サウスミルトンでののおすすめツーリングルート

£5 as of June 2025 for 1 adult plus bike.

£2.70 each way (2025)

Doesn't show up yet in all of Streetview.

Useful for stocking up for camping food if you don't want to pay £7.50 plus for a bacon bap in Salcombe.

Currently £4.50 for 🚲 and passenger one way.

One of the further signposts to Totnes

A high crossroads on the NCN 28

In 1219 Kingsbridge was owned by the Abbot of Buckfast who needed an outlet where the monks could sell their produce: honey, beeswax, candles, soap and mead. So the Abbot petitioned the Crown for permission to hold a market at Kingsbridge and a Royal Charter was granted. As a Market Town, Kingsbridge has thrived through its independent businesses, often family-run for generations and relying upon the local community's support. A small chapel existed on the site of St. Edmund's Church in the 13th century but the burial ground was at Churchstow, a village two miles to the west. In 1309 the parishioners petitioned the Bishop and complained of the difficulty of carrying their dead "up the mountain" to Churchstow for burial. However it was more than 100 years before permission was granted "to the Abbot and monks of Buckfast to build a church in honour of the blessed Edmund, King and Martyr in their demesne and the vill which is called Kingsbrigg". In 1798 the town mills were converted into a woollen manufactory, which produced large quantities of cloth. During the 19th century the town had an active coastal shipping trade, shipbuilding, a tannery and a large monthly cattle market. The chief exports were cider, corn, malt and slate.

Even when cycling up the hill it's worth stopping and looking behind you at where you've just come from.

South Milton Sands is a large, pretty sandy beach. Great for some sand sprints. The coast path doesn't go down to the beach, but it's worth a detour if you aren't going for an FKT.

This American Sherman Tank was recovered from the sea in 1984. It is a memorial to those who lost their lives during exercise Tiger. Exercise Tiger was ill-fated with instances of friendly fire, miss managed communications and amidst the confusion German fast attack boats slipped in amongst the landing craft and sunk a couple. About 700 allies lost their lives here practising for the D-Day landings.

Salcombe is cute, indeed, but frankly, also a bit posh. If you prefer more the nature and quietness, than better stay on this side of the estuary. Maybe you fancy a coffee with a view of Salcombe at Venus Cafe, just behind the steps down to the ferry quai?

The ferry (yepp, it’s the vessel on that picture) goes back and forth permanently between Salcombe and East Portlemouth Beach from ~8am to ~6:30 pm. Fare for adults is 2.30 pounds each (2023).

Best Ginger Ice ever!!

Beautiful large sandy beach with Thurlstone Rock arch and a National Trust cafe.

This is a nice place to sit and watch the world go by and there are plenty of places to refuel and rehydrate around the harbour Despite appearances, this isn't a river at all, its is a ria, and inlet from the sea created by a drowned valley.

This restored Sherman Tank was recovered from the sea in 1984 and commemorates the tragic loss of life in 1944 on Exercise Tiger. The exercise went badly wrong after the arrival of German U-Boats and was kept quiet for many years. A number of the US servicemen who died are still buried in unmarked graves. Further information can be found here https://www.submerged.co.uk/slapton/ In the build up to the D-Day Landings, Torcross and its beach were used as a training area due to its resemblance to the Normandy beaches. Around 300 residents were evacuated

The coast road separates Slapton Sands and Slapton Ley, a National Nature Reserve on it's way between Slapton and Torcross. This road was built in 2002 after its predecessor was undermined by storms in 2001. In December 1943, around 3000 residents around this area were evacuated for 12 months for top secret D-Day landing practice on Slapton Sands, chosen for its similarity to Normandy beaches.

The ferry takes foot passengers between Salcombe and East Portlemouth across the Kingsbridge Estuary. Despite being small in size, it does take bicycles (currently £1 each). See the website for further details on prices and ferry times https://www.salcombeinformation.co.uk/advertiser/salcombe-ferry-3/

Nice seating area below to enjoy the views of the harbour too.