Totnes is a market town set at the head of the River Dart estuary. Nestled in the South Hams, it’s renowned for its vibrant high street lined with independent shops and its lively music scene. Spend an afternoon browsing the many galleries and boutiques, then round off your day in a bar, soaking up the atmosphere as a local band plays.
There’s no shortage of places to eat, from vegan cafés and cosy tearooms to inviting coffee shops and ice cream parlours. At weekends, the town’s market comes alive with stalls selling a diverse range of goods from handmade gifts and vintage furniture to seasonal produce and tempting street food.
Boat trips and guided canoe tours depart from the Steamer Quay, taking you along the River Dart towards Dartmouth. As you glide along, look out for Greenway House, Agatha Christie’s cherished summer retreat, the impressive Britannia Royal Naval College, the elegant Georgian manor, Sharpham House, and the pretty riverside villages of Stoke Gabriel and Dittisham. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife too; kingfishers, cormorants and little egrets are regular visitors, and you might even spot seals bobbing in the water.
Founded by King Canute in 1018, Buckfast Abbey grew wealthy during the medieval era through fishing and the wool trade. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, 1.5 tons of gold, gilt, and silver were taken from the abbey to the Tower of London, and the buildings gradually fell into ruin. In the late 19th century, a small group of French monks purchased the site and spent the next few decades lovingly restoring it.
Today, Buckfast Abbey is home to a community of Roman Catholic Benedictine monks, renowned among other things for their beekeeping and for producing the famous Buckfast Tonic Wine. At the heart of the abbey stands the church, with its striking Byzantine-style ceiling in the Lantern Tower, a contemporary floor-to-ceiling Dalle de verre window depicting Christ, and many historic treasures and artefacts
Outside, visitors can wander through the abbey’s beautiful gardens, including the Sensory Garden, Physic Garden, Millennium Garden and the Lavender Garden, which bursts into colour each summer with over 50 varieties of this calming plant. There is also a gift shop and a restaurant offering both indoor and outdoor seating.
For food lovers, a visit to Darts Farm near Topsham is a must. This award-winning farm shop has an independent food hall showcasing hundreds of carefully selected local and artisan producers. Here you’ll find West Country cheeses, locally reared meat, freshly baked breads, pastries, cakes and pies, local wines, ciders and craft beers, raw honey, handpicked fruit and vegetables, and the farm’s own small-batch, single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate.
After stocking up on local treats, take time to explore the farm. Enjoy a stroll along the nature trail, where you’ll discover insect hotels, beehives, and a range of wildflowers, including the rare bee orchid. Wander through the heritage orchard and keep an eye out for the herd of Ruby Red Devon cattle grazing nearby.
The farm is surrounded by a wetlands nature reserve, where rolling fields are dotted with ponds teeming with wildlife, and saltmarsh and mudflats line the banks of the River Clyst. Teals, wigeons, black-tailed godwits, snipe, curlews, and lapwings can all be spotted here, while in winter flocks of redwings and fieldfares arrive to feast on berries. The reserve includes a bird hide for the best views, along with an RSPB shop selling bird care products, books and gifts. Binocular hire is also available.
Dawlish Warren Beach is a half-mile stretch of golden sand lying beneath sheltered sand dunes, with exceptionally clean waters. It’s the perfect spot for a day by the sea; pack a picnic, fly a kite, play beach games, build sandcastles or take a refreshing dip. Parts of the beach are dog-friendly too, so your four-legged friend can join the fun. There are plenty of traditional seaside attractions, including go-karting, mini golf and amusement rides, and you can hire a beach hut for the day if you’d like a base right by the sand.
Behind the beach lies Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve, part of the Exe Estuary Special Protection Area and designated as a Ramsar Site for its international importance to wildlife. The reserve is a haven for huge flocks of wildfowl and waders, especially in autumn and winter, and comprises a mix of habitats including meadows, copses, reedbeds, ponds, and saltmarsh.
Birds to watch for include Brent geese, Slavonian grebes, little stints, ringed plovers, common scoters, shovelers, and red-breasted mergansers. The reserve is also a treasure trove for plant lovers, with over 600 species of flowering plants recorded, among them the rare lilac-blue Warren crocus, which blooms among the short grasses of the dunes.
