Things To Do in Dartmouth

Many visitors come to Dartmouth for the bracing salt air and a chance to explore the surrounding marshlands, which are rich in bird life and natural beauty. The way to do this is to book a cruise aboard River Link, which departs Dartmouth daily in summer starting at 8:30am, heading for Totnes. To book tickets, look for the kiosk at Dartmouth Embankment (tel. 01803/834488; www.riverlink.co.uk). The cruise lasts about an hour, costing £7.75 to £9.75 for adults, £7.25 to £8.75 for seniors, and £5 to £6.50 for children 5 to 15. Family tickets cost £22 to £27.

The town's most historic and interesting church is St. Petrox, on Castle Road, a 17th-century Anglican monument with an ivy-draped graveyard whose tombstones evoke the sorrows of Dartmouth's maritime past. The church is open daily from 7am to dusk.

It's also worth walking through Bayard's Cove, a waterfront, cobbled, half-timbered neighborhood that's quite charming. Set near the end of Lower Street, it prospered during the 1600s thanks to its ship-repair services. In 1620, its quays were the site for repairs of the Pilgrims' historic ships, the Speedwell and the Mayflower, just after their departure from Plymouth.