonderful way to see England for the first time! To help gather a full coach group, it may be possible to combine with other schools in the area or to get help from our in-country coordinators.

By air or public service coach.
With the rise in low-cost airlines, many groups now choose to fly to England, especially if there is pressure on time away from school. We meet you at the airport you arrive at - usually London, though Bristol has flights from Prague, Budapest, Bratislava, Rijeka as well as some Polish cities. We provide all the transport within England which is included in the price. For a group of 40 students, the cost of the course itself is very nearly the same as if you had your own coach, and even for smaller groups the overall cost, including travel, may not be very different. We can meet groups travelling by coach in Victoria coach station as well. Whichever way you come, we hope to include a visit to Stonehenge on the way to Devon.


When to visit and what else to include

Inevitably we have a great number of requests for the spring and summer holiday periods, but as it is very busy then, we do urge teachers to consider discussing with their Head a term-time visit if at all possible. The educational value to a student of such a trip is unquestionable!! Our new courses benefit the students far more than just their English and helps them gain a better insight into their own culture.

As for the weather, well it can be unpredictable, but most groups find it much better than they imagine!! When it rains, it rarely lasts long, and even in winter day temperatures are always above 0°C. The climate is moderate during all seasons, and the good sunshine record is one of the reasons why it is such a popular holiday destination. The other reason is that it is such a beautiful area with some of the best cliff scenery and beaches in the UK!

Arrival in Devon will normally be on a Monday or Tuesday afternoon (Sunday for 7 day visits), the departure the following week will be early enough to allow for a full 8-hour day in London, if you are using your own coach. Once in Devon the whole programme is fully organised, but after leaving Devon the responsibility lies with the group leader - however SOL is ready to give as much assistance as needed in planning further visits or arranging additional accommodation elsewhere.

Many groups plan additional nights at Youth Hostels near London or elsewhere enabling the group to visit other places of interest (e.g.: Bath, Oxford, Stratford).

We have our own local coordinator (who is NOT an agent!) in several countries who can work with you and our staff in preparing for a course.

Barnstaple webcam