South Devon

The Avon Valley is an unspoilt, rural haven and Modbury, once a prosperous market town is in the heart of this rich farming region. Five miles away is the small village of Aveton Gifford located at the head of the tidal road to Bigbury.

Two miles South West you will find Bigbury on Sea and the renowned Burgh Island, with its art deco hotel and Agatha Christie/Poirot connections, along with its pub - The Pilchard Inn, dating back to the 14th century, a favourite haunt for smugglers.

Bigbury beach is a vast beach with miles of sand, excellent for castle building, cricket, and volley-ball, windsurfing and kite-surfing. It is also a wonderful spot for dogs in the low season.

Prawle Point is on the most southerly tip of Devon. The coastline is rugged, with magnificent cliffs and delightful coves, lending themselves to coast path walks. The area is said to resemble the shape of a pig, hence 'The Pig's Nose Inn' and 'Piglet Stores' in the village of East Prawle. For walkers there is idyllic rambling country which can always begin or end at the Millbrook Inn, South Pool situated just off the main Kingsbridge to Dartmouth road.

Further west along the coast is East Portlemouth, with its fine sandy beaches, overlooking the popular town and harbour of Salcombe. There is a ferry service which takes visitors from East Portlemouth to Salcombe where there are excellent shops, pubs and restaurants to suit all tastes. It is a location particularly popular with yachtsmen, writers and artists as its natural beauty combined with the excellent sailing facilities enable all those visiting to appreciate its unique situation.

There are plenty of places to eat and drink some delightfully located by the waterside. A colourful outdoor market is situated on the Quay, where a variety of goods can be purchased, including local crafts and farm produce.

There are several large sandy beaches, including South Milton Sands, which are safe for bathing and other more secluded coves, most of which are also good for swimming and they can be reached by walking across the prestigious golf course via public footpaths which form part of the South Devon coastal path.

The coastal road villages of Stoke Fleming and Strete are within a mile of Blackpool Sands. This lovely cove, at the northern end of Start Bay, is flanked by steep wooded cliffs and its two thirds of a mile long beach of sand and shingle has facilities that include windsurfing, canoeing and sailing. This is one of the very best beaches in Devon and is extremely popular with families. There is a café/restaurant, toilets, disabled visitors' facilities including access to the beach and a slipway.

Slapton Sands extend for over three miles; at the northern end is Strete Gate, a secluded picnic spot and vantage point. The coast road is unique, flanked by both the beach and a freshwater lake with an abundance of rare flora and fauna; much of the countryside is now a National Nature Reserve. Torcross is at the southern end of Slapton Sands and from here it is a great walk south along the coast to Beesands with its row of fishermen's cottages and a pub on the beach, and then on to Hallsands.

Delightful riverside villages such as Dittisham, Tuckenhay, Ashprington and Stoke Gabriel situated in the heart of the South Hams make this area unique. Walkers, ornithologists and photographers can enjoy the delights of river, estuary and countryside and boat trips from Dartmouth will take you up river to Totnes with its winding streets, historic town walls and ancient castle.

Rising up out of the river Dart, opposite the historic naval town of Dartmouth, is Kingswear home of the Royal Dart Yacht Club. Car and passenger ferries run regularly between Kingswear and Dartmouth.

Dartmouth on the opposite bank is, like many coastal towns, built on the side of a steep, wooded valley overlooking the river, a picture book location. The training ground of the officers of the Royal Navy, Britannia Royal Naval College stands proud in its traditions and position overlooking the town. Dartmouth offers a stunning array of bistros, pubs, restaurants, boutiques, galleries and specialist shops that all line its narrow streets with their long flights of winding steps and intriguing medieval buildings.