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What to do in Totnes, South Devon's quirkiest corner

​Decamp to the South Devon town for quirky counterculture, organic pubs and outdoor adventures on the edge of Dartmoor.

Historic Totnes may lay claim to being the second-oldest borough in England — with a Norman castle, Tudor-era covered walkway and Grade I-listed church to testify — but its feet stand firmly in the New Age. Pioneers in community-minded living, Totnes’s residents have created a town that prizes mindfulness before modernity — and the happy byproduct is a high street packed with fair-priced, plant-based restaurants, quirky bookshops, thriving community centres and art galleries showcasing local talent. Wellness retreats are something of a local pastime here, with the respected institutions of the Sharpham Trust and Dartington Trust satiating demand with a year-round calendar of restful, creative activities.

Totnes has plenty to offer beyond its cultural clout, too. Situated midway up the River Dart, the town is just a short hop east from the wilds of Dartmoor National Park, and west from the English Riviera at Paignton. So, whether you’d like to spot seals on a canoeing adventure or cycle through forested valleys, there’s a natural playground within easy reach.

Totnes has been shaped by two charitable estates that have, over the past 100 years, helped to instil the bohemian reputation that the town enjoys today. They are the Dartington and Sharpham trusts, connected to each other by a serene, five-mile walk along wildflower-speckled banks of the River Dart.

At Dartington, explore the Grade I-listed halls — built by John Holland (the half-brother of Richard II) in the 14th century — before making your way to the gardens, a feat of landscaping design credited mostly to Dorothy Elmhirst, the site’s philanthropic former co-owner. The estate has been a driving force in public education in Totnes since the Elmhirsts bought the crumbling estate in 1925, and remains a campus of learning in the arts, ecology and social justice today.  

Maurice and Ruth Ash, late owners of The Sharpham Trust, had a vision for stately Sharpham House as an experiential centre of spiritual awakening — the couple are credited as having introduced Buddhism and Indian philosophy to this corner of the UK. Today, a string of events, retreats and courses on the estate reflect this legacy, covering everything from meditation and forest bathing to yoga and birdwatching.

If you’re after some retail therapy, head to Fore Street, the beating heart of Totnes. The street climbs gently uphill from the river, passing the slate-hung facades of numerous independent shops, and at its peak is the Totnes Castle keep. You could lose an entire day browsing for goodies along this handsome high street, from local Ticklemore cheese at Ben’s Farm Shop to tomes on pagan folklore at Arcturus Books . Don’t leave without a taste of the organic ice cream at gelateria Delphini’s , made fresh by Johan every day.

Where to eat

It’s organic-everything at The Bull Inn . Opened in 2019 by Geetie Singh-Watson — a restaurateur who launched Britain’s first certified organic pub, The Duke of Cambridge in North London — the inn has earned its green stripes with a menu that puts locally sourced, seasonal vegetables first. Think crispy purple-sprouting broccoli doused in whipped tahini and za’atar, or pollock served with romesco, chard and wild garlic. The meat options meet Geetie’s exacting animal-welfare standards, too.  

If your visit coincides with the first Saturday of the month, head to the Totnes United Free Church for a pay-what-you-feel lunch. It’s where a friendly collective of volunteers gather to cook sustainably produced and organic food donated by locals. Money raised is donated to charities in the area.

Flowing from Dartmoor National Park to the sea at Dartmouth, passing little else but small villages and sprawling wilderness, the River Dart snakes through Totnes. Looming over its course are valleys thick with ancient sessile oak woods whose appearance changes dramatically through the day, be they shrouded in morning mist or tinged umber in the evening sun. Discover the landscape and its lore on a waterborne adventure with Canoe Adventures , and keep a lookout for seals which can be spotted along the river up to the weir at Totnes.  

Everything from the virtues of nettles to the pitfalls of lords and ladies is explained in colourful detail on a woodland foraging tour at The Sharpham Trust. Led by a qualified botanist, the full-day activity covers an exploration of the estate’s wild grounds, as you learn to correctly identify native plants and get to know their nutrition profile. Cook your frondy finds in the outdoor kitchen, where you can share stories with new friends. From £55 per person.

Where to stay

Bed down in a lovingly renovated, 600-year-old building at The Old Forge , once a blacksmith and carpenter’s workshop. Rooms are quintessentially English in style, with their creamy colour schemes, plush cushions and floral touches. A cheery welcome is guaranteed from owner-manager Julie George, whose enthusiasm for the local area permeates even the hotel’s chunky stone walls. From £140, B & B.  

