Torquay, South Devon & Dartmoor National Park

Home to a community of Benedictine monks, Buckfast Abbey lies on the banks of the River Dart. Here, we soak up the peaceful atmosphere and explore the beautiful Abbey church with its art treasures. There’s also time to wander the tranquil gardens and browse the gift and produce shops.

We then continue on a scenic drive through Dartmoor National Park; this wild heart of Devon is peppered with moss-blanketed boulders, honey-coloured heaths, tinkling streams and cinematic granite tors. Look out for rare wildlife before we reach our next stop; Princetown. This tiny moorland outpost is home to the foreboding Dartmoor prison and the Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre, which was once the Old Duchy Hotel where Arthur Conan Doyle penned the eerie novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Our next stop is Tavistock. This classic West Country market town is the gateway to the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site. Explore the old streets, which throng with an eclectic mix of small independent shops and delicatessens, and peek behind the Town Hall to discover the award-winning and historic Pannier Market.

We start the day with some time at leisure in the riverside town of Dartmouth. Former home of Agatha Christie, it is easily one of Devon's prettiest destinations. Explore the pastel-coloured buildings leaning at angles and the picturesque harbour laden with yachts and pleasure boats.

Next, we enjoy a relaxing cruise along the calm waters of the River Dart, where we admire the magnificent buildings, including the Britannia Royal Naval College and Agatha Christie’s Greenway Estate. Cameras at the ready for the Sharpham Estate with its vineyards and steep, wooded hillsides plunging down to the water’s edge.

We disembark in the historic market town of Totnes, a helter-skelter of charming streets and fine Tudor buildings nestled beneath the silhouette of the sturdy Norman castle. We have time to explore the boutique shops famed for their range of ethical products, whole foods and fair trade goods.

Please note: the cruise itinerary may operate in reverse order subject to sailing times.

Our optional excursion takes us first to Dawlish, a quaint and friendly resort that was once a tiny fishing village until the Victorian Railway Age turned it into a thriving seaside town. It nestles between striking red sandstone cliffs overlooking a sandy beach, with the railway still running right alongside the seafront. We then make our way to Teignmouth, a handsome estuary town which has the benefits of a bustling harbour as well as the classic attractions of a seaside resort. It boasts an elegant Georgian crescent, promenade and Victorian pier with fine views across the bay.