South Devon

[Sunny06]

We are looking to head down to South Devon next week for a long weekend. I've never been before so which seaside town would you recommend staying at? I was thinking of Brixham? Looking for some nice restaurants/pubs, a few quirky shops and nice beach walks

Thanks!

Salcombe is quirky and has lovely walks

Totnes is lovely if you want some quirk, and Modbury too. Plymouth Barbican is also nice and Harbourside there do the best fish and chips. Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo are lovely - great cliff walk and 3 x lovely pubs, low tide you can walk between them all across the voss.

Also Bigbury on Sea for beach and tractor to Burgh Island - Agatha Christie location that is. Mothecombe beach is also v nice.

Bigbury is lovely! Anywhere is South hams is gorgeous. Also, if you can, get up to Dartmoor. Beautiful, breathtaking views, lovey walks, wild ponies and sheep etc

Avoid Torquay and Paignton. 😁

Dartmouth is my most favourite place. Lots of pubs and restaurants and little shops with a market and the sloping deck bakery. I'd buy a house there if I won the lottery.

I've also realised there's a load of typos in my first post. Sorry, I've not slept.

Bigbury on Sea and Burgh Island, Brixham, Salcombe, Coleton Fishacre, Dartmouth, Greenway (Agatha Christie's house). All lovely. I'd move there if I could.

South Hams definitely

We have been a lot to South Devon Brixham is lovely, as is Dartmouth which is one of my favourite places. Both right next to the water. Salcombe also very pretty. Enjoy your break! X

Dartmouth is lovely. I can spend ages watching the river.

Totnes is interesting..I worked there for a while. It takes some getting used to. Nothing you’d notice on a day out. Lovely independent shops. You can take a boat to Dartmouth from there.

Definitely Totnes for breakfast at the Seven Stars followed by a boat down to Dartmouth.
Some great shops in both places.

Brixham is lovely but is a fishing port not a beach. Lots of beaches nearby if you don’t mind driving along the coast a bit, but if you’re hoping to walk out the door to a restaurant / cafe / beach you’d be better with one of these other great suggestions.

also if you like a walk look up the south west coast path, it’s a footpath that runs all the way along the coast, broken up into lots of suggested routes with a pub lunch along the way

@DobbyTheHouseElk please tell us (me) more about Totnes. I used to live in South Devon and dream of retiring in Totnes (never been there for more than a day trip, but I've had many day trips there).

@Sunny06 I agree with others re Brixham, Dartmouth and Salcombe being great options.

I live in a little town between Totnes and Torquay so feel free to PM me for info.

My parents have lived in South Hams for 25 years. I've lived here a year and not seen it all. I agree re Totnes although I find it crowded sometimes but it's worth a visit just for the exceptional independent shops but there's also a great museum, brilliant market and cinema. Also look at Dartington.

Torquay is rough in parts but for me does retain a bit of charm in parts.I actually love the seafront (Torre Abbey beach area) and Goodrington sands in Paignton is my favourite beach. I like sitting on the beach when the steam train goes past.

Other places worth mentioning for me are Teignmouth it's the best bits about Totnes and Torquay combined sort of! And I think the House of Marbles in Bovey Tracey is a bit of a hidden gem.

I've never seen the appeal of Totnes myself - it's really over hyped and people seem a bit obsessive about it but it's not THAT nice.

Love a walk across Brixham seafront from Rockfish carpark all the way to the Shoalstone pool. Berry head is amazing for the views.

Love Dartmouth, Salcombe, Hope Cove, Bigbury etc

Teignmouth, Shaldon and Dawlish also nice - black swans of Dawlish! Also very good train route right on the sea.

NT wise, Greenway and Coleton Fishacre are lovely with amazing views. Parke is nice for a forestry walk.

Dartmoor - obviously amazing. Haytor is lovely.

Do you mean the drugs?

No. Mainly the weird vibe.

@mrsnec I live near to Goodrington sands, it's my local beach so I'm pleased you like it.

I'd avoid Paignton at all cost, it's so dilapidated now, a shadow of what it was 20 years ago.

Kingsbridge is nice and well located for exploring, I won't repeat lots of the recommendations already mentioned but you should mange a good few days on what has already been suggested! Happy holiday!

@DobbyTheHouseElk the hippy vibe?

We often walk from Churston along through Brixham harbour up past shoalstone then up to Berry Head. We clearly break this up with ice cream, cake and fish and chips. The Guardhouse cafe at Berry Head is great.

We also do the other way occasionally - from Brixham around the coastal path through fishcombe, churston through Ebury to Broadsands. That's a bit of a challenge but I got my then 8 year old to do it with many stops to paddle/eat ice cream.

Oh and the ferry from Brixham to Torquay is cheap and fun. Torquay itself not great but it's an easy boat trip. We saw dolphins once

Exmouth is nearby, possible option?

There is still a bit of a wierd hippy vibe in Totnes but it's also a bit sleepy and slow but not progressive and parts of it are a bit grotty. Not as bad as Torquay but getting there and nowhere to park and queue to get into it's only chain supermarket on a weekday afternoon. Whenever I go to Totnes I can't help thinking that people who've travelled miles to get there would be disappointed. But I like the 7 stars as well and I go to Totnes just to go to China Blue. Most eateries are very expensive compared to other towns.

Kingsbridge is nice but difficult to get to but worth going just to eat at Wild artichokes.

Where I live we're only one stop between Totnes and Teignmouth on the train. We're also on the edge of the moor and have a country park nearby, a racecourse and fairly decent shops so whilst not a tourist town and not particularly pretty it's not a bad base to explore.

I think it depends on budget, catering arrangements, how you're travelling and who you're travelling with.