Managed by the National Trust, Killerton is an 18th-century house set within a hillside garden and extensive estate. This Georgian house was home to generations of the Acland family until Sir Richard Acland gifted it to the Trust in 1944.
Killerton is renowned for its vast fashion collection, the Paulise de Bush collection, which includes over 20,000 items of historic clothing and accessories. On the first floor, you’ll find a carefully curated fashion exhibition that changes each year, showcasing some of the finest pieces in what were once the family’s bedrooms. On the ground floor, visitors can see how the house would have looked in the 1920s, exploring the entrance hall, music room, staircase hall, drawing room, library, and dining room, all filled with books, sheet music, paintings, furniture, textiles, and cherished family possessions.
Outside, the grounds include formal lawns, parkland, and woodland. There’s also a Grade I listed chapel with a beautiful stained glass rose window, an ornamental dairy, a number of charming thatched buildings, and even an ancient Iron Age fort waiting to be discovered. Families are well catered for too, with children’s play areas, a coffee shop, café, and gift shop, plus a year-round programme of seasonal, family-friendly events.
Also owned by the National Trust, Coleton Fishacre is a 1920s house that once served as the country retreat of the D’Oyly Carte family. This elegant Art Deco home is decorated and furnished in a minimalist style, with light, airy rooms accented by splashes of colour. Several rooms are open to visitors, including the dining room with its architect-designed table, the cosy library filled with books and comfortable chairs, the theatrical saloon complete with a piano and gramophone, and the servants’ quarters, where you can see Edwardian cleaning equipment and an electric bell board.
Keep an eye out for the wind dial, which indicated good sailing weather, and the bell on the side of the house, which was rung to call the family back from the cove at the bottom of the garden when it was time to eat.
The garden at Coleton Fishacre is accredited by the Royal Horticultural Society and is known for its rare and exotic plants, which thrive in the area’s mild climate. Highlights include the vibrant Hot Border, planted in brilliant shades of orange and red; Kent’s Border, with its neat hedging and topiary; and a pictorial meadow sown with wildflowers to attract insects. The garden is also a haven for wildlife, attracting newts, dragonflies, toads, lizards, and even the occasional snake.
Built to defend Dartmouth Harbour, Dartmouth Castle is an artillery fort offering stunning views across the estuary. The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 1380s, when fears of a French attack led to its construction, designed to engage enemy ships with catapults and cannon. Over the centuries, it was expanded, with gun batteries added during the threat of another French invasion in the 1540s.
Inside, interactive displays tell the story of the castle from its medieval origins through to its final call to action in the Second World War. Visitors can see weapons, armour and gunpowder barrels, and explore atmospheric passageways. In the basement of the gun tower, you’ll find the large metal harbour chain once stretched across the estuary to block enemy ships, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
The castle is set along the South West Coast Path, in one of South Devon’s most scenic spots, rich in wildlife, birds, and coastal flora. On a fine day, you can also take a river boat from the town quay which drops you just a short walk from the entrance, giving you the chance to see some of the best views of the castle from the water.
The House of Marbles is a working glass and games factory set within a historic pottery, and is home to four fascinating museums. The Marble Museum features an extraordinary collection of marbles spanning the ages, from early examples made of clay and stone to some of the oldest known glass marbles ever discovered. The Games Museum displays a nostalgic collection of classic games and toys from past decades, including original pieces from the Victorian era. In the Pottery Museum, you’ll find a diverse range of artefacts, from naval wares and wartime crockery to personalised children’s plates and cups, statues, and even the occasional toilet! The Glass Museum offers a concise look at the glass-making process and displays a variety of intriguing pieces, including one of the most unusual exhibits, a collection of glass eyes.
Visitors can watch skilled glassblowers at work and take part in hands-on craft workshops, with a programme of seasonal events throughout the year. There’s also a brass rubbing trail for children, a shop selling unique gifts, toys and, of course, marbles, and a restaurant serving hearty breakfasts, light lunches, sandwiches, salads and afternoon tea.
