Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company
5 Lower Street Dartmouth Devon TQ6 9AJ
Not just for steam train lovers, the Paignton–Kingswear heritage steam railway is a fun way to view some of the spectacular scenery along the English Riviera from the comfort of an old-fashioned train. The stations have kept some lovely detailed features, such as old-fashioned suitcases stacked against a wall, vintage signs and adverts. Chug along to the picturesque station at Churston, through the wooded slopes of Long Wood bordering the Dart Estuary to Kingswear. Or start at Dartmouth, get the passenger ferry across to Kingswear and do it in the opposite direction. For an extra £1.50, you can sit in the very front, all-glass carriage and have the best view. Families with small children are likely to want to hop on and off, rather than travel the full 30 minutes there, and then another 30 minutes back. Greenway, Agatha Christie's house and gorgeous gardens, now a National Trust property, makes a lovely stop for a couple of hours, or you can find a family park, beach and cheerfully coloured beach huts at Goodrington. The company also offer lots of different boat trips from Dartmouth, on which you’ll have a good chance of spotting wildlife such as seals, buzzards, herons – and occasionally dolphins, and their various combinations of train/boat/open-top bus trips allow you to visit several places in a day – but do start early to make the most of it: the Round Robin is a full-day trip visiting Dartmouth, Kingswear, Totnes and Paignton, and you can also enjoy trips by boat to Salcombe, Dittisham, Sharpham Vineyard and Totnes. Take a look at the website for itineraries and train times.
