Travel: A short break in Dartmouth

Nerys Lloyd-Pierce goes on the trail of Agatha Christie and discovers the spot where the Queen first clapped eyes on Prince Philip

Dartmouth is an affluent little enclave tucked away in the south- west. Smart shops and galleries and chic restaurants give it a kind of Knightsbridge- on-Sea atmosphere which is quite unlike the rest of the region. Its blue-blooded connections - Princes Charles and Andrew attended Britannia Royal Naval College - have also conferred social cachet.

The medieval town clings to a steep hillside and cradles an exceptionally pretty harbour. Its prosperous maritime history began in the 1100s, when it was one of England's principal ports, and many of the well- preserved buildings were commissioned by wealthy merchants.

Crime writer Agatha Christie has to be the town's most famous export. More than a dozen of her books have links with Devon, and The Royal Castle Hotel on the quay in Dartmouth features in Ordeal by Innocence and The Regatta Mystery. If you take a boat trip, you can see the lovely Georgian house high above the river where Christie lived and which her daughter still occupies.

When to go

You can never trust the British climate, but you can at least take comfort from the knowledge that Dartmouth and the surrounding area (known as South Hams) enjoy one of the mildest climates in the whole of mainland Britain. Go in winter and you might even see roses in flower.

If you are there during the first May Bank Holiday, there's the International Worm Charming Championships (tel: 01392 425426) at Blackawton, a village west of Dartmouth. Participants have to goad the creatures to the surface without using digging implements. Permitted techniques include singing, dancing and chanting. Insobriety is no handicap to this kind of event, so feel free to partake of the locally brewed ale.

The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta (tel: 01803 832435) is a rather more grandiose affair than the above, but no doubt copious quantities of liquor are consumed there too. By all accounts it is a fun time for everyone, and on the last day the Red Arrows put in an appearance. It runs from 26-28 August.

Getting there

By road: M4/M5 or M25/M3/ A303/A30 to Exeter then A38. From Buckfastleigh take the A384 to Totnes, then the A381 and A3122 for Dartmouth.

By coach: contact National Express (tel: 0990 808080) for details.

By rail: direct to Totnes from London, the Midlands and the North. National Rail Inquiries (tel: 0345 484950) for further information. There is no direct line to Dartmouth so from Totnes you need to complete your journey on the X89 bus.

What to see and do

The Coast and Countryside Service (tel: 01803 861201) publishes a leaflet with a suggested "Dartmouth Trail" which points out interesting spots such as the cobbled Bayard's Cove, setting for The Onedin Line series. As you walk around Dartmouth be sure to keep your head up as the upper sections of the medieval buildings are magnificent. Look out too for The Butterwalk. It's difficult to believe now, but in 1635, ships were able to sail right up here.

A zippy five-minute boat trip takes you from the harbour to Dartmouth Castle (tel: 01803 833588) which looms over the river-mouth. Built by Edward IV in the 15th century, it was one of the most sophisticated strongholds of its day. You can also see the 14th-century remains of Hawley's Castle. John Hawley was the model for the infamous merchant in Chaucer's A Shipman's Tale. His exploits included capturing and sinking foreign ships, and the citadel was built to protect his own assets from a similar fate.

From the castle you can stroll along the coast to the pretty Sugary Cove or visit Gallant's Bower, a wooded mound which was once a Royalist fortress. The walk back into town takes you past Dartmouth Pottery (tel: 01803 832258) above Warfleet Creek. This sympathetically restored mill provides an airy gallery space and is also home to the world- renowned Gurgle Jug - so called because of the water-down-the-plughole noise the vessel makes while pouring.

Simon Drew Gallery in Foss Street (tel: 01803 832832) specialises in funky sculptural pieces. Not all pockets are deep enough to fund original artwork, so consolation can be found in the excellent range of cards and prints designed by the eponymous gallery owner.

Just as you are starting to think that Dartmouth is a little too well heeled and perfectly manicured you stumble on St Barnabas 3rd Hand Book and Junk Emporium, an establishment run by a guy who makes Steptoe appear house-proud. "For Christ's sake don't say it's a tip," he entreated. Sorry, it is. But it's the most interesting place in Dartmouth, so don't miss it.

If you'd rather avoid the masses on the organised boat trips, then you can hire a traditional wooden launch from Distin Boat Hire (tel: 01803 835034) and explore the estuary in your own time. There are some lovely villages on the Dart, including Bow Creek (the Dart is tidal so check tide times before setting out) and Dittisham.

The Britannia Royal Naval College (tel: 01803 677039) - where the Queen set eyes on Prince Philip for the very first time - has just opened its doors to the public. Tours take place at weekends only.

Where to stay

The Royal Castle (tel: 01803 833033) started life as two merchant houses in the 1630s, but its crenellations were added by the Victorians, who could never leave anything alone. Previous guests include Donald Sutherland, who stayed here while filming the Agatha Christie thriller Ordeal by Innocence. Unlike many hotels, where the bar is like a mausoleum, this one is buzzing.

B&b in a river-view room costs pounds 68.95 per person.

Contemporary, relaxed and informal, the Gunfield Hotel (tel: 01803 834843) is definitely not a hang-out for the blue-rinse brigade. The food is Mediterranean in style and costs around pounds 25-pounds 30 per head. Sunday lunch is barbecue time in the gardens which front the river. All rooms have a river view and range between pounds 35-pounds 45 per person for b&b, depending on the season.