Honiton is renowned for producing some of the finest lace in the world, and the Allhallows Museum of Lace and Local Antiquities, located on the high street, holds the largest collection of Honiton lace anywhere. The collection traces the history of lacemaking in the town from the 17th century to the present day. Among its treasures is the earliest written evidence of lace production in Honiton, a brass plaque from the tomb of James Rodge, a ‘bone lace seller’, dated 1617. There are also exquisite examples of black lace, once worn by Victorians as a symbol of mourning, and a scarlet nightdress that belonged to Wallis Simpson, for whom King Edward VIII famously abdicated the throne in 1936.
Beyond its lace collection, the museum also houses a remarkable range of historic artefacts, including finds from local archaeological digs. One of the most surprising discoveries is the fossilised remains of seventeen hippos, unearthed during the construction of the bypass in 1965. These hippos are believed to have lived in the area during a warm interlude in the Ice Age, when England’s climate was more like Africa’s today.
Kents Cavern is a Devonian limestone cave system in Torquay, formed during the early Ice Age. Excavations carried out in the 19th century revealed that the caves were occupied by Neanderthals during the Old Stone Age, around 40,000 to 60,000 years ago. Other finds show that the caves were also used as hibernation dens by sabre-toothed cats, cave bears, and cave hyenas. Remains of other Ice Age creatures, including steppe bison, woolly mammoths, wolves, Irish elk, and wild horses, have also been discovered here.
A guided tour takes visitors through an extensive labyrinth of spectacular passageways, chambers, and caverns, surrounded by rock formations that are over 400 million years old. Knowledgeable guides share fascinating stories about how ancient humans sheltered from extreme weather, made fires, shaped tools, and hunted Ice Age animals, as well as tales of the Victorian excavations that uncovered these remarkable finds.
After your tour, follow the Woodland Trail where you can spot local wildlife and seasonal flowers, build a shelter from logs and branches, or hunt for life-size statues of prehistoric animals. There’s also a Stone Age Zone where visitors can explore the cave’s heritage through artefacts and hands-on activities.
Located on the edge of Dartmoor, Lydford Gorge, owned by the National Trust, is the deepest river gorge in the South West of England, offering a breathtaking experience that visitors have enjoyed since Victorian times. The gorge is a temperate rainforest, a rare habitat in the British Isles, characterised by high rainfall and humidity. The conditions create the perfect environment for mosses and liverworts, which in turn support a diverse range of insects, such as dragonflies and damselflies, and the birds and mammals that feed on them.
Climb down into the deepest part of the gorge to reach the Devil’s Cauldron, where the river plunges and tumbles through narrow gaps into a deep pothole, surrounded by dripping rock faces blanketed in mosses and ferns. A platform suspended over the river, reached by steep steps, lets visitors feel the raw power of the water that has shaped the pothole over centuries.
A second woodland trail leads to the Whitelady Waterfall, a 30-metre cascade which, depending on recent weather, can be a gentle trickle down the rocks or a thunderous torrent of white water.
After working up an appetite, stop by the feeding stations at the bird hide to see what you can spot, then enjoy a picnic in the orchard meadow among the apple trees and mown paths. There are also two tearooms serving sandwiches, toasties, jacket potatoes, cream teas, and hot and cold drinks.
Tucked beneath Dartmoor’s highest point, Black-a-Tor Copse is an ancient oak woodland that runs along the banks of the West Okement River, in the north west corner of the National Park. Classified as temperate rainforest, its gnarled trees and massive boulders are draped in rare species of moss and lichens, giving the wood a magical, fairytale-like atmosphere.
Inside the copse, there are no marked paths, and to protect the fragile plants, visitors are asked to stick to the patches of bare ground between the boulders.
The best access is from the Meldon Reservoir car park. It’s about an hour’s walk each way, along rocky tracks and open moorland, so sturdy walking shoes are recommended. Along the way, you’ll pass waterfalls and plunge pools perfect for wild swimming, as well as picturesque picnic spots. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some of Dartmoor’s wild ponies.
