Buckfastleigh
Buckfastleigh sits where the Dart valley begins to climb up onto Dartmoor. Buckfast Abbey, the South Devon Railway, Pennywell Farm, the Otter Sanctuary, and a small market town high street that still has independent traders.
What to see
- Buckfast Abbey – a working Benedictine monastery rebuilt by the monks themselves between 1907 and 1937. Free to visit, gardens open year-round.
- South Devon Railway – a seven-mile heritage steam line between Buckfastleigh and Totnes Riverside, running alongside the Dart.
- Pennywell Farm – a family farm with miniature pigs, lambs and daily handling sessions. Best for under-10s.
- Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary – conservation centre on the edge of town with feeding sessions twice a day.
Where to walk
Hembury Castle (an Iron Age hillfort and Norman motte just north of Buckfast) is the classic short walk. Longer routes climb out to Holne and onto open moorland.