The South Hams S
outh Hams District covers an area of 350 square miles and has 60 miles of coastline. With its southerly aspect sheltered by the granite uplands of Dartmoor,
the South Hams enjoys one of the mildest climates in the whole of mainland Britain. Indeed, the South Hams name comes from the old English word “hamme” meaning an enclosed or sheltered place. This is a rich natural area and 130 square miles of the district is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with 30.86 square mile coverage of Sites of Special Scientific Interest .There are 62 miles of coastal path and 16 miles of beaches. Approximately 30 miles of coastline is owned by the National Trust and 47 miles is designated Heritage Coast. There are six market towns and main commercial centres, namely Totnes, Dartmouth, Ivybridge, Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Modbury.
Scattered throughout this area are numerous picturesque villages and hamlets with excellent food pubs, restaurants & hotels offering the very best of fayre for which the region is famous. There really is no need to go further than the South Hams to enjoy a fabulous holiday, short break or Day Out.
Totnes is full of interesting diversions for the visitor with museums, a riverside with a steamer quay, an ancient Guildhall and Church, a Norman Castle and the North and East Gates. Take time to hunt out the Leechwells, uncover the legend of the Brutus stone; browse amongst the delightful shops for arts, crafts and unusual gifts or just listen to buskers, especially on market days. The riverside offers you the chance to take a boat trip from the Steamer Quay to the historic town of Dartmouth or for land lubbers, why not take the steam train to Buckfastleigh.
A visit to the town is best started from the river side; at the bottom of the town is the old steamer quay, the centre for the local river cruisers carrying visitors on pleasure trips to Dartmouth. Fore Street goes through the centre of the town passing underneath the East Gate Arch, a splendid Tudor structure, and past many fine examples of 16th and 17th century merchant’s houses, including the restored Elizabethan House, which serves as the museum. A striking feature from Totnes’ past is the Butterwalk (on the north side of High Street) and the Poultry Walk. These are two, covered pavement arcades with stone pillars carrying the overhanging storeys of the houses.
The Brutus Stone can be found in Fore Street, this Stone is linked in legend to a Trojan Prince who landed in Totnes whilst searching for an island promised to him by the goddess Diana. In 1170 BC.
The Leech Wells can be found at the top of the town in an area known as the ‘Narrows’. Walk along Leechwell Street, leading to Leechwell Lane and the site of Totnes’ three ancient wells, where water flows from springs into three granite troughs. The waters in the wells were believed to have medicinal properties and as such, the
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healing waters in the Leech Wells were for a long time a point of pilgrimage for Lepers, in an attempt to cleanse themselves of their terrible affliction.
Totnes has a fine example of a Norman Castle, with commanding views over the town. There are two museums; the Costume Museum contains an exhibition of costumes and accessories, entitled ‘The age of Victoria 1837-1901’, and the Town Museum contains information on the town & area. Nearby Berry Pomeroy Castle is well worth a visit, local folklore claims that this late medieval castle is a haunted. For a cruise contact The Red Cruisers 01803 832109, or River Link for
Scenic cruises on the River Dart between the towns of Totnes and Dartmouth. 01803 834488
Dartmouth. Imagine steeply wooded hills dropping down to meet a running river where sailboats and brightly coloured trawlers bob at anchor. Ferries bustle back and forth, seawards you glimpse a cliff
top church in the
shadow of a protective castle and upstream the majestic Britannia Royal Naval College stands guard over the pretty town. On the opposite bank a steam train puffs its
way of alongside the
sparkling river and over all reigns an atmosphere
quintessentially English eccentricity and elegance.
Welcome to Dartmouth and its sister village of Kingswear.
Dartmouth is truly a magical place, a mad hotch potch of architectural styles with creatures
of myth, filled with a cornucopia of artistic talent, bursting with English eccentricity. A town where history is alive, where shops are unique, charming, quirky and individual, where organic and local produce is proudly represented by a host of top quality restaurants and cafes, where a warm welcome is offered by those who will host your stay and a place where every pub holds out a hand of greeting. Dartmouth is a town where folk still take time to stand in the park and chat, sip a coffee on the sunny embankment or laze under the cherry trees and listen to music from the bandstand.
Visit Taste Relax
Fine English wines &
cheese, produced from our Estate on the banks of the River Dart.
Tours are available which include a wine tasting.
Alfresco dining in summer.
01803 732203
www.sharpham.com
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