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About the area
South Devon is one of the most beautiful and unspoilt areas of Britain. With its gentle year-round climate and pretty estuaries, dramatic coastline, beautiful beaches, historic villages and great food and drink producers, this area has much to offer visitors.
Dittiscombe Holiday Cottages is an ideal base from which discover its secrets. Here is just a small selection of places to visit and things to do which we hope will appeal to all types of visitor, whether here for a summer holiday, a spring visit, or an autumn or winter short break.
Walking
To explore what’s on the doorstep our guests can enjoy a car free day at Dittiscombe and walk from their cottage to Slapton Village (1½ miles) and a further ½ mile to Slapton Sands beach.At this point walkers can join the South West Coast Path and enjoy the spectacular coastline of Start Bay which stretches from Blackpool Sands to Start Point Lighthouse. Small villages invite you to stop off along the way. 
For instance at Torcross pick up a cream tea at Sea Breeze Café or a plate of the finest fish and chips at the Start Bay Inn; enjoy a pint of local ale at The Cricket Inn at Beesands; take a guided tour of Start Point Lighthouse; or drop down to the visitor information plaque at Hallsands. Please click here for more details.
There are walks for everyone and on the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Visit South Devon websites you can download details of walks and trails, and use the maps, guides and leaflets provided in the cottages.
For a walk on the wild side Dartmoor National Park is about 50 minutes drive from Dittiscombe and with its open spaces for hiking, cycling and horse-riding activities, this is another wonderful area for the outdoor enthusiast to visit.
Villages & Towns
Slapton Village saw plenty of action in the Second World War with D-day landing practices around Start Bay, and an old Sherman tank stands as a memorial to those who lost their lives. The village is now more tranquil and boasts two excellent pubs with varied menus, open to families and welcoming to dogs and their owners.
The Slapton Ley Field Study Centre is based here too and they are thecustodians of the freshwater lake which is protected from the sea by a shingle
barwhich divides it from the sea. This is a great bird-watching area, and the Field Study Centre offer coastal walks, bat and badger days, guided tours and nature safaris in and around the area.
The thriving and bustling market towns of Kingsbridge and Totnes are well worth a visit, and the coastal and estuary towns of Dartmouth and Salcombe with their colourful shops and gentle waterways make for a relaxing day by the water.
Beaches
South Hams boasts many of the finest and most unspoilt beaches in the country. For families there is great choice: sheltered coves and fine sand at Mill Bay or Hope Cove, or the sweeping, safe beach with the award-winning Venus Cafe at Blackpool Sands; rock-pooling at Thurlestone; surfing on the magnificent beach at Bantham; and for visitors with dogs there are many beaches to explore all year round at Slapton, Torcross and Beesands, East Prawle, Rickham Sands and many more.
National Trust
An exciting new addition to the National Trust portfolio in 2009 is Agatha Christie’s house and garden at Greenway on the River Dart. As parking is limited visitors are encouraged to take the ‘green way’ to the house by using the ferry service which runs from Dittisham on the banks of the river. Other historic houses such as Colyton Fishacre, Saltram House & Gardens and Overbecks are within an hour’s drive.
Food & Drink - Buy Local, Eat Local
Over the last few years there has been a great swell of interest in locally produced and organic food, and here in South Devon we have an abundance of excellent food producers and chefs. There are brochures in the cottages which guests can use to find the best sources of local food. Very local to us and an ideal place to pick up supplies is at Stokeley Farm Shop at Stokenham. Local apple juice and cider, meat and fish, and fruit, cheese, smoked and dairy foods are just a few tasty examples.
Fresh fish and shellfish are a speciality of this area and Britannia Shellfish have a shop at Beesands. And a visit to the Riverford Field Kitchen a guided tour of the organic farm ends in a delicious lunch; or why not have a selection of great food delivered to your cottage door by the Local Food Company.
Many of the pubs and restaurants use locally produced ingredients and more information can be found on the lovetheflavour website.
When it’s wet
Woodlands Park near Dartmouth offers an exciting range of rides, and plenty of indoor play areas too. Paignton Zoo, Dartmoor Zoological Park, Living Coasts, Pennywell Farm, and the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth are just some of a number of wildlife centres in this area. There is indoor swimming at the Kingsbridge Quayside Leisure Centre and at the Dartmouth Golf & Club (we provide temporary membership for our guests with a 25% discount off health and beauty facilities). The Reel Cinema is our local cinema in Fore Street, Kingsbridge. 
The Eden Project is about 1- 2 hours drive from Dittiscombe, and is well worth a visit.
Heritage & History
The local heritage centre at the Cookworthy Museum displays the history of rural life in and around Kingsbridge, and three castles at Totnes, Dartmouth and Berry Pomeroy are all run by English Heritage. Several cultural trails have been produced and these can be found on the South Devon website.
Shopping
The thriving market towns of Kingsbridge and Totnes and the estuary towns of Salcombe and Dartmouth all have a good variety of small, specialist shops, galleries, food, gift and clothing shops. The Dartington Cider Press Centre is a unique visitor centre with 15 shops, cafes, galleries and wide variety of arts and crafts including the famous Dartington Glass.
Transport
There are a number of different travel opportunities in the area:
the South Devon Railway starts in Totnes and finishes in Buckfastleigh with a Heritage Bus Service or a trip to the Otter & Butterfly Sanctuary – a great day out for young and old alike. The Round Robin bus, boat and steam train runs through enchanting landscape and includes Paignton, Kingswear, Dartmouth and Totnes en-route. River Link cruise boats based in Dartmouth offer coastal and wildlife cruises, and a daily service to Totnes and Greenway Gardens. Boat hire, boat trips, fishing and sailing lessons are available in Kingsbridge, Dartmouth and Salcombe. Park and ride schemes for Salcombe, Dartmouth and Exeter operate during the main season. And a local bus route from Slapton goes to Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Plymouth - further information about the bus timetables can be found on www.devon.gov.uk/devonbus.
Non-vehicular transport such as canoeing, cycling, horse-riding, sailing and surfing are all possible and further information can be obtained from the local tourist information centres.
Accessibility
Rolling hills and steep cliffs are not for everyone, but there really are some easier walks which are accessible to families with small children and people with disabilities. Here are just a few ideas, but we suggest you contact the local tourist information centres who will be able to give you more detailed information.
Start Point Lighthouse: From the car park there is a straight metalled road with a slight decline to the lighthouse and fantastic views of Start Bay.
Bantham beach: From the car park the beach is accessed over a sandy path to a flat, wide beach and far reaching views of Bigbury and Burgh Island.
Bolberry car park: From the National Trust car park there is a short walk towards Soar Mill Cove with some undulations in the path, and seats along the way with stunning views of the coastline.
Beesands has a car park, seating overlooking the beach, a flat walk by the freshwater lake,
and an excellent pub/restaurant serving local fish at The Cricket Inn.
Credits & Other Links
For drawings thanks to Jacqui Bignell graphic designer tel: 01548 581492.
For some photographic images thanks to Tim & Sue Stanger of South West Images and to the Slapton Line Partnerhship.
Other links:
Find late availability holiday cottages with Last Minute Cottages.