Make a note to visit these places of interest
We’ve attempted to highlight some of the most popular attractions in the area as well as provide a few activities for the adventurous and the not so daring. There’re many good reasons why people say ‘it’s heaven in Devon’ and there’s plenty to keep you busy, engaged, and entertained.
Fun & Interests
Adrenalin Quarry
A - Lower Clicker Road, Menheniot, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 3PJ
T - 01579 308204
W - www.adrenalinquarry.co.uk
Open all year.
Does exactly what it says on the tin. If you want an adrenalin rush at varying (age appropriate) levels, then this is a great place to spend some time outdoors feeling exhilarated.
Go Karting, Giant Clifftop Swing (go from sky high to freefall 50m over the lake), Aquapark (6yrs+), Coasteering (10+), Karting (7+), Axe Throwing (12+), The Zip (all ages), The Giant Swing (all ages), Electric Mini Bikes (3-6), Wild Swimming (all ages), Open Water swimming (300m).
Babbacombe Model Village
A - Hampton Ave, Babbacombe, Torquay TQ1 3LA
Babbacombe Model Village is a charming miniature village and railway located in Babbacombe in Torquay, Devon. Celebrating 60 years (1963-2023) the model village was opened in 1963 by Tom & Ruth Dobbins.
Explore 4 acres of award-winning gardens showcasing hundreds of model scenes, vehicles, and people. Now with The Mythical Kingdom. Crazy golf and a Bug Trail too.
The Box
A – The Box, Tavistock Place, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AX
E - theboxenquiries@plymouth.gov.uk
Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive with a 2022 European Museum of the Year Special Commendation.
The Box is a social space for people, art, ideas, and experiences. They preserve the city of Plymouth’s cultural collections and share extraordinary stories to explore the pressing issues of our age. From their home in Plymouth, they nurture and support individuals to be creative and curious about the world around them, exploring the past to imagine new futures.
Buckfast Butterfly Farm and Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary
A - The Station, Buckfastleigh, Devon. TQ11 0DZ
T - David or Rachel on 07761 447219
E - contact@ottersandbutterflies.co.uk
W – www.ottersandbutterflies.co.uk
Their mission statement – to be a proactive supporter of the world’s flora and fauna and to provide an enjoyable, educational, and thought-provoking visit focussed on their work and experience of otters and butterflies.
Otter feeding times are 11.30am, 2.00pm and 4pm. These are the best times to see and enjoy their amazing resident otters.
Burgh Island/The Pilchard Inn
A - Burgh Island, Bigbury-on-Sea, Kingsbridge TQ7 4BG
T -01548 810 514
W - www.burghisland.com/the-pilchard-inn
Head for Bigbury-on-Sea, and if you’re lucky* and the tide’s in you could try a ride on the famous Sea Tractor to go and visit the famous Burgh Island, where there is a beautiful Art Deco hotel (currently on the market for £10.5million, if you fancy it) that must be seen to be believed. The Peacock Room is especially elegant, and The Grand Ballroom a delightful place to dine. It’s worth visiting their website just to look at the incredible bedrooms all decked out in a completely unique style featuring Art Deco fixtures and furniture.
In the 1890s, the music hall star George H Chirgwin built a prefabricated wooden house on Burgh Island, which was used by guests for weekend parties. The island was sold in 1927 to the filmmaker Archibald Nettlefold, who built a more substantial hotel in an Art Deco style that was in vogue at the time. It’s had many reincarnations over the years, and famous guests of the artistic and aristocratic persuasion. You can even read about it in a super book called The Great White Palace by one of its previous owners, Tony Porter.
If you’re lucky* and the tide’s out, or on its way out, you can walk or paddle across the sand bar, especially if you’re not dressed for it and you have your canine bestie with you, you can enjoy the more rustic charms of the (famously haunted) Pilchard Inn next door and enjoy a pint in one of England’s oldest taverns ‘quenching the island’s thirst since 1336’ as their website has it, originally for the fishermen and then the smugglers and wreckers too.
(*Essentially, whatever the tide is doing we think you’ll be feeling lucky either way.)
