05/11/2014

Day tripping to Dartmouth by Trains, boats and automobiles.

Back in part one I mentioned that we took a trip out to Dartmouth whilst on our Devon adventures. We started off by car, heading off to Churston station, a quaint little heritage steam railway station but I somehow think Sarah.R has gone overboard with the packing for a day out. I told her to travel light! 

Moving on to our next mode of transport. Say hello to big strong Hercules.

I love chugging away on a steam train, watching the countryside slip slowly by, giving you time to take in the beautiful views. Where Mr C and I live we actually have the Great Central Railway not far from our doorstep. It's the UK’s only double track, main line heritage railway. The station is amazing, like stepping back in time, in fact lots of filming of movies and documentaries have been done there. I love being out walking or cycling, hearing the toot toot, and seeing the steam through the trees and we go to the station cafe often for a cuppa. 

For some reason people have this thing about sticking their head out of a moving steam train don't they? Hair flapping away, taking in the coal fumes and getting a steam facial thrown in too! 

Oh and here's Jane doing just that.
Train selfie.
Rolling into Kingswear station. Perched on the top of the hill is the Royal Naval College. 
The houses are all such pretty pastel colours, I want one, just a matter of finding a large sum of money! Any offers?
On to our next mode of transport. A boat. 

When you get to Kingswear station you have to take the ferry over to Dartmouth. If I remember rightly the train ticket was around £7 each and that includes the ferry ticket too, good job really as not sure anyone would fancy swimming over to Dartmouth! They run frequently but you have to make sure you're back for the very last one at 5pm. Miss it, and it's the long way home! 
We hit the shores and decided to take a stroll to Dartmouth Castle. Can't be that far can it? Dartmouth's not that big after all. 
So off we set on our little stroll. Only, you guessed it, turned out not to be so little. Along roads, up hills, and down hills. It can't be far we kept saying, and there was no pub in sight along the way, not one! 

Just lots of these stunning homes. I could see Mr C and I living here with our little boat moored outside so we could pop to the shop and the pub! Still waiting for an offer, million quid should cover it. 
Tongues hanging out, legs aching, would we ever find this bloody castle? We'd already walked for hours, and not a turret in sight, well we'd walked for about 40 minutes, but hey that's nearly hours, let's not split hairs!! 
We gathered all our strength, we'd not had alcohol since the night before so we were weak you know, and climbed the last hill, where we encountered, wait for it, other human beings!!! Our mammoth trek was over. Phew. Tired, weary, hungry and sooo thirsty but we had made it. Too dramatic????? 
Was that a cafe we could see?
Picture the scene. Us ladies were so excited that there happened to be a cafe on the top of the mountain, but we nearly cried liked babies when we saw that they sold grape juice of the alcoholic variety! We had earned it. Rosé all round please lovely waitress.
You will really laugh, when I tell you that after our mammoth trek up there none of us actually went inside the castle. We walked around it, that counts, admired the views, and even purchased delicious jams and chutneys from the English Heritage shop. Yum. To be honest, it was another nice day, and we were more than happy sitting outside, chilling, chatting, people watching and wine drinking! Ooh, we did go in the little church as well.

After refueling with a mixture of wine and coffee we went off to explore. There were steps that took you down to the waters edge. 
There were caves....................
And nooks and crannies..........................
That you had to squeeze your way through...............
Them there rocks were slippery little suckers and although I remained upright, as I was trying to hop back to dry land, jumping when Mr C told me to, I ended up with half the ocean in my shoes! Thanks darling, your judgement was a little out that day. That'll teach me to be clever and go rock climbing! 
No pirates on the horizon today.
John deep in thought wondering when the next pit stop for food and drink was coming up so we made our descent down the mountain.
Half wanted to get the teeny tiny ferry boat back from stumpy steps, the other wanting to walk. I was a walker. However, not wanting to split the group up, one half may have got lost forever, we all decided we would ferry it together. This was a good decision until the ferry turned up. A little man, in a little boat! This little boat could only take 8 people and there were already two at the front of the queue. Back to plan A. That was me walking then. We actually made good time, arriving at the designated pub just after them.
Time for food, and it's the seaside law that you have fish and chips, I'd worked up an appetite and boy were they good.
Yup, really enjoying them............
I love this photo that I pinched from Sarah.R. There we all were, lined up, minding our own business, just posing for a photo as you do, when we were photo-bombed by these two strangers!!!!! I love it so much I had to throw it in. We thanked them and they went on their merry way but wouldn't it be funny if someone reading this knew who they were.
Sadly, our adventures for another day were over, (we sound like the Famous Five, only we're not five, we're eight), so we got the boat, then the train.......................
..............and finally the car back to our fisherman's cottage to freshen up for our evening out on the town. 

By the way I know you'll be gutted if you haven't read part one of our adventures so don't fret you'll find it here.

Have you done this trip on the steam train down to Kingswear and then over to Dartmouth or visited Dartmouth via a different route? 

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11 comments

  1. Love reading your posts, looks like you guys had a fab time! Brilliant photos too, you're becoming quite the expert! Share your tips please!! H x x

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    1. Thanks Heather. We had a great time. Photos are coming along, just need a better camera! I'll be sending my tips!!! xx

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    2. I know I need to invest in a decent camera, my iPhone is ok, but I need a proper one to take some decent pics! Mark has a fancy Canon, but I'm scared to use it, as I'll probably drop it or something haha! x x

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    3. Heather, you may be surprised when I tell you that at the moment I take a lot on my iphone!!!!! Nick has a DSLR but still working out how to use it properly. It an old one though so really could do with a new one, I'll have to go to the money tree at the bottom of the garden. They're is one isn't there???? x

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    4. Ahh no way! Your pics are always sooooo good! Thanks for the dm hun just done it will have a play ; ) When you find your money tree can I have a branch haha just sand at the end of our garden lol!!!!!! x x x x

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  2. Darmouth is beautiful! I love your photos especially that of the luggage. So vintage.

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    1. I fell in love with Dartmouth and can't wait to go back on the steam train! x

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  3. I love Dartmouth.....so pretty
    Great photos Steph xx

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    1. Dartmouth is so pretty and I'm sure we've still got more exploring to do! x

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  4. Some absolutely amazing photographs which brings back wonderful memories of childhood holidays on Dartmouth waterside.

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    1. Thanks Fiona for your lovely comment. Happy that it brought back lovely memories for you! Personally I can't wait to go back. x

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