Salcombe

[mckenzie]

We are going to Salcombe next year (July)
We being
me (who wants to go and has booked the holiday),
DH (who doesn't want to go but appreciates that we normally do his choice of holiday and so is going along with this)
DS (teenager, really doesn't want to go, just wants to play golf in guaranteed sunshine every day)
DD (not yet teenager, not happy about going but placated at the thought of bringing her best friend)

DS will also be able to bring a friend.

I appreciate that it's months away but I want to plan this holiday carefully so that everybody enjoys themselves and I don't have sour faces and miserable house guests spoiling my week.

So please may I have your suggestions for things to do?

We will do kayaking for sure and I'd like us all to have a go at sailing, in some shape or form.

DH and DS can play golf once or twice I'm sure.
DD and her friend are very sporty.

Personally, I'd like to walk for miles all day every day but I appreciate I need to get the balance right.
And be prepared for rain!
Any suggestions please gratefully received.
TIA

There are, of course, miles of cliff-top walks to the south of Salcombe, reached from the steep road to the National Trust Overbecks garden. There was a 52 bed YHA Youth Hostel, but that has now closed as it was losing money.

www.devonmuseums.net/Overbecks/Devon-Museums/

www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1413111

www.gardenia.net/beautiful-garden/overbecks-an-exotic-garden-dream

The lovely thing about Salcombe, is that you don't need to 'do' stuff. The shops are lovely, the walk to north sands is just long enough to be a stretch . There are lots of excellent restaurants for all budgets (personal favourites are Captain Flints, the Winking Prawn, and The Jetty). Plenty of places to buy excellent local food to cook at home. Pottery painting at China Blue (30 mins away) on a rainy day. Take a motor boat out one day maybe? Cinema at Kingsbridge. We love it. Go back year after year.

My kids are much younger but we go every year and did pre kids too. The joy of salcombe is pottering round the shops, eating out, the beaches, coffee watching the world go by and lots of walking. If you do decide to go further afield there are some fabulous NT properties (we love Cotehele) and lovely small towns to visit like Dartmouth and Totnes

May I re-ignnite this thread in case anyone has any gems to add?

We are going tomorrow and I can already feel DH's lack or interest and desire

If it rains, drive round to hope cove and play cards in the pub there whilst eating whitebait and doing pirate impressions. That's my favourite Salcombe holiday memory

Thank you Bitchfromhell. We've been very lucky with the weather so far but the forecast is for it to really cool down tomorrow.
thanks for sharing your memory.

Take the ferry across to the East Portlemouth side. They catch the afternoon sun because they are west facing.

We love South Sands by boat and sea tractor with lunch at the hotel or a picnic and swim.
Crabbing in Dartmouth is fun, then boat trip, lovely restaurants and a golf course at the top of the hill. Hire a self drive boat from Dartmouth too. There are some fabulous 'secret' beaches along that stretch - look at wild swim map.
Blackpool sands are lovely. Nicest beach cafe ever. Glorious swimming.

If BRNC has an open day, it's worth a visit and has universal appeal with the stunning building, lots of uniforms running around, a beagle pack, amazing views.

We went coasteering with a company out of Salcombe. It was a cold day but we weee in wet suits and had such fun scrabbling up cliffs and throwing ourselves off. Even my ten year old loved it. Google coasteering and Salcombe.

Thanks for the extra ideas.
We have all had a fabulous time s far but today, it's rained and rained and the forecast is for more rain this afternoon.
We've been to Kingsbridge for a mooch and we are going to thenopen air pool to swim in the rain later.
I've warned eveybody that moaning about the weather will not be tolerated! The forecast for tomorrow and the rest of the week is good so a one off rainy day can't be bad can it?