the apARTment & the garDENstudio

Dartmouth is the Jewel of the South Hams, with ancient winding streets, rows of pastel coloured houses, a selection of fine art galleries and boutique shops, local markets, specialist delicatessens and an array of excellent restaurants.

The apARTment at hARTworks house a Victorian detached villa style property, offers wonderful views of the picturesque houses lining the rolling hills of the river Dart. At the nearby waterfront you will find local fish & chips and crab sandwiches - an absolute must, or perhaps try one of the fresh seafood restaurants offering varied gastronomic delights. Dartmouth is a favoured holiday spot for families, couples and groups of friends alike. This small naval port is home to the Britannia Royal Naval College, the centre of Royal Naval officer training, and has played a vital role in the UKs long nautical history. Bayards Cove is the town’s most ancient and picturesque wharf with a beautiful cobbled quayside and Tudor artillery fort, which guards Dartmouth's inner harbour built in the early 16th century by the townspeople to protect their town quay.

The sea and the sand offer all types of water sports and activities, with many cruise ships visiting the beautiful port throughout the year. During the summer months the embankment of the River Dart is absolutely bustling. Children catch crabs, water taxis ferry to and from Kingswear, and private boats and larger vessels provide wonderful river cruises and trips upstream towards Totnes. There is also the lovely and familiar sound of the old steam train making its summer journey from Kingswear to Paignton and the English Riviera.

The Dart Estuary lies within a South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and within the South Devon Heritage Coast. Just a short drive from Dartmouth is the award winning Blue Flag shingle beach of Blackpool Sands. Set in a sheltered bay and fringed by pines, this is said to be one of the area's most beautiful natural treasures, with turquoise blue seas lapping at the long stretches of sand. The South West Coast Path offers stunning scenery on short or long hikes, and you can head East towards Brixham or West towards Slapton Sands and Start Bay.

The modern Flavel theatre offers theatre and cinema for adults and children alike the whole year through, and The National Trust properties of Coleton Fishacre and Greenway, the stunning holiday home of the much-loved author Agatha Christie, are both close by. Just a few steps along the coast are yet more beautiful Devon villages, including Totnes, Dittisham and Stoke Gabriel with the historic market town of Kingsbridge just 13 miles west of Dartmouth, and the beautiful beaches around Salcombe well worth a day trip at around half an hour away. Impossible to get bored & so easy to fall in love with this area.

Monty Hall the wildlife presenter has a Dartmouth shop offering a fabulous range of great escapes including foraging, shore walks, boat and diving trips. Wildlife Trips and Diving – www.montyhalls.co.uk

You will find plenty of adventure parks, including multi award winning www.pennywellfarm.co.uk and the ever popular http://www.woodlandspark.com/
Come and try the great restaurants, Blue Flag beaches, delicious local ice cream, crabbing, sailing, stunning views, excellent shopping and art galleries, Devon cream teas, coastal walking, and of course the famous Dartmouth Regatta http://www.dartmouthregatta.co.uk/

Each year the Dartmouth calendar is choc a bloc with sea and land based events and this special town festival is the absolute pinnacle of the fun. Since 1834, the Dartmouth Royal Regatta has been the highlight of the year, and the whole town gets swept up in the atmosphere of this wonderful event. Visitors get to enjoy a host of treats, from sailing to market displays to marvelling at the acrobatics of the Red Arrows and the most astounding firework displays in these last special days of August.

South Hams name deriving from the old English Saxon word 'Hamme' meaning 'sheltered place, the wonderful mild climate of the Southernmost tip of Devon, a perfect location for longer holidays and for year round short breaks.