Campbells B&B (tel: 01803 833438) is run by the parents of Ffyona, famous for her feisty global- walking exploits. Bedrooms offer a bird's-eye view of Dartmouth. An excellent breakfast comes with home-made bread and the genial company of Colin Campbell. (So be warned, if you'd rather stick your nose in the morning paper than make conversation.) B&b costs pounds 25 per person.

The comfortable Dart Marina Hotel (tel: 01803 832580) sits slap-bang on the river Dart and, helped by a number of large French windows, the views are great. All bedrooms have a view of the water too, so you needn't worry about being lumbered with one overlooking the car park. The restaurant uses local produce as much as possible and was recently awarded an AA rosette. Dinner, bed and breakfast costs pounds 84 per person per night, and b&b costs only pounds 64 per person.

Food and drink

Thanks to its watery location, seafood is a priority on most menus in Dartmouth. Lobster, brill, bass and John Dory travel from boat to plate with minimum delay. Britain might be the "Kingdom by the Sea" but finding really good fish is depressingly difficult, so make the most of it while you are here.

Cafe Cache (tel: 01803 833804) is an attractive, friendly restaurant which serves innovative food at reasonable prices. In addition to the very good fresh seafood, check out the smoked prawns from the local smokery served with horseradish mayonnaise. Non-fish fans needn't worry: the meat dishes are every bit as good. A three-course meal with wine comes to around pounds 25 per head.

Dartmouth's oldest building dates back to 1380 and also happens to be an excellent pub. Grade I-listed and a free house, The Cherub (tel: 01803 832571) is totally devoid of brewery-inflicted "refurbishment" and you can get a decent meal here, too. Three courses with wine costs about pounds 25 per head.

Dartmouth has no shortage of beautiful buildings, but one of the most attractive houses is Hooked (tel: 01803 832022), a fish restaurant where former head chef for Keith Floyd, Neil Fanous, is in charge. Despite its illustrious connections, this is not a po-faced establishment and the aim is to serve excellent food in an informal atmosphere with prices which don't hurt the pocket too much. A three-course meal with wine costs about pounds 27-pounds 30 per head.

Try The Carved Angel (tel: 01803 832465) for Dart crab and lobster. Winter sees fresh game on the menu, so there is something more substantial to savour during the chillier months. Dinners start at pounds 28, lunches from pounds 15. The restaurant overlooks the river, but confusingly, its sister establishment, The Carved Angel Cafe (tel: 01803 834842), is located within Dartmouth's hinterland. It is licensed and serves light lunches and suppers as well as morning coffee and afternoon tea.

Out of town

Magnificent steam trains chug their way through the scenic Dart Valley. It is possible to do a round-robin trip (tel: 01803 834488) by taking the ferry to Kingswear (Dartmouth's mirror image on the opposite riverbank), where you hop on the train to Paignton (don't be tempted to linger), catch a bus to Totnes and then take a boat trip back to Dartmouth. If you can ignore the lame attempts at humour from your guide, the river journey is enjoyable.

Totnes isn't the most adrenaline-pumping place on the planet, but it can boast the Goss Challenger, a revolutionary racing catamaran currently under construction in Baltic Wharf (tel: 01803 865592 for the Visitor Centre and viewing balcony). The dimensions of this boat are awesome - 120ft long and 70ft wide, with masts taller than a stack of 10 double- decker buses. Capable of speeds up to 40 knots, she sets off early next year, with international yachtsman Pete Goss at the helm, to try to beat the Jules Verne record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by sail.

If you're looking for an idyllic beach, then you should make for the pine-fringed Blackpool Sands a few miles out of Dartmouth. It has been awarded a European Blue Flag so you can bathe with confidence. Sailing and windsurfing tuition is available too (tel: 01803 770606).

The obelisk on the edge of Slapton Sands was presented by the USA to the inhabitants of South Hams who were evacuated while the area was being used for battle practice prior to the Normandy landings. The freshwater lagoon at Slapton Ley is protected from the sea by a three-mile-long sand bar; the reedbeds and lake are now a nature reserve rich in birdlife.

Keen gardeners should consider retirement to South Devon, where plants grow with abandon. Failing that, you can ogle someone else's work. Coleton Fishacre Garden, Kingswear (tel: 01803 752466), is 24 acres of pastoral bliss designed by Rupert and Dorothy D'Oyly Carte in the 1920s. Exotic plants are a feature and winding paths descend through dense woodland to a sea cove.

Outdoor activities

Sailing is a serious option in Dartmouth. You can enjoy bare boat or skippered charter yachts, depending on your experience, at Dart Sailing School and Charters (tel: 01803 833973), or do some dinghy sailing at Dittisham Sailing School (tel: 01803 722375).

The rugged coastline is great for walking and bird-watching. Bite-sized circular walks for those less inclined to route- march are outlined in leaflets courtesy of South Hams Tourist Office (tel: 01803 861234). One such walk kicks off at Prawle Point (the most southerly part of Devon) and takes in the Ship's Graveyard and Gammon Head before veering inland along ancient bridleways.

Further information

Contact Dartmouth Tourist Information (tel: 01803 834224); South Hams Tourism (tel: 01752 897035); and the West Country Tourist Board (tel: 01392 425426).