March – Oct
Open Monday – Sunday
Cafe opens between 12pm – 4pm for takeaway lunch (no booking necessary)
Dinner reservations available between 6:30pm- 8:30pm (bookings essential, 24-hour notice required)
Oct – 31st Dec
Open Wednesday – Sunday
Open 10:30am – 10pm (for drinks)
Lunch served between 12pm – 3pm (walk-ins only)
Dinner served between 6:30pm – 8:30pm (bookings essential for food)
Bygones
A – Bygones, Fore Street, St Marychurch, Torquay, TQ1 4PR
Back in the 1980s, an obsession with railwayana and the spontaneous purchase of a 27-ton railway tank engine sparked the need for a bigger venue. As good fortune would have it, the old cinema had become available in St. Marychurch and the Cuming family bravely took the plunge to turn their hobby into a business. They decided to combine their interests in railways and objects from the past, and invite the public to come and visit the collections. Bygones was born.
Quaint shops line this recreated Victorian street, plus a model railway and replica wartime trench. Dog friendly too.
China Blue
A - Station Road, Totnes, TQ9 5JR
T - 01803 860908
Visit their Ceramic Studio to switch off, relax, and get lost in your own creative world whilst painting or making your very own pot! It’s now easier than ever to book and get creative using their online booking system. There are also a range of interesting shopping options as well as a super cafe where you can eat indoors or out.
Dartington Crystal
A - Dartington Crystal, Linden Close, Great Torrington, EX38 7AN
T - 01805 626262
W - www.visitdartington.co.uk
The new Visitor Experience houses an updated and upgraded Timeline Exhibition of Dartington Crystal’s products spanning over 50 years of history from 1967 to the present day.
As well as being able to see glass making demonstrations in a newly installed studio furnace area, Master Engraver Nick Davey will be creating masterpieces right before your eyes.
Their range of iconic crystal drinkware includes designs made specifically for Whisky glasses, Gin glasses, Wine glasses, decanters and much more. These designs have an enduring appeal which will be admired and appreciated every time they are used. Crafted with care to last a lifetime. Shop - www.dartington.co.uk/drinkware.html
Dartmoor Zoo
If you’ve watched “We Bought a Zoo” (Matt Damon/Scarlett Johansson) a visit to the edge of Dartmoor National Park is in order. Dartmoor Zoo celebrates a wide range of exotic and native animals, including the biggest variety of big cats in the South West of England. From tigers to tortoises it’s an amazing day out!
A – Dartmoor Zoological Park, Sparkwell, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 5DG
T – 01752 837645
The Daymark, Kingswear
A - Kingswear, Dartmouth TQ6 0EH
W - www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/things-to-do/the-daymark
Built in 1864, the Daymark is a grade II listed tower, which reaches 80ft high and is visible from Dartmouth. It can be seen for many miles if you’re out at sea. This stunning octagonal tower is situated in a picturesque field overlooking the sea and can be accessed by foot along the South West Coast Path from Froward Point. It can also be reached via car by parking at Brownstone Car Park and then just a short walk through the farmlands towards the sea.
The Donkey Sanctuary
A - Original sanctuary – Sidmouth Satnav: EX10 0NU/what3words: ///searching.scans.underline
T - 01395 578222
W - www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk
Dr Elizabeth Svendsen, MBE, set up the first donkey sanctuary in the UK in Sidmouth in 1969 to help abused or homeless donkeys. Her motto that "donkeys come first, second and third" is still adhered to as they strive to improve the lives of donkeys in the future. Even though Dr Svendsen died in 2011, it is thanks to her that the lives of innumerable donkeys around the world have improved. In fact, it is impossible to calculate just how many donkey and mules her kindness and determination have reached. Although they have directly cared for over 20,000 equines in the UK, the legacy that Dr Svendsen's work has left has resulted in something that will only continue to help donkeys exponentially: changes in attitudes towards donkey welfare across the globe.
The Sidmouth headquarters are open to the public 9am - 5pm seven days a week. Entrance is free and requires no pre-booking.
Their regional sanctuaries (including Ivybridge) are open to visitors at select times each month but do require a free, pre-booked ticket.
A - Ivybridge sanctuary, Filham Park, Godwell Lane, Ivybridge, PL21 0LE
T - 01752 690200
W - www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/visit-us/ivybridge
Dyno Climbing Centre
A - Old Totnes Rd, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0NF
T - 01364 644975
W - www.dynoclimbingcentre.co.uk
A friendly climbing centre open to all ages and abilities. They have a roped climbing wall suitable for top rope and leading as well as a boulder room, both feature an array of climbing routes varying in styles, angles and difficulty.
With free on-site parking, a café serving a range of drinks, snacks and more, a viewing balcony, accessible toilets with baby changing facilities and a book corner. There’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained.
Whether you are an experienced climber or looking to try something new then Dyno is the place for you!
