South Devon at its finest!

Hello sunshine!

Summer has finally arrived here in glorious Devon and we are here for it.

This past month has seen the launch of our brand new cruises – the Dawlish Round Robin and the South Devon Circular. Now, if you know us, you will know that we don’t introduce new cruises very often – instead, we like to perfect what we are currently offering – you know, do less but do it really really well rather than try to do everything and be averagely good and all that!

So, this is a pretty big deal for us and I am delighted to report that, so far, we have operated 4 of these cruises and they have got better and better each time.

Now I wouldn’t be very good at my job if I had not done this myself – speaking from first-hand experience really is the very best and most authentic, honest way to recommend something.

Sunday 28th July was a glorious sunny day – blue skies, not a cloud in sight and the temperature was around 25 degrees! I set off from Exmouth on the train, having first been to the Stuart Line Cruises Booking Office at Exmouth Marina to collect my tickets.

The first half of the train journey was along the Avocet Line, which runs alongside the Exe Estuary and the second half, after Exeter, was along the Riviera Line – voted one of Britain’s most scenic railway journey and scenic it certainly was!

On arrival at Dawlish, I was very pleasantly surprised by how nice the train station was – much of it is brand new and it was all clearly signposted, easily accessible with my pushchair and just altogether very straightforward.

My day became more and more charming as it went along – my expectations of Dawlish itself were admittedly uncertain – it is not somewhere that I tend to visit often and I wrongly assumed that it would present little more than arcades, pubs and the smell of hot doughnuts and whilst it was everything you might expect and hope for from a British seaside town, it actually had so much more to offer and I absolutely loved it.

Having paused to gaze at the Black Swans meandering in the pretty brook, we continued through the town and stumbled across a rather lovely looking independent Ice Cream parlour called The Local Scoop – we had not yet had lunch and so managed to resist but I had also not yet had my morning coffee and the takeaway flat white was absolutely gorgeous! The owner then recommended that I walk a little further through the high street to a fantastic deli called Le Cygne, so off we went in search of sandwiches or salads to take away!

The deli was absolutely beautiful, serving a wide range of local, artisan produce with a range of Gluten Free, Vegan and Vegetarian options. Everything was such nice quality and I was so pleased to see so many local producers being showcased – to be quite honest I think Dawlish is worth a visit just for this deli alone! Really really good and the service was excellent.

With full tummies, we headed out along the sea wall which, again, is newly built following storm damage (you’ve probably heard all about it in the national news) and it was really very nice indeed – beautifully kept and the views were quite simply stunning – I felt like I could have been anywhere in the world!

The boat departed from Boat Cove, just next to the breakwater in Dawlish and the coastal cruise back over to Exmouth was gorgeous, with the perfect balance of interesting commentary from the Skipper and time to reflect with only the sounds of the water lapping gently against the bow of the boat. The scenery of the coastline between Dawlish and Exmouth si quite simply stunning.

Upon our return to Exmouth, we promptly collected our buckets and spades and headed to our favourite little section of the beach for a refreshing dip and plenty of sandcastle building!

So, admittedly I may be a little biased, but Sunday was strictly my day off with my little toddler who is 2 years old and I can honestly say that this was one of the best and most relaxing days out I have ever had with him. Every aspect was totally enjoyable and we cannot wait to do it again soon!

The Dawlish Round Robin offers the perfect link between two of Devon’s most attractive seaside resorts, with the opportunity for passengers to travel one-way by boat and one-way by train, both commanding amazing views along the way.

Make it a day out without the hassle out of driving and experience the thrill of a beach landing, to jump aboard for a one-way cruise from Dawlish and disembark to enjoy the day in Exmouth (or vice versa), before returning on the famously scenic railway lines. You can even stop-off and enjoy the villages along the way with your inclusive hop-on, hop-off train ticket! Lympstone is particularly lovely and Powderham Castle is a short walk from Starcross train station – again, well worth a visit!

For those who do not wish to include the train journey, there is also the option to embark on the South Devon Circular. This circular coastal cruise offers a round trip from Exmouth, where you can experience the wonders of the dramatic South Devon Coastline. This cruise sets sail past Dawlish Warren and heads towards the Parson and the Clerk where you get up close and personal to see this iconic rock formation and its nearby wildlife from a perspective you will not have experienced before! You can discover the hidden coves, secret tunnels and tales from times gone by whilst taking in the breath-taking scenery of this ancient coastline.

See more from the links below:

South Devon Circular