Walks and trails Dartmouth Town Trail
A 2 hour walk gentle walk around the town of Dartmouth taking in historic features of interest.
Start Point: Duke Street Distance: 1 mile. Approximately 1.5-2 hours walk Grade: Gentle
Terrain: Level with a steep climb. This trail includes a very steep climb up Clarence Hill. All of the route is even surfaced pavements or roads.
Directions 1. Duke Street: Take the passenger ferry to Dartmouth. Cross the Town Quay to the Natwest Bank at the end of Duke Street. Notice the Butterwalk, a fine row of houses with columns, built in 1635. At that time ships from Newfoundland could sail to the back of the Butterwalk and ground on the beach, part of which has been reclaimed to build these houses. Their insecure foundations soon caused the rear to subside. Inside, fine original plasterwork and wainscoting can be seen on the first floors of the (well-named!) Sloping Deck Restaurant and the Dartmouth Museum. It is considered the finest room in Dartmouth, worthy of King Charles II who dined here in 1671. The latter is worth a separate visit for its interesting collection of maritime exhibits.
2. The Quay in the Town: Cross the road to the entrance of Royal Avenue Gardens on your right. The Quay was built on land reclaimed from the sea between 1588 and 1640 to meet the needs of the Newfound- land fishing trade. Although the houses at the far end of the Quay were rebuilt in the 19th century, those from the Castle Hotel to the Butterwalk are much as they were in 1639 when their wealthy merchant owners could watch the ships moor right outside their windows. The Castle Hotel first became an inn in the 1730’s. Turn towards the river with the
boatfloat on your right. The embankment of 1885 cut off the quay from the river for large ships, with a bridge allowing only small boats to enter, so today the boat float is only used by small craft - and a resident group of swans.
3. From Tidal Pool to Park: On your left, the site of the Royal Avenue Gardens was reclaimed between 1670 and 1680 from mudflats, to provide additional walls to which ships could moor. In Victorian times it was laid out as formal gardens complete with band- stand. The gardens were relandscaped by South Hams District Council in 1991. For 200 years this was an island linked to the north corner of the new quay by a bridge. Turn left, leaving Royal Avenue Gardens on the right and in a few yards you will see Dartmouth Tourist Information Centre and the Newcomen Engine House.
Inside is an atmospheric engine invented in 61
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