subject: Tv Star Settles In Devons Best Kept Secret [print this page] On the southernmost tip of the Devon coastline lies the ancient port of Dartmouth which has a proud naval tradition stretching back centuries. Apart from being the home of the Britannia College for future Royal Navy officers, the town has played a vital part in many of Britains most historic events being the departure point for major overseas missions such as the Crusades and the D-Day landings at Utah Beach.
Now a new point of interest is the arrival of TV personality, Monty Don, who has settled in the town and opened a novel shop appropriately called Great Escapes. Its purpose is to act as a one-stop port of call for visitors seeking to get the most from their time in Devon and Cornwall.
Local wild life tours, courses in natural history, film making, underwater photography and diving
trips are just some of the interesting variety of activities which can be arranged.
TV programmes like Great Escapes have done much to promote traditional as well as relatively new outdoor activities and the South West peninsula provides ideal natural facilities for indulging in them. By locating his venture in Dartmouth, Monty has conveniently positioned his fledgling business smack in the centre of the region. He knows that the seaside town is already a magnet for holiday makers and those just seeking a short break away from the madding crowd.
Its fine old buildings, many of which display magnificent examples of Tudor architecture, would have been a familiar sight to the Elizabethan seadogs who were based in the county. These now accommodate superb inns, restaurants and hotels which compliment an excellent selection of shops.
Like most other popular parts of the South West, the Dartmouth area offers a wide range of self-catering accommodation for those who dont want to stay in an hotel and this is either right on the coast or just inland. Farmhouse accommodation is a particular favourite with families and with those seeking real solitude. The area in which the town is situated is known as the South Hams and this continues all the way past Salcombe and Kingsbridge to Plymouth. With its rich farmland and quaint sailing villages like Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers, it is one of the South Wests best kept secrets.