One of the most photographed spots in Exmoor National Park, Tarr Steps is an ancient clapper bridge crossing the River Barle. Built from 17 massive stone slabs and boulders, it is the longest bridge of its kind in Britain. Although first recorded in the Tudor period, it is likely much older, although over the centuries, it has been repaired many times, as stones weighing up to two tonnes are occasionally washed downstream.
The area is excellent for wildlife spotting. The river is home to a variety of fish, in particular brown trout, and otters and kingfishers can sometimes be seen along the banks. Well-marked footpaths around Tarr Steps allow you to explore the surrounding woodland, which is rich in birdlife including dippers, grey wagtails, pied flycatchers, and great spotted woodpeckers, as well as red deer and dormice.
Dartington Crystal has been producing crystal glassware using traditional glass-blowing techniques since the 1960s, and is one of the few remaining large-scale manufacturers of crystal and glass in the UK.
Visitors can tour the company’s factory in Torrington to see how glass is transformed into handcrafted luxury items, with the chance to watch skilled craftsmen at work. From the blowing room, where each piece begins to take shape, to the finishing room, where the process is completed and every item is carefully inspected by hand, you can witness the entire journey.
In the Visitor Centre, you’ll find a collection of pieces spanning the company’s history, as well as an audio-visual theatre that explores Dartington’s heritage and offers a glimpse into the modern-day factory. Creative activities include glass painting and hand casting, and you can watch master engravers creating unique works of art.
The shop offers the perfect opportunity to take home a special souvenir, and there’s a café on site serving light lunches, snacks, cakes, and drinks.
Quince Honey Farm is a working farm in South Molton where three generations have been producing honey since 1949. A visit takes you on a journey from flower to jar, with activities designed for all ages. Wander through the bee-friendly Nectar Gardens, the largest garden in the UK specifically created to attract wildlife and open to the public. Take a tour of the factory to learn how honey is extracted from the hives and bottled, ready for sale. The tour finishes with a honey tasting session, where you can discover why some honey is runny and some is not, how to use honey in different ways, and the fascinating history of honey and humans.
During spring and summer, beekeeping demonstrations give visitors the chance to watch a beekeeper suit up and open a hive right before your eyes. Children will love the Play Hive, complete with climbing ropes, slides, and a soft play area. They can also meet some of the farm’s curious creatures, including stick insects, giant snails, and praying mantises.
Visitors can even make their own beeswax candle, and when you’re ready for a bite to eat, the award-winning Nectary Restaurant offers a varied menu, including farmhouse breakfasts, Sunday roasts, and cream teas.
The historic Exeter Quay sits beside the River Exe and the Exeter Ship Canal. First used as a port in prehistoric times, it thrived for centuries but began to decline from 1840 onwards with the arrival of the railway. Today, the quay has been transformed into a vibrant waterfront area that beautifully blends history with contemporary design.
Just a short stroll from the city centre, the old warehouses now house an eclectic mix of antique shops, gift shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs, and bars, popular with visitors and locals alike. Throughout the year, the Custom House hosts an ever-changing programme of exhibitions, activities, performances, and cultural events, including the annual Dragon Boat Festival. The visitor centre also provides a fascinating insight into the quay’s rich history.
Bikes, canoes, and paddleboards can be hired from the quay, and during the summer, boat trips take visitors along the canal to admire the scenery and watch crew members operate the swing bridges before stopping for a drink at the Double Locks pub on the canal banks.
Situated in the heart of the English Riviera, Babbacombe Model Village is the largest attraction of its kind in the UK. Spread across four acres of award-winning gardens, the village features hundreds of unique, hand-crafted models and scenes, home to over 13,000 miniature residents.
At the centre of the gardens, a 1/12th scale model railway winds its way through a landscape that captures British life through the ages. Visitors can discover an array of detailed models, including houses, stately homes, factories, shops, entertainment venues, and well-known monuments and landmarks. Hidden throughout are playful puns, quirky scenes, and a generous dose of humour for all to enjoy.
Indoors, the Mythical Kingdom offers an enchanting world of animated miniature creatures, where fairies, goblins, dragons, trolls, owls, pixies, and leprechauns come to life in their magical realms.