Haldon Forest Park
A - Bullers Hill, Kennford, Devon, EX6 7XR (Grid Ref: SX884849)
T - 0300 067 5826/(07545-917416 go-segway.com)
E – haldon.rangers@forestryengland.uk
Walking, running, playing, orienteering, horse riding, Nordic walking, Go Ape, Forest cycle hire, Segway, Café, and Tramper hire (all-terrain mobility scooters countrysidemobility.org/0300 0675826)
House of Marbles & Teign Valley Glass
A – Pottery Road, Bovey Tracey, TQ13 9DS
T – 01626-835285
With no entry fees and free parking on a rainy day your kids can enjoy the marble runs whilst you can enjoy the glassworks and museum. With shops and a restaurant as well.
The Glassworks, which started out making marbles for solitaire boards since 1973, has now become Teign Valley Glass which in turn, has moved into the historic pottery site which was formerly Bovey Tracey Potteries. Open 7 days a week throughout the year 9-5pm.
National Marine Aquarium
The UK’s largest aquarium has a huge variety of sea life from near and far to view in their breathtaking immersive experience with 5000 underwater creatures. They are a conservation charity, by visiting them you are helping to protect the marine environment. From sharks to sea snails, it’s a fascinating day out.
A – National Marine Aquarium, Rope Walk, Coxside, Plymouth, PL4 0LF
T – 0844 893 7938
W – www.national-aquarium.co.uk
Orchid Paradise
A – Forches Cross, Newton Abbot, TQ12 6PZ
T - 01626-352233
A family run nursery, orchid specialists for over 70 years with the widest range of orchids in the UK. You can visit their nursery and see their colourful show of orchids in bloom all year round in their shop and you can wander around the nursery’s growing houses.
Overbecks
A hidden paradise of sub-tropical gardens and quirky collections perched high on the cliffs above Salcombe, with spectacular sea views. Feels very exotic with banana plants, citrus and olive trees - a perfect demonstration of our micro climate.
A – Sharpitor, Salcombe, Devon, TQ8 8LW
T – 01548 842893
E – overbecks@nationaltrust.org.uk
Paignton Zoo
A - Set your Sat Nav for TQ4 7EU. Paignton Zoo is located on the A3022 Totnes Road, one mile from Paignton town centre.
T - 01803 697500
E - paigntonzoo@wildplanettrust.org.uk
Celebrating 100 years this year 1923-2023. With over 2,000 animals and countless amazing plants across 80 acres of beautiful, spacious grounds, you’re in for a fantastic day out at Paignton Zoo!
Including Baboons, Black rhinos, Cheetahs, Flamingos, tree frogs, Giraffes, Gorillas, Sumatran Tigers, Bornean Orangutans, Zebras, (no Elephants though). https://www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/explore/a-to-z-of-animals/
Pennywell Farm
A - Lower Dean, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0LT
T - 01364 642023
Voted Devon's Best Family Attraction - Muddy Stiletto Awards 2022 & 2023- with a huge variety of friendly farm animals for you to get acquainted with, from the mighty to the miniature! Everything from pigs to ponies, alpacas to hedgehogs, donkeys, goats, sheep and tortoises, plus deer, ferrets and heavy horses. With the Red Rocket, tractor and trailer rides, Rainbow railway, and Run Rabbit Go Carts. There’s food and drink available too, so you can just turn up and spend a fun filled day there.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum
A - Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen St, Exeter, EX4 3RX
Explore fascinating displays and galleries, inspirational exhibitions, and modern amenities at Exeter’s world-class museum.
Discover Devon and Exeter’s rich history and global connections, be delighted by colourful animals, birds and insects, step into a world of innovative contemporary art, and travel the globe in our World Cultures galleries.
Entry to RAMM is free.
Sandridge Barton (new home to Sharpham Vineyard)
A – Sandridge Barton Wines, Lower Well Farm, Waddeton Road, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes,
T – 01803 732203
W – www.sandridgebarton.com
E - info@sandridgebarton.com
Sharpham Wine has moved down river to a Stoke Gabriel vineyard that has been producing grapes for their award-winning wines for years. Set in a south-facing bowl and overlooking the vineyards, wooded slopes, and the winding River Dart they have been growing grapes and making wine since 1981, with everything from Pinot Noir to Sauvignon Blanc. Their Bacchus is rather special, and their sparkling wine is a ‘must have’. Their first wine to be released from their new Sandridge Barton range has just won a Master Medal at The Global Sparkling Masters 2023! Book to go on one of their wine tours.
*
Also based at Sandridge Barton is Circa restaurant, located inside an old stone milking parlour, it’s a beautiful setting for some splendid food pairings with a British inspired menu.
