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South Devon Coast Path, Western Section

Tour details

Dartmouth, our base for the western section of the South Devon Coast Path, is one of the most attractive towns in England. The bustling port is located on the mouth of the river Dart and the harbour is sheltered by the high wooded flanks of the Dart Valley. The town has some fine architecture, including some beautiful Tudor and Jacobean half-timbered buildings, and handsome Georgian frontages. Dartmouth Castle stands right at the mouth of the river with views across to to Kingswear Castle on the far bank. The Britannia Naval College looks down on the town from above.

Over the centuries the town has seen many significant and historic sailings, including the departure of Richard the Lionheart for the Crusades in 1189, part of the defence against the Spanish Armada in 1588, and an American fleet taking part in the D-Day invasion in 1944. Dartmouth has a good variety of independent shops, and plenty of hotels, restaurants and pubs serving food in the evening.

The daily meeting point in Dartmouth is outside the Tourist Information Centre.

Accommodation

There is a good variety of accommodation available in Dartmouth, and details can be found on the following websites:

Alternatively, an accommodation guide can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre in Dartmouth, whose contact details are as follows:

Tourist Information Centre,
The Engine House,
Mayor's Avenue,
Dartmouth, TQ6 9YY
Telephone: 01803 834224
Fax: 01803 835631
E. Mail: holidays@discoverdartmouth.com

How to reach Dartmouth by public transport

The nearest mainline railway station is at Totnes, 13 miles distant. From Totnes there is an hourly service (DevonBus No. 111) to Dartmouth. An enjoyable alternative to the bus is the river boat service which runs along the Dart between Totnes and Dartmouth and takes in some magnificent scenery. The times of the journeys are dictated by the tides, rather than the needs of travellers, and a timetable can be found on the RiverLink website. National Express run a regular coach service to Totnes.

General information on Dartmouth and South Devon can be found on the following websites:

Cicerone Press produce an informative guidebook for this route.