The Bull Inn is ideally located at the top of the town with easy access to the shops and restaurants. Its rustic, limewashed rooms are tastefully decorated with embroidered lace curtains and unique artwork, with no throwaway, single-use hotel items in sight. From £145, B & B.

Published in the Jul/Aug 2022 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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Totnes Tourist Information Centre

Opening Times

Contact details.

The Town Mill Coronation Road Totnes TQ9 5DF

Telephone: 01803 863168 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.totnesinformation.co.uk/

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An insider’s guide to totnes.

Located halfway between Dartmoor and the sea is Totnes, a real gem in South Devon’s crown. Totnes is a thriving and quirky town with a unique feel and a friendly atmosphere, if you’re new to the region, here is your guide to all the things to see and do while in the town.

Firstly, let’s get you here!

Totnes is just a 40 minute drive from Plymouth and 50 minutes from Exeter and as it is a town that has sustainability at heart, has lots of public transport options. Getting here by train is just a 30 minute journey from Exeter, Plymouth and Torquay and the Gold Bus also runs on the half hour, taking just under an hour to and from Torquay and an hour exactly to Plymouth.

If you like the idea of taking the train but you want to arrive in style, the Dartmouth Steam and River Company operates boat trips to Totnes, departing from Dartmouth or hop aboard a steam train from Buckfastleigh – just visit the team at South Devon Railway.

Now you’re in Totnes, let’s take a look at  what to do and where to go.

Totnes is well known throughout Devon for being a Bohemian hub of culture and history. From the weekly markets to a host of adventure activities, there is something for everyone here. Why not start your day by meandering along the streets discovering the town’s historic buildings in the shadow of the town’s  motte and bailey castle,  which has overlooked Totnes since the Norman times. If history if your thing, a visit to the medieval  Dartington Hall and Gardens  is a must, it is just a short and pleasant walk from the town centre – ideal for a stroll on a sunny day.

While you’re having a wander around town, you’ll no doubt notice the wide range of independent shops dotted around. If you like to indulge in some retail therapy, then you will love the treasures that are on offer here. There’s a strong emphasis on local and handmade goods, with everything from fashion to fudge just waiting for you. On Fridays and Saturdays, the market square is a buzz with stalls where you’ll find an eclectic mix of items, including vintage collectibles and locally produced food and drink.

Image: Visit Totnes

Speaking of food, foodies will love spending time in Totnes. The town is surrounded by some of the best of Devon’s countryside providing a bountiful harvest that supplies Totnes’ cafés and restaurants. Wherever you choose to stop for refreshments, you can be sure of local, seasonal produce, with everything from home made gelato to delicious vegan lunches and sweet treats.

It isn’t all leisurely activities on offer either, while a walk along the river and stopping for a quick bite is nice, there is plenty of adventure to be had here too. Why not hire a kayak or stand-up paddle board and experience a whole new side of Totnes? Or you could always join a guided canoe tour and see if you can spot the otters, seals and dolphins which make their way along the River Dart in the summer months. If you’ve not quite got your sea legs and fancy a nice wine as a reward, there are a host of riverside walks along to Dartington and Sharpham.

For more inspiration on what to do, what’s on or to book activities, visit  www.visittotnes.co.uk  or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Visit Totnes

• Information

Totnes (Devon)

Totnes claims to be one of the oldest boroughs in Devon. According to legend, Brutus of Troy sailed to these islands in 1200BC, founding the settlement at Totnes and also the kingdom of the Britons. The Brutus Stone, set in the pavement of the town's High Street, commemorates this event. However, it is more likely that these islands were named much later, possibly after a Roman Consul call Brutus, although there is no solid evidence for either theory.

The ancient East Gate at the top of Fore St © TAB

The earliest recorded settlement began in the 10th-C and during the Middle Ages Totnes became a Borough town with a Merchant Guild, Norman Castle and a defensive wall sporting four gateways. Two of the town gates are still standing today. The North Gate near the castle and the East Gate, which has flight of steps leading up to Rampart Walk, which follows the line of the original medieval wall.

The town's attractive narrow main street has many interesting old buildings, among them the half-timber framed Merchant's House currently housing the town museum and the Guildhall , a charming ancient stone building.

The town centre boasts some of the nicest antique shops, silversmiths and boutiques in Devon. The narrow High Street is lined with 16-17th-C wealthy merchant's houses and old shops built of timber, brick and stone with colourful facades. At the top of the street is the arcaded Butterwalk, where its porticoed frontages provide a charming covered walkway. Mid way along the High Street is the parish church of St Mary, one of Devon's finest. It is mainly 15th-C with a tall west tower, arcades and an impressive roof. Its most outstanding feature is a superb stone screen (circa 1460), rivaled only by Exeter Cathedral.

