If you are to fully appreciate the beauty of South Devon, a visit to Dartmoor is a must. The standard day trip up to Haytor or Widecombe can please the family, but during peak seasons these honeypots don’t really cut the mustard for me; there may be impressive views along the way, but it’s right on the beaten track and doesn’t quite feel special enough.
My favourite family hideaway is a small island in the middle of the River Dart, just a stone’s throw away from New Bridge car park. With the risk of hundreds of people reading this Cottages In South Devon blog and ruining this tranquil haven for ever…
As you drive up towards the High Moor from the main car park beside New Bridge, with its permanent toilets and semi-permanent ice cream van, it’s just a few hundred metres before the road bends sharply up to the left. There is no signpost off to the right here, but if you take this awkward steep right turn you head down a lane and soon reach a couple of car parks on your left. Park here and then head off towards the river Dart on the opposite side of the road – across Spitchwick Common.
Dartmoor ponies are often all around and there is an open grassy area off to your right, often packed with people enjoying the river Dart and jumping in from the tall cliffs on the far side. But if you head straight across the common for 300 metres or so, at right-angles to the road, rather than heading off to the right with everyone else, you reach a semi-dry section of the river; cross this easily to reach a beautiful and quiet island, which you can make your own for the day. The main channel of the river Dart, on the other side of this narrow island, offers hours-worth of paddling, stone-skimming, picnicking and getting-away-from-it-all. It feels like a different world.
Another hidden gem – just minutes off the beaten track!