Page 143 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

DE VON  141

of the peninsula are also served up the hill from here. Until the abbey was completed in 1938
by passenger ferries. For fantastic early 19th century, a lookout was and has gardens, a restaurant and
coastal views, continue along the posted at this hut throughout a shop selling tonic wine, honey
South West Coast Path to the the pilchard season, warning and other products. The mosaics
rocky headland of Bolt Head. fishermen when a new shoal and stained-glass window are
was spotted arriving. also the work of the monks.
O South Devon Chilli Farm Nearby is the Buckfast
Wigford Cross, Loddiswell, Butterfly Farm and Dartmoor
Kingsbridge. Tel 01548 550782. Otter Sanctuary, and the South
Open 10am–4:30pm daily. 8 Devon Steam Railway terminus,
7 limited. - = ∑ southdevon where steam trains leave for
chillifarm.co.uk Totnes (see p138).
0 Burgh Island R Buckfast Abbey
Just off Grange Rd. Tel 01364 645500.
Devon. Map D6. 3 Plymouth then Open 9am–6pm Mon–Sat & noon–
bus to Bigbury-on-Sea. n The Quay, 6pm Sun. Closed Good Fri & 25–27
Kingsbridge; 01548 853195. Dec. 5 ∑ buckfasttourism.org.uk
∑ visitsouthdevon.co.uk
O Buckfast Butterfly Farm and
Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary
The short walk across the sands A sea tractor heading to the famous The Station. Tel 01364 642916.
at low tide from Bigbury-on-Sea Art Deco Burgh Island hotel Open Mar–Oct: 10am–5pm daily;
to Burgh Island takes visitors Nov–Feb: 11am–3pm daily. ∑ otters
back to the era of the 1920s andbutterflies.co.uk
and 1930s. It was here that the q Buckfastleigh
millionaire Archibald Nettlefold Devon. Map D5. * 3,400. n Fore St,  South Devon Steam Railway
built the glamorous Burgh Island Buckfastleigh; 01364 644522. ∑ southdevonrailway.co.uk
Hotel (see p178) in 1929. Art Deco ∑ visitsouthdevon.co.uk
in style, with a natural rock sea-
bathing pool, it was known as This market town, situated on the w Buckland Abbey
the “smartest hotel west of the edge of Dartmoor (see pp142–3), Yelverton. Map C5. Tel 01822 853607.
Ritz” and, in its heyday, was the is dominated by Buckfast Abbey. Open Abbey: mid-Feb–Oct: 11am–
exclusive retreat of figures such The original abbey, founded 5pm daily; Nov, 1–23 Dec & 27–31 Dec:
as the Duke of Windsor and by King Cnut in 1018, fell into open for guided tours only. Garden:
English playwright Sir Noël Peirce ruin after the Dissolution of the mid-Feb–Oct: 10am–5pm daily.
Coward. It also served as the Monasteries (see p36) and it was Closed Jan, early Feb & 24–26 Dec.
setting for two novels by Agatha not until 1882 that a small & 8 ø ∑ nationaltrust.org.uk
Christie: And Then There were group of French
None and Evil Under the Benedictine Founded by Cistercian monks
Sun. The restored hotel is monks set up in 1278, Buckland Abbey was
the island's star attraction, a new abbey converted to a house after the
and the restaurant is here. Work on Dissolution and became the
open to non-residents. the present home of Sir Francis Drake (see
Visitors can also explore building was p144) from 1581. Drake’s life is
Burgh Island. Highlights financed by recalled through memorabilia in
include the Pilchard Inn donations the house. Many of the monastic
(1336), reputed to be and carried buildings survive in the grounds
haunted by the ghost of a out by the of the estate, notably the 14th-
smuggler, and Huer’s Hut, monks. The century tithe barn.

The striking exterior of Buckfast Abbey, reconstructed from the ruins of an abbey founded in the reign of King Cnut

140-141_EW_ESC.indd 141 10/03/17 6:54 pm