The Sharpham Peninsula Loop: A Riverside Walk Through Vineyards Past

The Sharpham peninsula loop is the walk people in Totnes recommend when they want you to see the river at its most graceful. It traces a roughly 4.5-mile circuit around a high finger of land that pushes south into a long, slow curve of the Dart. The vineyards that gave Sharpham wine its name moved downstream to Sandridge Barton in 2022, but the old vine terraces, the dairy pasture and the cheese-making heritage are all still very much present on the ground.

If you have a half day and a single walk in you, this is a strong pick. The Sharpham peninsula loop is rewarding without being demanding.

Getting to the start

Most walkers start from Ashprington, three miles south of Totnes by lane and signed off the A381. There is limited roadside parking by the village hall and a small layby near the church; please park considerately, this is a working village. By bus, the 165 from Totnes serves Ashprington a few times a day on weekdays.

Alternatively, you can begin in Totnes at Steamer Quay and walk down to Ashprington along the Dart Valley Trail. That turns the day into a longer 9-mile figure-of-eight, which is a fine option if you want to extend.

Onto the peninsula

From Ashprington the route follows a lane south past the cricket field and the entrance to the Sharpham estate. A signed footpath leaves the lane on the left and drops you gently down through paddocks towards the water. Within twenty minutes you are walking right beside the river, the tide either lapping at the path or sliding out across mudflats depending on the hour. Wading birds favour the lower water, and on a quiet morning you’ll see curlew and oystercatcher working the margins.

The path skirts the southern tip of the peninsula and climbs again through woodland and former vine terraces. Look closely at the south-facing slopes; the old contour lines and stumps of the original Sharpham vineyards are still visible if you know what you’re seeing. Sandridge Barton, where the wine is now made, is on the opposite side of the river, just visible through the trees in winter.

Halfway: views across to Stoke Gabriel

At the highest point of the loop, around two miles in, the trees open and you get a long view east across to Stoke Gabriel, with its mill pond and weir, and west back towards Totnes. There’s a bench here, well placed for a flask of tea. Buzzards work the ridge, and you’ll often see the Dart Princess pleasure boat motoring upstream below you.

The path drops back down to river level on the east side of the peninsula, joining a track that runs through dairy pasture. This is the only section where the loop crosses fields routinely grazed by cattle, so keep dogs under close control. Two kissing gates and one wooden stile mark the way.

Closing the loop back to Ashprington

The final mile climbs back up through a sunken lane to rejoin the original drive into the village. You finish past the church and the Durant Arms, which is the obvious place to plan an early lunch or late pint. The pub does a generous ploughman’s that pairs well with the local Sharpham brie if it’s on the cheeseboard.

Practicalities

Allow two and a half to three hours at a steady pace, plus stops. Terrain is mixed: firm lanes, woodland path with roots, two or three muddy field corners, and a handful of gates and stiles. It is not a buggy walk; the woodland and field stiles will defeat you. Dogs are fine on lead through the dairy pasture. There are no toilets or shops on the loop itself, so plan to stock up in Totnes or use the Durant Arms.

The Sharpham peninsula loop works year round but earns extra credit in May for the wood anemones and bluebells, and in late September for the soft, low river light. After heavy rain the field corners get sticky, so boots beat trainers in winter.

A note on the Sharpham wine story

The peninsula’s vine-growing heritage is part of what makes this walk feel different. Maurice Ash planted the original Sharpham vineyard in the early 1980s, on the south-facing terraces above the river, and the estate became one of the first commercial vineyards in Devon. Sharpham wine and the famous Sharpham brie were both made on the estate for decades. In 2022 the wine production moved downstream to Sandridge Barton, where new vines have been planted and a visitor centre opened.

What that means in practice is that the old vineyard land on the peninsula has reverted to grazing and woodland, but the contours and the soft south-facing slope angles are still very legible. The Sharpham peninsula loop walks you through that history without needing a guidebook in your hand. If you want to taste the modern result, Sandridge Barton is a 10-minute drive (or a longer riverside walk on the opposite bank) and offers tastings and tours through the season.

For a longer day, link this with our guide to walks near Ashprington, or pair it with a visit to Sandridge Barton for a tasting after the walk.