Description
Easter weekend in South Devon
Grade 
Enjoy the beautiful and varied South Devon landscape, the best of the South West Coastal Path around Torquay and Brixham, and the idyllic Dart Estuary on this short break in South Devon.
Price: £360
– No single supplement
Duration:
3 nights
Next departures:
– April 7th 2023
The countryside around South Devon has to be some of the most varied and beautiful in the British Isles. From our base in Torquay, the Toorak hotel, we explore the delightful Dart Estuary, with its lovely villages and the dramatic coastal path between Torquay and Babbacombe and around Berry Head. Our hotel is situated close the Torquay train and bus stations making for hassle free travel on public transport around the area.
Holiday highlights
- Experience the wide variety of landscapes that this beautiful area has to offer; dramatic coastal views, idyllic creek-side hamlets and lovely towns and villages.
- Explore the lovely Dart-side villages of South Hams and take in superb estuary views.
- Walk two sections of the South West Coastal Path.
- Enjoy excellent food in the Toorak hotel and relax in the indoor and outdoor pools and spa area of the neighbouring Carlton Hotel at no extra cost.
- No single supplement
Accommodation
The Toorak country house hotel is our home in South Devon. Part of the TLH Leisure Resort, the quiet atmosphere of the hotel plus delicious food, comfy lounges and bright bedrooms make this the perfect base for relaxing after our walks. You will have full access to the indoor and outdoor pools, luxury spa facilities and state of the art gym of the neighbouring Carlton Hotel at no extra cost. Breakfast and dinner are taken each day in the hotel restaurant and all rooms have tea and coffee making facilities.
The hotel is nicely located a short walk from the town centre on the edge of the Torre Abbey gardens; a 5 minute walk through the gardens takes you down to the sea front. The hotel also has its own award-winning gardens with plenty of space to enjoy the fresh sea air.
Single supplements and upgrades
The holiday price covers accommodation in a standard double, twin or single room.
- Sole use of a double room £45
Included
- Half board en-suite accommodation
- Guided walking with a professional guide
- Use of swimming pools and spa facilities in neighbouring Carlton Hotel
- Bus travel to walks -though please bring your pass if you have one!
Not included
- Lunches
- Incidental expenses such as drinks.
Day-to-Day Itinerary
The following is the proposed itinerary for this short break. However, please bear in mind that in the event of local conditions changing, for example, due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, then it may be necessary to change the itinerary.
Friday
Arrive at Toorak Hotel, Torquay, meet for dinner at 7:30 pm in the hotel dining room.
The Toorak hotel is situated near to the main train station in Torquay, let me know if you would like to be picked up from there. If you are driving, there is parking at the hotel and you can also take the opportunity to visit some of the local sights on the journey down; Agatha Christie’s house at Greenway, the National Trust property Coleton Fishacre near Dartmouth or the lovely village of Cockington which is walkable from the hotel.
Check-in is from 3 pm, but you are welcome to arrive earlier if you wish to make use of the pool and spa facilities in neighbouring Carlton Hotel.
Meals included: dinner
Saturday: Villages of the River Dart
After breakfast we catch the bus to Galmpton. From there we drop down to the River Dart (stunning views across the estuary) to take the foot ferry across the river to the delightful riverside hamlet of Dittisham for elevenses. For the remainder of the day, we hop from picturesque village to village, roughly following the course of the River Dart, as it winds its way back to Totnes. There will be time to explore this lovely quirky town before getting the bus back to the hotel.
17 km (11 miles) ascent 480 m descent 520 m
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Sunday: The coast path around Brixham and Berry Head
Today we head out to explore another part of the coastal path, Berry Head around Brixham. We take the bus to Churston to walk through the country estate of Lupton Park. From there we pick up an ancient route, Yards lane, which takes us up onto the coastal path. Brixham is no stranger to conflict. The sight of Sir Francis Drake’s attack on the Spanish Armada could be seen from Brixham’s shores; Brixham harbour is home to a replica of his ship the Golden Hind and remains of fortifications dating from the Napoleonic to the Second World Wars can be seen along the coastline. We will explore these as we walk around the coast to Berry Head. From there we drop down into Brixham and take the John Musgrave trail back to Churston.
16 km (10 miles) ascent/descent 580 m
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Monday: The South West coastal path to Babbacombe
A shorter walk today to allow us to beat the bank holiday traffic home. Walking from the hotel, we drop down through Torre Abbey gardens to pick up the South West Coastal path. We follow the route around to Meadfoot to have coffee in the lovely café there overlooking the cliffs surrounding Torbay. We continue to Hope’s Nose, the most easterly point on the Torbay peninsular before heading north across the cliff tops to the village of Babbacombe, where we will have a quick stop for lunch before getting the bus back to the hotel in time for an early afternoon departure.
.
10 km (6 miles) ascent 300 m, descent 200 m
Meals included: breakfast
Kit list
For walking each day:
- Good walking boots or shoes
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Lightweight, quick drying trousers
- Base layer
- Mid-layer such as a fleece jacket and an additional ‘spare’ layer depending on the forecast
- Walking socks
- Warm hat and gloves -just in case the weather turns
- Sun hat, sunglasses, lip salve and high SPF sun block
- Day sack (25 litre capacity is a good size) to comfortably carry your kit, lunch and water
- Dry bag or rucksack cover to keep the contents of your daypack dry
- Water bottle
- Basic first aid kit (plasters, blister treatment, antiseptic etc)
- Some snacks to keep you going
- Walking/trekking poles (if you use them)
Maps
OS Explorer maps OL 44 Torquay and Dawlish, OL 20 South Devon
