We spent just one, very wet afternoon in Dartmouth and its charm already has me longing to return. I imagine on a bright and sunny day, with its views of Kingswear, Dartmouth would remind me of one of Italy’s most picturesque cliffside village, Positano.
I believe we may have chosen to visit the harbour town on one of the wettest weekends of the year, lucky us. That being said, it’s a very well known fact that it rains most of the year in the UK, so I did what we Brits do best, and made the most of the short time we had.
I thought I’d write this blog post and share with you my 5 top recommendations for a rainy day in Dartmouth, just in case you get caught in a storm too. Enjoy…
1. Discover Dartmouth’s historical streets
Dartmouth is one of the most picturesque towns I’ve explored and is full of incredible architecture. Raincoats on, we admired the streets by foot and I could not get enough of the views. My favourite view, was that by the waterside overlooking the sail boats and the town of Kingswear. One walk that was recommend was the Dartmouth Town Trail.
2. Meander through Dartmouth’s boutique shops & art galleries
For me, I was happy enough to simply wander the town and enjoy the exterior of Dartmouth’s architectural buildings. However, I was tempted by one or two of the town’s boutique stores. If like me, you are a secret shopaholic at heart, then you will love Dartmouth. There are so many independent stores and well-known coastal chains to browse from, as well as art galleries if you are looking for something to take home to remind yourself of this picturesque harbour town.
3. Good food in good company
Dartmouth is by no means short of a good place for a bite to eat. Cute cafes, traditional pubs, seaside fish and chips you name it, we were spoilt for choice. Home to the renowned Rock Fish restaurant serving fresh fish daily, I would suggest dining here if you can bag yourself a reservation! They do offer takeaways but when its raining, soggy fish and chips is not something I’m a fan of.
A little bedraggled and without an umbrella, we found ourselves retreating to Bayards Cove Inn to enjoy the largest hot chocolate I’ve ever seen. And if a chocolatey drink wasn’t enough, we ordered some sweet treats with to go with it.
4. Explore Dartmouth’s ancient forts and castle
After warming our bellies with a hot brew, just 50 meters up from Bayard’s Cove Road we found Bayard’s Cove Fort, a Tudor fort built between 1522 and 1536 which, back then contained heavy guns to protect the town from any threat of attack. If you wanted to continue to discover the towns history, Dartmouth Castle is located just up the road and just so happens to be one of the most beautiful fortresses in England with its stunning views of the estuary and out to sea.
5. The Round Robin
This adventure is not something we got around to but is certainly something I would like to do when I return to Dartmouth and when I’m not restricted by time. A steam train, river cruise and an open topped bus all in one offered by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company. Sounds like fun right?!
So you see, whatever the weather in Dartmouth, there is a whole lot to explore!