5 perfect places to pop the question!
Banish any proposal nerves by letting the location do the work 
The origin of Valentine’s Day, according to legend, surrounds a martyred saint, St Valentine, a Roman priest who was either put to death for refusing to give up Christianity, or for performing marriage ceremonies for young male soldiers after the Emperor Claudius II outlawed the practice because he felt single young men would make better servicemen. In jail, while awaiting execution, Valentine was supposed to have fallen in love with his jailer’s daughter and sent her a farewell note which he signed, “from your Valentine”, and so the tradition was born.
Valentine’s Day is now firmly established as a day for lovers to exchange cards, flowers and other gifts. Women are increasingly taking the opportunity to propose and are not waiting for the customary leap year. Popping the question is still pretty nerve wracking, whether you are a man or woman, but if you have a little bit of help from romantic surroundings, your nerves will be calmer and you will be able to play 'Mr Darcy' or 'Elizabeth Bennett' to perfection.
The South West, with its rugged coastline and rolling hills, is just the place for romance, and we have chosen five different ideas and locations to add a touch of spice to your proposal. You may be back sooner than you think for your honeymoon.
As a special Valentine’s gift, Blue Chip is offering a 20% discount on any stay during the week commencing Saturday 9th February. See further details on the home page of our website.
….Relive your youth on a treasure trail
Select your location and then choose from Murder Mystery or a Treasure Hunt. Each trail costs £5 for a booklet and map with details of a walk containing clues, either about who committed the murder or where the fictitious treasure lies buried. You eliminate all suspects or spots for hidden treasure but one. Submit this and be entered into the prize draw. The booklet also gives factual and historical information about the places you visit on the walk and is aimed at showing the best sites, including those off the beaten track, in Devon and Cornwall. The walks last from 1 to1½ hrs; and there are longer day trips if you want to use the car.
There are trails at Tavistock, Exmouth, Teignmouth, Torbay, Dartmouth, Looe, Bude, Newquay and on Dartmoor, plus many more, and there is a Blue Chip property near every one. Log onto www.treasuretrails.co.uk for more information. Alternatively you can download and print the booklets and maps or have them posted to your holiday home. Contact Teresa Ridd on 01726 68828 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Go on, make your proposal a fun thing!
The Ness, Shaldon
Once a favourite haunt for smugglers such that they even built their own tunnel, The Ness is a secluded and sheltered beach at the end of Shaldon Strand on the Teign Estuary. You can either take the easy route from the Ness car park, next to the Shaldon Wildlife Park, and walk hand in hand through the rough sandstone Smugglers’ Tunnel, or climb over the huge sandstone rocks on the beach. The red cliffs will tower above you while The Spit at Teignmouth lies just over the water
Few locations prompt romance more than a deserted beach, and in winter you are likely to find yourselves completely alone. Perfect. By now you should have popped the question, so why not enjoy a celebratory drink and meal in one of Shaldon’s five pubs, some of which date back to the 17th century? For mouth-watering home-baked pastries and cakes, and organic tea and coffee, visit The Shaldon Coffee Rush in Fore Street. Afterwards, why not take the small ferry across to Teignmouth and gaze back on the beach where you proposed?
Blue Chip has properties in Torbay, Shaldon, Teignmouth and Dawlish which would perfect for your Valentine’s break.
The Eden Project
If it’s too cold outside, whisk yourselves away to a tropical rainforest or a temperate savannah where you can hold hands without wearing gloves and bathe in the warmth of the biomes as your thoughts turn to romance. The Eden Project is perfect for a winter visit, and will be far less crowded than during the summer holiday months, so there will be plenty of opportunity for finding a quiet corner for that all-important question, and what better background music than that of a tropical waterfall?
As a Valentine’s Day special, the open air ice rink will stay open late, and romantic music will entice you to skate round hand in hand. If you don’t think you’ve quite captivated the heart of your intended, why not go to one of the workshops and learn how to make love potions: it’s what lovers have been up to for centuries? Enjoy an aphrodisiac meal in one of the five cafés and restaurants washed down by a glass of wine. Different packages comprising meal and skate are available to suit every budget. If you have an idea for an original proposal, the staff at Eden will try and arrange this for you.
Last year 28-year-old Matthew Clements got down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend Michelle Bragg on the island in the middle of the rink while the stewards unfurled a banner reading ‘’W147066S will you marry me?” which referred to Michelle’s Navy service number.
Whatever ideas you may have, the staff at Eden will try and help you to make your proposal memorable and successful. For more information about the Eden Project, log onto www.edenproject.com or call Bethany Lewitt on 01726 818806 to discuss your proposal plans.
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Jamaica Inn
For a spot of true, bodice-ripping romance, why not visit one of the haunts of the queen of Cornish romance, Daphne du Maurier? Far more gutsy than the pink and sugary Barbara Cartland, du Maurier’s books contain some pretty violent themes such as wreckers (Jamaica Inn), the English Civil War (the King’s General), piracy (Frenchman’s Creek) and murder (Rebecca). Her heroines were feisty with real sparkle and a fitting match for their male counterparts.
Jamaica Inn, set in the middle of Bodmin Moor, is where Mary Yellan goes to live with her timid aunt Patience and snarling uncle Joss after the death of her mother and soon gets caught up in a web of intrigue and romance in this wild and treacherous terrain. While you will no doubt drive to the inn and not travel in horse and cart as Mary did, you can still relive its mystery and danger as you enjoy a special Valentine’s home-cooked meal which includes a free bottle of wine.
Afterwards, you can visit the on-site museum and watch the video of the du Maurier novel or take a romantic walk over Bodmin Moor, now devoid of highwaymen, and visit the famous Cheeswring near the village of Minions, a stack of eight huge flat rocks balanced on top of each other, said to have been placed there by a saint in a rock throwing contest against the evil giants. For more information about the Valentine’s meal, contact Jamaica Inn on 01566 86250.
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Tintagel
Go on, chaps, play the dark, brooding hero in the ultimate of our choice of romantic locations. Tintagel was where Uther Pendragon, the mythic, handsome 6th-century King of England, seduced Igraine, wife of the ageing Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. The result was the legendary King Arthur. Imagine you are Uther, climbing the steps cut into the sheer granite rock face leading to the clifftop castle to claim your lady and start what is perhaps the most famous legend in English history. Walk hand in hand around the ruins and look down at the jagged granite boulders taking their battering from the violent waves. Crunch the shingle along the beach where Phoenician traders were once said to have landed with their exotic spices. With so many striking places to pop the question, you will have difficulty in choosing the right one.
Tintagel village is quiet during the winter, but The Cornishman Inn with its stone floors and wooden beams is the perfect place for a romantic meal and offers home-cooked, local food, as does King Arthur’s Arms, which is more touristy and plays up to the legend. TIntagel castle is open all year round, apart from 24th to 26th December and 1st January. Log onto www.english-heritage.org.uk for more information.
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Blue Chip’s properties at Newquay, Honicombe Manor or Looe would make perfect base to visit Jamaica Inn, The Eden Project or Tintagel and see more of the romantic Cornish countryside.
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As a special Valentine’s gift, Blue Chip is offering a 20% discount on any stay during the week commencing Saturday 9th February. See further details on the home page of our website.
Granary can be linked with Little Barn to accommodate up to 12 people.
Marina View is a two bedroom mid-Victorian house, originally constructed in 1875, within a 1 minute walk of the village centre and the foot and car ferries across to Dartmouth.
