Dartmouth
Dartmouth, on the River Dart estuary, is said to be the loveliest of the South Hams towns. The town is a deepwater port and has a continental feel about its steeply rising streets and flights of winding steps where shoppers linger around the specialist shops and art galleries, and enjoy a drink or a meal at one of the many fine bistros, bars and restaurants.
The 17th-century Butterwalk with its impressive restored timber-framed facade, cobbled Bayards Cove, which often featured in TVs The Onedin Line, looks much the same as it did in the 16th Century and the ancient harbour has been a point of departure for around 1,000 years. Dartmouth Castle, about a mile out of town overlooking the Dart, is a fortress constructed specially for artillery and for six centuries protected the town and its wealthy merchants from marauders – gaze down from its walls and you can see why this is a superb natural harbour.
Dominating the skyline and reflecting the town’s strong maritime history is the 1905 Britannia Royal Naval College, the training ground for Royal Navy officers including several Royals.