The gardens themselves are a horticultural delight, with hundreds of varieties of plants, shrubs, heathers, and trees. With new additions planted each year, the landscape is constantly evolving, providing visual interest and beauty through every season.
Often regarded as one of the prettiest villages in the country, Lustleigh lies within Dartmoor National Park, between the towns of Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead. With its charming thatched cottages, flower-filled gardens, winding lanes, village green, and inviting tea room, it’s the perfect spot for a leisurely stroll or a stop for a light lunch or traditional cream tea.
Just a short walk from the centre of the village lies Wreyland Manor, a 14th-century thatched property with its own cricket pitch, a picturesque ground, bordered by trees on one side and the River Wrey on the other. The late Peter O’Toole frequently brought his cricket team, the Lazarusians, to play here, declaring it his favourite cricket ground in the world.
Pop into the medieval church of St John the Baptist, which has a traditional Devon barrel roof with beautifully carved bosses depicting the Instruments of the Passion, fleur-de-lys, and roses. The church also houses a Tudor chancel screen and the intriguing Datuidoc Stone, a grave marker believed to date from AD 550–620 and thought to predate Christianity in the region.
Despite its name, Blackpool Sands is primarily a shingle beach, but its crystal-clear turquoise waters and the backdrop of fragrant pines give it a distinctly Mediterranean feel. It’s a haven for water sports enthusiasts, with paddleboarding and kayaking on offer, including guided trips and taster sessions for those keen to give them a try. A beachside shop provides wetsuits, snorkels, boogie boards, and other equipment for hire if you don’t have your own.
For a truly relaxing experience, why not unwind in one of the beach’s saltwater saunas? It’s recommended to alternate around 10 minutes in the sauna with a refreshing dip in the sea, a ritual that both calms the mind and revitalises the body.
Just across the coastal road from the beach lies a hidden gem: a ‘secret’ garden brimming with semi-tropical plants. Owned by the Newman family for over 100 years, the garden once supplied fruit and vegetables to London’s markets until the 1970s and has recently been lovingly restored. Entry is through a small green door set into a stone wall, leading to a peaceful haven filled with rare plants and trees from around the world. Follow the gently sloping paths to the Captain’s Seat, where you can take in stunning views across the bay.
Located about 12 miles off the north Devon coast, Lundy Island is often hailed as one of Britain’s natural wonders. Owned by the National Trust and managed by The Landmark Trust, it’s a must-visit for nature lovers.
Between April and July, the island’s dramatic cliffs come alive with than 40,000 nesting seabirds, including puffins, the species that gave the island its name: “Lundy” derives from the Old Norse word for “Puffin Island”. Other seabirds include razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, kittiwakes, and Manx shearwaters, while offshore, you may spot seals, dolphins, porpoises, jellyfish, and even whales.
On land, Lundy is home to free-roaming goats and wild ponies, along with a remarkable array of flora, including rare lichens, wildflowers, fungi, and the endemic Lundy cabbage, a primitive brassica, which supports two endemic species of beetle.
For history enthusiasts, the island offers a rich heritage with over 40 scheduled monuments. These include remnants of Bronze Age settlements, a disused Georgian lighthouse, a Victorian church, and the 13th-century Marisco Castle.
No visit to Devon is complete without indulging in a traditional cream tea (cream first, of course!). For a truly luxurious experience, there’s no better setting than Lympstone Manor, a five-star country house hotel overlooking the Exe Estuary.
Here, you can savour a classic afternoon tea in style, with freshly prepared sandwiches, warm scones topped with rich clotted cream and locally made jam, alongside an assortment of handmade cakes and delicate French pâtisseries, crafted daily. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available.
Afternoon tea is usually served in the cosy lounge by an open fire or in the elegant dining room, but when the weather is fine enough, tea can be enjoyed on the terrace while taking in the stunning view. During the summer months, guests can also take a tour of the hotel’s vineyard before settling down for their afternoon treat.
If you’re looking for accommodation, why not choose a farm stay in Devon? A holiday on a working farm is fantastic way to relax and recharge while enjoying all that rural life has to offer.
