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5 day itinerary

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Heres a suggested itinerary for spending 5 days out and about from Beeson Farm:

Day 1: Arrival and Local Exploration

  • Arrive at Beeson farm and settle into your cottage.
  • Spend the afternoon exploring Kingsbridge. Visit the Quay, where you can enjoy a leisurely walk along the water and explore the shops and cafes.
  • Have dinner down at The Cricket Inn, Beesands (a 3 min drive from your cottage at Beeson Farm), sampling some of the best local seafood.

Day 2: Dartmouth and River Cruise

  • Head to Dartmouth for the day. Explore Dartmouth Castle and take a stroll along the waterfront before wandering around the town..
  • Enjoy a river cruise along the River Dart, which offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and coastline. We recommend going up river to Dittisham and back, you could even disembark for a visit to Greenway (National Trust).
  • In the evening, dine at one of Dartmouth’s restaurants overlooking the river.

Day 3: Coastal Walks and Salcombe

  • Spend the day hiking along the South West Coast Path, which offers stunning views of the coastline. Consider starting at Thurlestone and walking towards Hope Cove, or a circular walk from Gara Rock to East Portlemouth.
  • Depending on which of the above routes you chose to walk you could either drive to Salcombe or take the ferry from East Portlemouth to explore the town’s shops and art galleries.
  • Relax with dinner at a pub or restaurant in Salcombe, watching the boats come and go.

Day 4: Beach Day and Water Activities

  • Spend the day at one of the area’s beautiful beaches, such as Bantham Beach or Blackpool Sands. Relax on the beach, go for a swim, or try your hand at water sports like surfing or paddleboarding.
  • Alternatively, you could explore the nearby estuaries by kayak or paddleboard for a different perspective on the coastline. Equipment hire available from Kingsbridge or East Portlemouth.
  • Enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach, having bought supplies at Stokeley farmshop or one of the delis in Kingsbridge.

Day 5: Historic Sites 

  • Visit nearby historic sites such as Greenway House, the former holiday home of Agatha Christie, or the National Trust property Overbeck’s in Salcombe.
  • Alternatively, spend the day exploring the nearby towns and villages, such as Totnes or Modbury.

This itinerary should give you a good taste of what South Devon has to offer, from its beautiful coastline to its charming towns and villages, all while using Beeson Farm as a comfortable base for exploring! Whatever you choose to do, we hope you enjoy your holiday!

Easter in South Devon

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With Easter heralding the start of Spring, we believe Easter is about getting outside with the family and having fun together after those cold winter days indoors!

We will keep updating with local events so watch this space, but read on for our list of things to do this Easter whilst on holiday at Beeson Farm.

Pennywell Farm https://www.pennywellfarm.co.uk/ will be running their annual Easter Egg-stravaganza from the 1st April to 10th April. Pennywell is always an egg-stra special day out for families who will love feeding the animals, meeting the miniature pigs and going on the rides.   https://www.pennywellfarm.co.uk/easter-eggstravaganza

The Church House Inn at Stokenham (a few minutes drive from Beeson Farm)are hosting a free Sea Shanty Easter Event on the 8th April. With live music, traditional sea shanties, a bouncy castle, face painting, BBQ and pirate themed treasure hunt this sounds like a brilliant day out! Check their facebook page for details. https://www.churchhouseinnstokenham.co.uk/

South Devon Railway are running 3 family fun weekends, offering excellent value for money. Tickets include a ride on the Steam Train along the River Dart, free entry to the Dartmoor Otters and Buckfast Butterfly sanctuaries, free entry to Totnes Rare Breeds Farm, face painting, childrens entertainment, vintage bus rides and of course, an Easter Egg Hunt! https://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/visit-us/whats-on/family-fun-weekend/

Totnes Spring Festival on the 13th April is a free day out for the family with live music, street food, childrens entertainment (including bouncy castle and free crafts) and much more. https://www.visittotnes.co.uk/whats-on/totnes-spring-festival/

The Easter Bunny will be visiting Woodlands Theme Park near Dartmouth from Saturday April 1st to Sunday April 9th. Make your way through the rabbit warren into Bunny’s Easter Grotto featuring amazing Easter themed rooms and meet the Easter Bunny then go thrill seeking on their egg-streme rides!! A day ticket will let you explore all the usual rides and soft play, and woodland areas as well. https://www.woodlandspark.com/

 

Pop over the River Dart to Greenway House (Agatha Christies home) and explore their beautiful grounds while taking part in their Easter Egg Hunt. The trail takes place between 24 March – 30 April, from 10.30am to 5pm, with last entry at 3.30pm.  Prices are £3 per trail (usual admission prices apply) which includes an Easter trail sheet, pencil, bunny ears and chocolate egg. There are fun games along the trail including welly wanging and wheelbarrow racing! https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/greenway

Heron Valley Orchards  are hosting an Easter Egg Hunt in their beautiful grounds.  Grab a sheet from the bar and lead your little ones on an adventure through the orchard to win a chocolatey prize. The hunt can be done anytime between 9am and 5pm and can be taken at your own pace. The cafe will be open serving delicious lunches. https://www.heronvalley.co.uk/products/easter-egg-hunt

We have special offers and reduced rates available in the The Stables, Linhay or Trap House with weekly stays from just £480 per week. Check out our ‘Cottages’ page or contact us to book.

Greenway House

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On a sunny July day, just before the schools had broken up for the summer we took a trip back in time to the 1950s. I have always wanted to visit Agatha Christies holiday home in Devon- Greenway House, now faithfully cared for  by the National Trust.

Agatha Christie called Greenway “the loveliest place in the world” and with the sun shining and the river glinting it certainly lived up to its reputation. Greenway is wonderfully located on a secluded hill overlooking the River Dart. There are acre after acre of grounds, filled with meandering walks, hidden follies and vantage points from which to take in the amazing scenery.

It is possible to drive (be aware you need to go online to prebook your parking space) but far better is to plan your trip and arrive in style it her by steam train  or passenger ferry from Dittisham or Dartmouth.

We opted for the ferry- approx a 40 min drive along the coastal path and devon lanes to Dittisham, a pretty little meandering village (with a nice pub overlooking the river!) At the Ferry Inn give the bell on the wall a good gong and the ferry man will come over and collect you.greenwayferry

The pace of life slows as soon as you set foot on the passenger ferry and wander up the hill to the house.2 Although you asked not to touch items you can take photographs and I was even offered the chance to play her beloved piano! A pianist was playing jazz in the living room which filled the house with music – all to the endearing effect that the family had just stepped out into the gardens. Almost every room contains charmingly cluttered collections of china, boxes and archaeological treasures. Visitors are welcome to sit on one of the sofas and leaf through scrapbooks containing photos and quotations from Christies life. My favourite was The Library which contains a fascinating collection of books by Christie as well as other detective and local history books.greeqwaychristiebooks

Although Agatha Christie wrote most of her books at her main home in Wallingford, she based Dead Man’s Folly at Greenway. The scene of the crime, the boat house, is about a 15 minute walk through the winding woods from the main house.  Sit on the small jetty or upstairs by the fireplace where you can watch the sail boats, small ferries and gig rowers on the river dart.greenwayriverdaryt

The grounds of Greenway offer spectacular view of the River Dart, make sure to explore the tennis courts (you can even play a game!), walled gardens, follies and ornamental ponds.

We recommend at least 3 hours to get the most out of your visit.

The property is open to the public throughout the year. For more information on Greenway and the National Trust, visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway/.