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Places of interest to visit in Totnes

Totnes castle.

Opening times: Apr~Jun & Sep: daily 10-5; Jul~Aug: daily 10-6; Oct: daily 10-4 Admission Charge* Location: Castle, St, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5NU - Tel: 01803 864406 - Website Facilities: Parking (70m charged), gift shop

Totnes Guildhall

Part of the original 11th-c Benedictine Priory of Totnes. It became the town's Guildhall in 1624 and is still in use today as a council chamber.

Opening times: Apr~Sep, Mon-Wed, 10am to 3pm Small Admission Charge Location: Ramparts Walk, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5QH - Tel: 01803 862147 - Website Facilities: parking (50 metres)

Totnes Museum

Housed in a restored 16th-c Elizabethan merchant's house, the museum's exhibits cover social history and local archaeological. Includes an exhibition on Charles Babbage, the inventor of the first computer, who attended the King Edward VI Grammar School in Totnes for a time.

Opening times: Mar-Oct, Mon-Fri 10.30am to 5pm Admission Charge Location: 70 Fore St, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5RU - Tel: 01803 863821 Website Facilities: shop

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The town of Totnes is located at the highest navigable point of the River Dart, well inland from the sea. It has been a port since at least the medieval period.

Totnes Castle

Totnes Castle sits high on a hill above the town, commanding the approaches from three valleys. One of the best surviving examples of a Norman motte and bailey castle, Totnes was first erected in the 11th century as a wooden palisade on a high mound.

Extensive remodelling in the 13th and 14th centuries created a circular stone keep atop the mound, surrounded by a curtain wall. The keep has survived in excellent condition, though the outer defences have been left to crumble.

Just outside the castle is a stone arch over the roadway. This is all that remains of the medieval North Gate to the town.

St Mary's Church

Set back from Fore Street is the attractive 15th-century church of St Mary , made of red sandstone. It is probably the third church on this site. St Mary's boasts a richly carved Tudor doorway and a magnificent stone rood screen and pulpit.

By the north edge of the churchyard is the house of Nicholas Bell, a wealthy Tudor merchant. Bell's widow married Thomas Bodley in 1586, and Bodley used her money to found the Bodleian Library in Oxford .

North of the church is the Butterwalk, a covered arcade dating to the 16th century and built to provide shelter for dairy stalls. The Totnes Fashion and Textiles Museum occupies Bogan House, the finest Tudor merchant's house in Totnes.

The Guildhall

Behind St Mary's church is the Tudor guildhall, open to the public and still used for town council meetings. The Guildhall was built in 1553 from the ruins of an 11th-century priory founded by Judhael, the Norman knight who built Totnes Castle. The Guildhall has served as a meeting place for civic events, a gaol, and a courthouse.

Perhaps the most distinctive historical building in Totnes is this attractive archway spanning Fore Street. This was the eastern gateway to the medieval town of Totnes. It was badly damaged by fire in 1990 but was carefully restored to its original design.

The Brutus Stone

Set into the pavement at 51/53 Fore Street is a small granite boulder known as the Brutus Stone. The stone is said to mark the spot where Brutus of Troy, the mythical founder of Britain, first stepped ashore. According to legend Brutus escaped the fall of Troy and sailed off to the British Isles where he became the first Briton.

While legends of Trojan warriors seem farfetched to historians, it seems likely that the Brutus Stone did mark a traditional meeting place for the Saxon witan, the governing council of Totnes. During the Saxon and medieval periods the street level was much lower than it is now, so the stone was probably a local landmark and gathering place. It is still the focus for civic ceremonies.

Elizabethan House

On the south side of Fore Street is the Totnes Museum, housed in a picturesque timber-framed building. The museum tells the rich history of Totnes and the surrounding region. The building was erected in 1575 for a cloth merchant named Walter Kellond and is an excellent example of a traditional timber-framed Elizabethan house. Behind the house is a freestanding kitchen and buttery linked to the house by a gallery.

Royal Seven Stars Hotel

At the bottom of Fore Street stands the Royal Seven Stars Hotel, a historic 17th-century courtyard inn possibly built by George Rooke, Mayor of Totnes in 1685/86. Author Daniel Defoe stayed at the hotel during his travels in the West Country. The hotel may stand on the site of a medieval inn.

