Dittisham
The lovely little yachting village of Dittisham lies just a few miles up the River Dart from the town of Dartmouth. Lying on what is the widest part of the Dart estuary this is an ideal place to learn to sail before heading seawards.
This really is one of the prettiest spots around with all the charms of a bygone age.
Dittisham's centre of activity is the quayside and you will find everything you need for a relaxing day by the river here. There is the Ferryboat Inn and Anchorstone Cafe, both of which occupy prime riverfront sites and serve great local produce. As you head into the village look out for the Red Lion Inn; this is Dittisham's very own shopping centre housing not just the pub but the post office and village shop.
The village church, St George's, has many interesting features. These include the Royal coat of Arms of Charles II which hangs over the door - a token of gratitude to the townsfolk for their support of the Royalists. There is also a fine 15th century carved stone "wineglass" pulpit along with some wonderful 19th century stained glass.
The best way to arrive in the village is via the little ferry which runs between Dartmouth and Dittisham Quay during the summer. The trip takes about 30 minutes each way and is well worth it just for the views of the river.
Just across the river from Dittisham is Greenway, which can be reached by another ferry. There is no timetable for this crossing, instead a bell can be found on the quay by which to summon the ferry. Greenway is the former home of Devon's most famous author, Agatha Christie. The house and estate are now managed by the National Trust and open to the public. Avid Christie fans might have noticed that in her novel "Five little Pigs" one of the main characters is named Lady Dittisham.
As well as being known as place for messing about on the river the Dittisham area is renown for fruit growing. In fact the village has a variety of dessert plum named after it.