An antique-hunting weekend is a great way to explore the South West, combining independent antique shops, vintage dealers, reclamation yards and markets with some of the region's most interesting towns and countryside.
Across Wiltshire, Hampshire & New Forest - Somerset - Dorset - Devon., there are plenty of places to build into a weekend route, whether you're searching for something specific or simply enjoy seeing what you can discover along the way.
With a little planning, you can visit several different businesses and destinations without spending the whole weekend in the car.
Here's how to plan an antique-hunting weekend in the South West and make the most of your time.
Choose an Area to Explore
The South West covers a large area, so rather than trying to fit too much into one weekend, start by choosing a particular county or a group of neighbouring towns.
Devon, Wiltshire, Somerset & Dorset each offer their own mix of independent antique shops, antique centres, vintage businesses, markets and reclamation yards.
You could spend a weekend exploring the towns of East Devon, follow the Jurassic Coast through Dorset, discover the market towns of Somerset or combine Wiltshire's antiques businesses with its historic towns and countryside.
Build a Simple Antique-Hunting Route
Once you've chosen an area, pick a few places you'd definitely like to visit and use them as the main stops for your weekend.
Check opening days and times before travelling, particularly for smaller independent businesses, and look for other antique shops, vintage dealers and reclamation businesses between your main destinations.
Try not to plan every hour. Leaving some space in your itinerary gives you time to follow recommendations, explore another town or stop somewhere interesting that you discover along the way.
A good antiques route gives you somewhere to start without taking away the enjoyment of discovering somewhere unexpected.
Use The Antiques Tourist Along the Way
The Antiques Tourist is designed to make discovering antiques businesses around the South West easier.
The free annual guide brings together antique shops, vintage businesses, reclamation specialists and other destinations across the region, making it useful when planning your route before you leave and while you're travelling.
Don't Just Visit Antique Shops
Part of the fun of an antique-hunting weekend is visiting different types of businesses rather than sticking to traditional antique shops.
Look out for antique centres, vintage shops, reclamation yards, flea markets, pannier markets, auction houses and antique fairs as you travel.
Antique centres can give you the chance to browse collections from several dealers under one roof, while reclamation yards can be particularly interesting if you're looking for furniture, architectural pieces, garden items or materials for a renovation project.
Leave Time to Properly Explore
Antique hunting isn't something that needs to be rushed. Some businesses can be explored in half an hour, while a large antique centre or reclamation yard can easily keep you occupied for much longer.
Give yourself enough time to look properly rather than trying to squeeze too many stops into one day. Interesting pieces aren't always sitting prominently at the front of a shop.
It's also worth looking beyond the main high street. Independent dealers, vintage warehouses and reclamation businesses are often tucked away on side streets or just outside town centres.
Sometimes the best part of antique hunting is finding the place you hadn't originally planned to visit.
Be Ready for an Unexpected Find
If you're hoping to find furniture or larger pieces, take a few measurements before leaving home. Keeping photographs and room dimensions on your phone can also be useful when deciding whether something will work in your space.
If you're travelling by car, think about how much room you have before buying anything particularly large. For bigger pieces, ask the dealer whether collection or delivery can be arranged.
Most importantly, don't become too focused on finding one particular item. Antique and vintage shopping is unpredictable, and you may return home with something completely different from what you originally had in mind.
Make a Weekend of It
One of the advantages of antique hunting in the South West is that many of the places worth visiting are surrounded by historic towns, countryside and coastline.
Rather than simply driving from shop to shop, stop for lunch, explore the town you're visiting and leave time for the places you discover between your planned destinations.
Staying overnight also gives you the chance to explore a different area the following morning, turning a day of antique shopping into a proper South West weekend.