Kingswear
Kingswear sits on the east bank of the River Dart opposite Dartmouth and is a charming character village that has some of the most beautiful views across the River Dart . The brightly painted houses (the village is often likened to Balamory), church pubs and other buildings rise up steeply from the river. There are little winding streets, friendly pubs and some truly spectacular views - especially from the top of the village which overlooks the sea in one direction and up river to Tones in the other direction.
charm aplenty - plus some great walks
The sunny side of the River Dart!
Kingswear is a very good starting point for walking along the coast or discovering the Dart Valley Trail. The steam train from Paignton terminates at Kingswear station with a quick hop across the river on the passenger ferry (just a 5min crossing) and a Royal Dart Yacht Club is a very short walk from the terminus.
There are some great walks from Kingswear including the South West Coast Path to Brixham - about 10 miles and very steep in places (great for the fit among us!). The walk along the river to the Higher Car Ferry to Dartmouth is about a mile but completely flat (if narrow).
Kingswear Castle sits squarely on the rocks perilously close to the sea and can be rented out for a truly coastal retreat for a week or two - and Coleton Fishacre National Trust Property makes for a lovely day out with beautiful gardens and Art Deco house.
Plenty of accommodation, a couple of great friendly pubs and a slower pace of life than that over the water in Dartmouth, make Kingswear a great base for all types of holiday.
What to do in Kingswear
Take a walk to the late Agatha Christie estate, Greenway House & Garden. It's a moderate walk of 4.5 miles and views of the estuary can be enjoyed as you pass though woodland, farm fields and the Greenway Estate itself. When you're done at Greenway hop across the river on the ferry (ring the bell to alert the skipper of the little ferry!), enjoy a spot of lunch or a pint at the Ferry Boat Inn, right on the water's edge.
Another house and garden to visit is the stunningly situated Coleton Fishacre (again, run by the National Trust). This home was built in 1926 for the theatrical D'Oyly Carte's, who saw the beautiful valley from the sea whilst sailing the coastline, fell in love and determined that the site was perfect for their home. They entertained in style and indulged their appetite for the great outdoors. The library houses a working wind dial which indicated good sailing weather, and the bell on the side of the house which could be rung to call the family in from the cove at the bottom of the garden at meal times. A board in the hallway was updated daily by the staff to indicate the time of high tides so they knew when to make their way down to the private cove at the foot of the estate. A steep climb back up though!
Parking at Kingswear
There is a large car park at Darthaven Marina (TQ6 0SG) with spaces available for use by berth holders, visitors and general public alike. The car park operates a Pay & Display system and payment can be made by cash, card, contactless or mobile App RingGo. For any enquiries please call 0845 862 1034.
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Reviews
- Superb - Just loved the steam train from Paignton and boat trip in Dartmouth. A real old fashioned journey, social distancing in place. Great scenery and v.friendly helpful crew.
- Brilliant day - Very pleasant day out, VERY well organised and friendly teams (train and ferry, especially in social distancing times). Would do it again and add the boat cruise.
- Lovely trip - The steam railway train is brilliant, the iconic click-clacking of the train was enjoyable to listen to and and the train ride had stunning views. The short ferry was also lovely (only about a minute or two).