Exeter (EGTE)

Matthew Stibbe

15 years ago

Nearest town: Exeter (11m by car), Devon

Opening Times:

Winter – Mon 0001-0100, 0700-2359; Tue-Fri 0001-0200, 0700-2359. (PPR before 0800 and after 2000) Sat 0001-0200, 0800-1700; Sun 0830-2359. (PPR before 0900 and after 1700)
Summer – Mon 0600-2359; Tue-Fri 0001-0100, 0600-2359; Sat 0001-0100, 0530-2000. (PPR before 0700 and after 1900) Sun 0700-2359. (PPR before 0800 and after 1900)

Longest Runway: 2083m, Asphalt

Fuel: AVTUR JET A-1, AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01392 367 433

Landing fees: £7.50 per 500kg up to 3000 kg

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Handling: Exeter Airport Executive (01392 354 995, 07740 582 184, handling@exeter-airport.co.uk)
Taxi: Exeter Airport Taxis (01395 234 100, www.exeterairporttaxis.co.uk), Corporate Cars (01392 36 2000, www.corporate-cars.com)
Car hire: Avis (01392 360 214, www.avis.co.uk), Europcar (01392 363 520, www.europcar.co.uk), Hertz (01392 363 666, www.hertz.co.uk), Practical Motor Home (01392 254 037, www.practicalmotorhomerental.com)
Facilities at airport: Food Village, Cafe Select, Bar, newsagent, travel agent, cashpoint, airport shopping and bureau de change
Charter: Capital Aviation (www.capitalaviation.co.uk), Helicopters UK (www.flyhuk.com)
Flying schools: Aviation Southwest (www.egte.com), Exeter Flying Club (www.flying-club.com), Flightpass (www.flightpass.co.uk)

Michael Caine’s, www.michaelcaines.com. Michelin-starred restaurant on Cathedral Green. 01392 310031
Gidleigh Park, www.gidleigh.com. Two stars. Impeccable service. Beautiful location on Dartmoor. 01647 432367
The New Angel in Dartmouth, www.thenewangel.co.uk. John Burton Race’s TV-star restaurant on the quay. About an hour’s drive but worth it. 01803 839425

Hotel Barcelona (01392 281000, www.aliashotels.com). Stylish modern hotel in converted Victorian eye hospital.
Royal Clarence Hotel (01392 319955, www.royalclarencehotel.co.uk). 53 room hotel on Cathedral Green.
MacDonald Southgate Hotel (0870 400 8333, www.southgate-hotel.co.uk) Modern hotel in a lovely part of town.
Gidleigh Park (01647 432367, www.gidleigh.com). One of the best hotels in England but 25m from the airport.

Exeter Golf and Country Club (01392 876303, www.exetergcc.co.uk)
Teign Valley Golf Club (01647 253026, www.teignvalleygolf.co.uk)
Woodbury Park Hotel and Country Club (01395 233382, www.woodburypark.co.uk)
Bovey Castle (01647 445016, www.boveycastle.com). Beautiful, once-private course in the heart of Dartmoor. About an hour’s drive.

Hunter Flying Club has six classic warbirds. Visitors are welcome to look at the aircraft. (0117 967 3858, www.classicjets.co.uk)
Met Office weather training courses.
Canoeing and fishing on the river Exe at Exeter
Further afield: Dartmoor National Park (www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk), Dartington Hall (www.dartingtonhall.com) and sunny Torquay.

Exeter Bill Bryson said “Exeter is not an easy town to love” in his Notes from a Small Island. Having lived there myself for six years when I was at school, I have to differ. Exeter is a lovely town. Once known as the redbrick Bath, because of its elegant Georgian circuses and parades, it is a good mix of city sophistication and provincial charm. Much of the old city was destroyed by bombing in 1942, although small pockets remain and, fortunately, the Norman Cathedral and the old buildings around it, including Francis Drake’s favourite pub, were unharmed.
The New Angel The New Angel is buzzy and has a relatively unadorned dining room without any tablecloths, or carpet. Half one wall is replaced by a bar top, which leads across into the kitchen so that all the delicious looking dishes appearing one after another are on full view to the hungry multitude. John Burton Race sent me away delighted I had taken the trouble to fly from Denham. He had passed his unwitting exam with flying colours. As far as we were concerned he richly deserved his Michelin star.