The South Hams
The South Hams is the bit between Plymouth and Torbay. It also extends into the southern part of Dartmoor, but as I explained in my Introduction to Devon, any locations that fall within the Dartmoor National Park boundary will be covered there.
The area is administered by South Hams District Council, based in the old market town of Totnes, but the largest town is Ivybridge, which has virtually become a commuter town for Plymouth. Other places of note include Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Dartmouth.
The countryside is largely rural, with a coastline that has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It’s an undeniably beautiful part of the county and has therefore attracted its fair share of newcomers. making it one of the most affluent areas of Devon – which has both advantages and disadvantages for the local population.
It’s an area I got to know well as I lived here for 11 years before moving to Torbay.
- All
- Bigbury Bay
- Compton
- Dartmouth
- Kingsbridge
- Kingswear
- River Dart
- Salcombe
- Start Bay
- Top 10
- Totnes
- Wembury
Top 10 Places to visit in the South Hams
This post is a list of my recommended places to visit in the South Hams area of Devon. Like any Top 10 list, it’s subjective, and everybody’s list will be different. Having lived here for over eleven years, I’ve covered all these places in my blogs on the South Hams, and have provided links to […]
The River Yealm to Bovisand
In this, my final post about the South Hams area of Devon, I’ll be covering the coastline between Bigbury Bay and the outskirts of Plymouth. This short stretch of coastline is bisected by the mouth of the Yealm, a river that runs for just 12 miles from the southern part of Dartmoor. If you’re somebody […]
Bigbury Bay
Bigbury Bay is a broad stretch of South Devon coastline between Bolt Tail (not to be confused with Bolt Head near Salcombe) and Stoke Point. Generally speaking, it’s more rugged than Start Bay, but there are still some fine sandy beaches, especially around the mouths of the Rivers Avon and Erme, both of which start […]
Salcombe
In my opening page on the South Hams, I described the area as one of the most affluent parts of Devon, and there’s nowhere more affluent than the area around Salcombe. In some ways, Salcombe is like a more upmarket version of Dartmouth, and just like Dartmouth, the town sits alongside a stretch of water […]
Wandering Around Kingsbridge
For most of the year this small market town of just under 7,000 people caters for the needs of the local rural community, but during the summer months an influx of visitors to the South Hams brings people into the town, not just to stock up on provisions, but also to take a look around […]
Slapton Sands and Exercise Tiger
The sweeping arc of coastline between the mouth of the River Dart and Start Point is known as Start Bay, and includes a two-mile-long beach that extends from Blackpool Sands to Hallsands. The most easily accessible part of the beach is between Strete Gate and Torcross, where a road just manages to separate the freshwater […]
Start Bay
A few of days ago I started to piece this blog together, starting with a featured image for the top of the page. Today, I’ve changed the image to feature Stokenham, and in particular, the Tradesman’s Arms and the cottages around it because a couple of nights ago the pub and four cottages adjacent to […]
The Britannia Royal Naval College
If you’ve come to Dartmouth and wondered what the imposing red-brick building overlooking the river is – then wonder no more. The Britannia Royal Naval College is the training establishment for officers of the Royal Navy, and if you’re as inquisitive as me as to know what goes on inside, you’ll be pleased to learn […]
Wandering Around Dartmouth
Continuing my tour of the South Hams, an area of South Devon where I lived before coming to Torbay, I would like to show you around Dartmouth – my favourite South Devon town – and you can follow the trail on the map opposite. How long it takes will obviously depend on how much time […]
Privateers, Castles, Sea Dogs and Pilgrims
Dartmouth, without doubt, is one of my favourite Devon towns: A picturesque setting, old buildings, and a fascinating maritime history combine together to make this one of the gems of South Devon. Lying along the western bank of the River Dart just before it reaches the sea, Dartmouth owes its very existence to the river. […]
A Train Station with No Railway
Slap bang on Dartmouth’s riverside embankment is a former railway station which has since been converted to a restaurant. Nothing unusual about that you might think, but the station never had a railway in the first place – no tracks, nothing – so why was there a station here? The simple answer is that it […]
Coleton Fishacre
The National Trust owns several properties in South Devon and they all have something to commend them, but I think my favourite has to be Coleton Fishacre. It’s a bit out of the way, but that’s one of the attractions of this estate that includes a magnificent garden that sweeps down to the sea […]
Greenway – Home to a Famous Seafarer and an even more Famous Novelist
There are several ways to reach this delightful National Trust (NT) property on the banks of the River Dart. If you have your own transport, you can drive through the village of Galmpton (which lies between Paignton and Brixham) and down the lane to the property’s car park: Another option is to take the Greenway […]
Along the Lower Dart
Of all Devon’s rivers, the Dart has to be my favourite: From source to sea, it’s the most beguiling of rivers, and for this post I’m going to describe its charms between the lowest bridging point at Totnes to the mouth of the river at Dartmouth. At Totnes the river is still tidal, and until […]
Compton Castle, Sir Humphrey Gilbert and the Beginnings of the British Empire
Lying in the South Hams countryside, just 5 miles or so from the centre of Torquay, is Compton Castle. It’s really a fortified manor house rather than a castle, and as impressive as this 14th century National Trust (NT) property is, it’s the association with the Gilbert family that really makes it interesting. Compton Castle […]
Berry Pomeroy Castle – Romantic Ruin, or Just Plain Spooky?
Lying deep in the countryside just a couple of miles east of Totnes, Berry Pomeroy Castle has been described as one of the most picturesque and romantic ruins in England, but it has also been described as one of the most haunted castles in England as well! The village and castle’s name comes from the […]
Dartington – A Place of Culture, Learning and Social Thinking
If you’ve come to Totnes and wondered why the town has attracted so many people who prefer to live an unconventional lifestyle, then look no further than Dartington, a village just a couple of miles outside of town. The village is home to the Dartington Hall Estate which occupies 1200 acres of unspoilt countryside adjacent […]
Wandering Through Totnes
Totnes has a reputation for being one of the country’s quirkiest towns, and even its foundation has a mythical story attatched to it. According to legend, after being defeated in the Trojan War, the Trojans sailed off to find another home, and one of them, a prince by the name of Brutus, landed at Totnes, […]
Totnes – Twinned with Narnia
On the ‘Welcome to Totnes’ sign that greets people to the town somebody added ‘Twinned with Narnia’ below it. It’s been removed since by those who don’t have a sense of humour, but to me it’s a perfect description of Totnes. The town has been described as ‘New Age’, ‘Alternative’ and even ‘eccentric’ but however […]
Paignton to Kingswear Steam Railway and the Round Robin
There are any number of things that will make a great day out in South Devon, but in my opinion, one of the best has to be the ‘Round Robin’. It comprises different modes of transport linking Paignton, Dartmouth, and Totnes. The Round Robin includes a steam train from Paignton to Kingswear, a ferry across […]