Salcombe: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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GBP 49 - 325 Tides Reach
 Tides Reach Hotel is a pretty seafront hotel with beautiful views and leisure facilities. Salcombe is a short walk or ferry ride along the estuary.
O… MoreGBP 165 - 420 South Sands
 Situated right on the beach, South Sands is a stunning boutique hotel with a beachside restaurant and modern rooms. There is free Wi-Fi and free priva… MoreGBP 140 - 290 Soar Mill Cove Hotel
 By the sea, set in 2000 acres of naturally beautiful National Trust countryside, this charming, family-run 4-star hotel offers great facilities and co… MoreGBP 45 - 270 Salcombe Harbour Hotel
 On the waterfront, Salcombe Harbour Hotel, formerly the Marine Hotel, features a 15-metre pool, a fitness suite, a terrace and poolside loungers. Ther… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salcombe: Guide
Salcombe is a town in the South Hams district of Devon, England on the Kingsbridge Estuary. Originally a fishing port, the town is now a centre for yachting. A notable feature of the town is the ruins of Fort Charles (Salcombe)|Fort Charles. Ferries sail from Salcombe to Kingsbridge and to East Portlemouth.
The Estuary
Salcombe is at the mouth of one of the most picturesque estuaries in the South West, steep sided with woods and farmland surrounding it. The estuary was carved out by glacial melt water at the end of the ice age. See ria.
The Bar
The Bar is a shallow submerged spit of sand across the entrance to the estuary that causes the entrance to be nearly impassible on low spring tides in strong southerly winds. It is believed that Lord Tennyson's famous poem "Crossing the Bar" was inspired by a visit to Salcombe during the 19th century. The poem begins with the lines, "Sunset and evening star and one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea,...". The moaning refers to the noise of the water breaking over The Bar. In 1916 the Salcombe lifeboat, an open rowboat, was capsized crossing The Bar resulting in a tragic loss of life.
The Town
Salcombe is a seaside town. It has the second highest property prices in the UK, after Sandbanks|Sandbanks, Poole (outside of central London). There is a wide variety of shops including Cranch's pantry which has old-fashioned sweets and, depending on the season, 15-20 different boutiques, all selling expensive clothes. The restuarants are varied, but in general one must expect London prices. The local Art Club's exhibition, held during the season in an old loft near The Fortesque Inn, is often worth stopping by for a reasonably-priced souvenir.
The Beaches
The beaches are very picturesque and so get busy in summer. They include Mill Bay and Sunny Cove, reached from the town via the East Portlemouth ferry (foot passengers only) and South Sands, which is a most enjoyable 15 minute ride away on the Salcombe-South Sands Ferry. Your ticket also includes a ride on the famous Sea Tractor! North Sands is a beautiful but steep walk from the town centre, taking about 20-30 minutes, depending on your level of fitness. The tides can be very strong in the estuary.
External links
An old Salcombe and South Hams family name. In the 1800s they were master mariners in the town.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Salcombe". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.