T - 01803 732203
W – www.circadevon.co.uk
Heritage, Houses, Gardens & Natural Wonders
Becky Falls
A - Manaton, Newton Abbot TQ13 9UG
T - 01647 221259
No visit to Devon would be complete without a visit to Dartmoor’s iconic landmark. Come and breathe some of the purest air in England, explore 50 acres of stunning woodlands.
Bicton Park Botanical Gardens
A - Bicton Park, East Budleigh, Budleigh Salterton, Exeter, EX9 7BJ (SATNAV EX9 7BG)
T - 01395 568465
Opening Times - 10am - 5pm (Mon - Sun)
Over 64 acres to explore. A ‘delight for gardeners’. Spanning nearly 300 years of gardening history, the park is home to many rare and beautiful species, collected from around the world.
The Palm House is made from over 18,000 panes of glass (built 20 yrs before The Kew Gardens Palm House) hosting many Palms. Tropical House, Arid House, Temperate house.
Enjoy your coffee/lunch overlooking the Italian Garden. Explore the arboretum and while away time in the bird hide.
Ride the Bicton Woodland railway for an oversight of the park (suitable for wheelchairs) The countryside museum containing a huge collection of bygone days... And for the children indoor and outdoor play areas, crazy golf, etc.
Buckfast Abbey
A - Buckfastleigh TQ11 0EE
T - 01364 645500
W - https://www.buckfast.org.uk
Opens 7.45am. Closes 8:20 pm
A living Abbey Church & Monastery
Located at the centre of a picturesque valley on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, their community lives a life of prayer, work, and study according to the rule of St Benedict.
Buckfast Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Buckfast first became home to an abbey in 1018. The first Benedictine abbey was followed by a Savignac abbey constructed on the site of the current abbey in 1134.
Canonteign Falls
A - Canonteign Falls, Christow, Nr Exeter, Devon, EX6 7RH
T - 01647 252434
E - info@canonteign.com
On the fringe of Dartmoor National Park, discover the highest waterfall in the South West set in a tranquil private estate in the heart of the Devon countryside.
We advise using major routes or Google Maps to postcode EX6 7RH to find them. Please note some SAT NAV systems can route you through minor roads.
What3Words: bumps.tilts.marathon
Clovelly Village
A - Clovelly Visitor Centre, Near Bideford, Devon, EX39 5TA
T - 01237 431781
W - www.clovelly.co.uk
E - visitorcentre@clovelly.co.uk
Clovelly is a beautiful, picturesque fishing village, steeped in maritime atmosphere and history. It was once owned by the Queen of England!
Originally the estate was owned by William the Conqueror, King of England, gifted to his wife and then had many royal associations until 1242 when first acquired by the Giffard family. Until the middle of the 19th century Clovelly was unknown to the outside world.
Clovelly is a privately owned harbour village in the Torridge district of Devon, England. The settlement and surrounding land belongs to John Rous who inherited it from his mother in 1983. He belongs to the Hamlyn family who have managed the village since 1738.
Coldharbour Mill
A - Coldharbour Mill, Uffculme, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 3EE
T - 01884 840960
W - www.coldharbourmill.org.uk
E - info@coldharbourmill.org.uk
Coldharbour Mill situated in Uffculme, Devon is one of the oldest woollen mills in the UK having been in continuous production since 1797. Originally owned by world-renowned textile producers Fox Brothers, the Mill took fleece from all over the world and transformed it into yarn, cloth, and textiles. Today the rich heritage lives on as one of the finest working wool museums where visitors are not just able to relive the sights and sounds of the industrial revolution but also see crafts men and women making traditional textiles, beautiful knitting yarn and hand-woven rugs.
Coleton Fishacre Estate
A - Brownstone Rd, Kingswear, Dartmouth TQ6 0EQ
T - 01803 842382
W - www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/coleton-fishacre
A 1920s country retreat complete with tropical garden by the sea, Coleton Fishacre is a property consisting of a 24-acre garden and a house in the Arts and Crafts style, near Kingswear in Devon, England. The property has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1982. Dog friendly.
Coleton Fishacre was built for Rupert and Dorothy D'Oyly Carte as somewhere where they could entertain and indulge their passion for the outdoors, in the early 1900s. The Art Deco country home was designed by architect Oswald Milne and its interiors are both minimalist in style yet cosy and intimate. Once featured in Country Life magazine, the dramatic 1920s home still captures the style of that period perfectly.