On a traffic island opposite the Seven Stars is an obelisk acting as a memorial to Totnes native William John Wills, erected in 1864. Wills was the first white man to cross Australia in 1861. He died on the return leg of his journey.

Across from the Wills memorial is Totnes Bridge, built in 1828 by Charles Fowler to replace an earlier bridge. You can still see the foundations of the earlier bridge at low tide. A few steps north of the bridge is Town Mill, a restored Victorian mill housing a collection of archival photos depicting life in Totnes during the 19th century.

Our family has visited Totnes on several occasions and always enjoy returning. There are so many historic buildings packed within a relatively compact area of the town centre. Parking can be a challenge at times but there is a public car park off Coronation Road near the bridge and a small car park on North Street near the castle.

Related: Totnes Town Council website

About Totnes Address: Totnes, Devon, England Attraction Type: Town Location map OS: SX799 604 Photo Credit: David Ross and Britain Express

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TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE WILL NOT REOPEN FOR SEASON

Totnes Town Councillors have made the difficult decision not to reopen the town’s in-person Tourist Information Centre (TIC). Visitor information will continue to be delivered online at www.visittotnes.co.uk, via the new signs and maps dotted throughout the town, and with a printed town map that will be available from a number of key locations in the town. Local printed information, for example bus timetables, will continue to be available from other locations in Totnes, including the Town Council office.

Cllr Emily Price, Mayor of Totnes, said: “With costs rising and our council’s determination to keep Council Tax increases as low as possible for our community, we’ve had to prioritise what we do. In our Community Conversation survey, which was held in summer 2023 to identify the priorities for residents and businesses, our tourist information centre scored low compared to things like supporting community groups and maintaining the town. We’ve also looked at the number of people who use the in-person service, which has dropped significantly since the Covid pandemic. As a result, we’ve opted not to recruit a new Seasonal Tourist Information Assistant this year and we won’t be opening the in-person Tourist Information Centre. I would like to reassure our businesses that we remain committed to supporting them by actively promoting tourism and encouraging visitors to spend as long as possible in our town via our alternative Visit Totnes channels. And I’d like to reassure any local people who used the Tourist Information Centre to get a copy of a printed bus timetable that these will still be available online from Devon County Council and in print (while stocks last!) from other locations in the town including the Council Offices at Rampart’s Walk, which is open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm.”

The TIC, which was previously located in the Market Square, received 2,279 in-person enquiries in 2023. The number of pages viewed on www.visittotnes.co.uk in 2023 was over 330,000. Alongside other staffing reductions in non-statutory areas, it is estimated that the closure will help to save the Town Council around £95,000 a year.

For more information, please contact Lucy Ferrier info@visittotnes.co.uk or call 01803 862147

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Tourist Information Centre Will Not Reopen this Season

Totnes Town Councillors have made the difficult decision not to reopen the town’s in-person Tourist Information Centre (TIC).

Visitor information will continue to be delivered online at www.visittotnes.co.uk , via the new signs and maps dotted throughout the town. A printed town map will also be available from a number of key locations in the town. Local printed information, for example bus timetables, will continue to be available from other locations in Totnes, including the Town Council office.

High Overheads

Cllr Emily Price, Mayor of Totnes, said: “ With costs rising and our council’s determination to keep Council Tax increases as low as possible for our community, we’ve had to prioritise what we do. In our Community Conversation survey, which was held in summer 2023 to identify the priorities for residents and businesses, our tourist information centre scored low compared to things like supporting community groups and maintaining the town. We’ve also looked at the number of people who use the in-person service, which has dropped significantly since the Covid pandemic. As a result, we’ve opted not to recruit a new Seasonal Tourist Information Assistant this year and we won’t be opening the in-person Tourist Information Centre.”

Still committed

She continued: “I would like to reassure our businesses that we remain committed to supporting them by actively promoting tourism and encouraging visitors to spend as long as possible in our town via our alternative Visit Totnes channels. And I’d like to reassure any local people who used the Tourist Information Centre to get a copy of a printed bus timetable that these will still be available online from Devon County Council and in print (while stocks last!) from other locations in the town including the Council Offices at Rampart’s Walk, which is open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm.”

The TIC, which was previously located in the Market Square, received 2,279 in-person enquiries in 2023. The number of pages viewed on www.visittotnes.co.uk in 2023 was over 330,000. Alongside other staffing reductions in non-statutory areas, it is estimated that the closure will help to save the Town Council around £95,000 a year.

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