Devon is a place on Earth: Devon named as top county in country

By PRSD, on Wednesday, January 28, 2009

posted by Cptn

So it seems that Country Life magazine may have nabbed the £10,000 Love My Devon prize, with its announcement that Devon is the best county in the world to live in.

Apparently, Country Life magazine, not be be confused with the butter, assessed counties on a number of issues, including: quality of its health services, schools, social fabric, sunshine hours, the number of village greens, the quality of light and tranquility, and the number of residents in Who’s Who (!).

Devon came out as England’s top county after being rated by the magazine as the best in the categories for green policy, landscape and wildlife, heritage, local food and pubs. The article says that, “few counties can match the variety that Devon manages to pack into its 2,589 square miles. It is the only county to have two separate coastlines”.

It is only the second time that the magazine has carried out the survey, and Devon also finished top last time round in 2003.

Here comes the science part: As well as two National Parks and two World Heritage Sites, Devon can also lay claim to 3,500 miles of footpaths, 150 miles of the National Cycle Network, many thousands of Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings, sandy beaches and some of the most popular sailing and surfing waters in Britain.

Devon finished first ahead of Hampshire in second, and Kent in third place.

• Does Devon deserve to be named the best county in the country?