Greenway/Greenway House (Once the holiday home of the author, Agatha Christie)
A - Greenway Rd, Kingswear, Brixham TQ5 0ES
T - 01803 842382
W - www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/greenway
An estate on the River Dart near Galmpton in Devon, England. Now owned by the National Trust. The estate is served by a steam railway service with trains from Paignton and Kingswear stopping at Greenway Halt station.
A beautiful Georgian house built roughly in 1780, with 1950s interiors, it was the holiday home to Agatha Christie and her family's varied collections, complete with a boathouse, (used as the scene of the crime in Christie's mystery, Dead Man's Folly). The foreshore overlooks the River Dart and is thriving with river wildlife. There’s a gun battery on the river, built as a Napoleonic defence in the 1790s.
With walled gardens, woodland, a Camellia Garden, Fernery, and riverside paths, if you love gardening and enjoy a great NT garden, you’ll be happy. If you want to stop and take in the views, there are deckchairs and benches with River Dart views. The Barn Café and the 1950s ice cream parlour-inspired Tack Room can feed and water you. There’s also plenty of shopping plus a second-hand bookshop. You can probably pick up a copy of Death on the Nile here.
Kents Cavern
A - Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves, 91 Ilsham Rd, Torquay TQ1 2JF (What3words: picked.cave.lively)
T - 01803 215136
Kents Cavern is one of the most important Stone Age sites in Europe and one of Britain’s best show caves. On your visit you’ll go back to a time when the cave was home to ancient humans, sheltering from extreme weather, making fires, shaping tools, and hunting Ice Age animals. As you walk through the extensive labyrinth of caverns, you’ll be surrounded by 400-million-year-old rocks and spectacular stalagmites (they ‘might’ reach the ceiling – grow up) and stalactites (grow down). Or ‘t’ for top, ‘g’ for ground.
Morwellham Quay
A - Morwellham Quay, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8JL
T - 01822 832766
Step back in time to try the activities and hands-on experiences that provide fascinating insights into the lives of the people who lived and worked here. Ride the Mine train deep underground into an original copper mine. Young miners can let off steam in the Miner’s Adventure soft play centre. Morwellham, situated on the River Tamar, was once a thriving river port linking the mines of West Devon and East Cornwall to the rest of the world.
Morwellham now forms the Eastern Gateway to the Cornwall & West Devon Mining landscape UNESCO World Heritage Site. Booking online recommended
Powderham Castle
A - Powderham Castle, Kenton, Exeter, EX6 8JQ
T - 01626 890243
W - www.powderham.co.uk/events
Powderham Castle is a fortified manor house situated within the parish and former manor of Powderham, within the former hundred of Exminster, Devon, about 6 miles south of the city of Exeter and 1⁄4 mile north-east of the village of Kenton, where the main public entrance gates are located.
Powderham Castle is one of the UK’s most unique, historic homes, set in an enviable position on the Exe Estuary within an ancient deer park, near Exeter, in the heart of Devon. Powderham’s exterior is an extraordinary sight. The outstanding battlement towers, crenelations, and Gothic style that you see today are all thanks to the renovation work of the Victorian architect Charles Fowler, (the same architect who designed London’s Covent Garden Market).
Powderham Castle enjoys a unique, picturesque setting within an ancient deer park beside the Exe estuary, just south of Exeter. Over 600 years of history can be discovered within the walls of one of Devon's oldest family homes.
https://discoverbritainmag.telegraph.co.uk/powderham-castle-a-behind-the-scenes-tour/
RHS Garden Rosemoor
A - Great Torrington, Devon, EX38 8PH
W - www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor
Incredible gardens that are so worthy of the trek to North Devon.
River Dart Country Park
A - River Dart Country Park, Ashburton, Devon, TQ13 7NP
T - 01364 652511
Set in 90 acres of parkland within Dartmoor National Park, the River Dart Country Park is one of Devon’s best-loved family tourist attractions.
With a long list of activities within the park including an Adventure Playground, agility trail, bike trail, climbing pods, Commando Assault course, football zone, low ropes course, mini zip wire, kayaking, Pirate Ship, tyre swings, wooden play fort, and things to occupy all age groups there’s plenty to do, and even better than that it’s all designed to wear the kids out.
Torre Abbey
A - Torre Abbey, The King's Drive, Torquay TQ2 5JE
T - 01803 293593
W - www.torre-abbey.org.uk
Torre Abbey is Torbay's most historic building, an ancient scheduled monument dating back to 1196 and set within 18 acres of garden and parkland. It’s also a multi-award-winning visitor attraction housing an impressive art collection boasting over 600 incredible works of art from the 18th century to the present day.