Visiting Devon in December

[Lookingbackatme]

Has anyone got any ideas for places to visit in December in Devon please? We will be based near Torquay.

We have NT membership but at this time of year most houses are closed/restricted hours. With this cold weather anything indoors is most appealing!

Wrap up warm!

Torre Abbey has an indoor visiting part and quite often an art exhibition. Torquay museum and dinosaur museum both in Torquay. Darrington near Totnes has lovely little shops and cafe.

A brisk walk along the beach? With chips and hot chocolate after? If you can travel easily, there's a skating rink down in Plymouth and Drake circus for shopping.

Exeter has lots of interesting old churches - it's quite a small city so easily enough to walk from one to the other without being outside for too long.

Hope that helps, I'll have a think what else there might be.

Bygones Victorian Museum is really good. My whole family loves it.
Kents Cavern
The Train of Lights www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk/tickets/christmas-train-of-lights

The Model Village in Babbacombe! Just over the hill from Torquay. You may think it’s only for littles, but believe me it’s enchanting for everyone. It is outdoors but in a sheltered dip, and they have a cafe and parking. The Christmas lights will be lovely!

Also - the steam train between Paignton and Kingswear/ Dartmouth. They do evening ones with lights and Santa which get booked up very quickly, but daytime in good weather is beautiful- stunning sea views, and you can visit Dartmouth and back in the day. (Just seen someone else has also recommended).

NT - Greenway might be open? On the Dart, was the home of Agatha Christie, worth a look.

Kent’s Cavern - museum of Stone Age living - bit quirky, but definitely indoors!

There is a steam train and ferry trip you can do around Torbay. I forget where you actually get on.

There will be loads of things to do in Exeter - Exeter winter wonderland (if it's still on then), pantos, the Exeter museum is free, plenty of cinemas, bowling, indoor climbing in Exeter too if you have kids or fancy that sort of thing.

If not too cold and windy, it's worth a walk up on Dartmoor or along the River Dart. Totnes is 'interesting'.

Killerton House is open. Powderham Castle has a lovely Christmas light event.

Exeter Cathedral is worth a visit.

I went in December 2020 just after some of the main Covid restrictions ended. I take it the OP will not be dipping her toes in the sea at Exmouth as several people did when I walked along the beach, five of which were in swimwear more akin to a Mediterranean holiday in July.

Check out what's in local theatres maybe?

Dawlish is nice and there should be black swans in the park in the centre.

NT that are open: Killerton House; Knightshayes; Castle Drogo
Other places:
The House of Marbles
Paignton Zoo
South Devon Railway
Pennywell Farm
Seaton Tramway
Stover Country Park
Haldon Forest
Crealy
Woodlands Theme Park

There are two new spas that have opened up on Exeter, lovely bit of warmth in a steam room!
Theres also a Christmas market in Exeter. The underground tunnels in Exeter are also very interesting.
I think there is still an ice rink in Plymouth, also the aquarium.

If all else fails, there always Trago Mills!

The donkey sanctuary.

Even scrooge would be impressed.

If you want to go out a bit further, Exmouth, Lyme Regis & Charmouth are nice - Exmouth for a Sandy beach, Lyme & Charmouth for fossil hunting.

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Tragopan mills! You have to try the tragopan experience!!

Trago Mills not tragopan, where has that word come from??

Trago Mills got a great deal ‘appenin’, get on down to Trago Mills!

I think the ice rink in Plymouth Pavilions has closed though.