Plymouth; Monday, 16 June, 2008

After an unconvincing breakfast “box” from the hotel, I headed up through town to the train station. Quite a few of Plymouths key attractions are closed on a Monday, and the weather forecast for Tuesday wasn’t so good, so I decided to do as much outdoor stuff as I had planned today.

My main destination was Totnes, which I eventually reached just before 11:30, thanks to the marvellous services of Cross Country trains (it should only have taken 25 minutes, but the train was over 30 minutes late, and then got later on route!). From Totnes station I walked the short distance to the towns other station. Built at the point where a former branch line diverged from the main line into London, it is now the southern terminus of the South Devon Railway, a steam preservation line which runs for 7 or so miles up the Dart valley to Buckfastleigh.

On reaching Buckfastleigh I had a look around the small museum and workshop exhibition at the station, before catching the bus on to the abbey at Buckfast for a look around that.

The abbey was opened in 1932 on the site of a former abbey dissolved by Henry VIII. Today, the abbey, and the area around it are sometimes referred to as Fastbuckleigh based on their ability to cash in on the tourist pound. After looking around the abbey, and the gift shop, I caught the bus back to the station in time to catch the train back to Totnes.

From the station I caught the river ferry down the Dart to the town centre and then had a wander through the historic old town. At the top of the hill, overlooking the surrounding town is Totnes castle. The castle is a fine example of a Norman Mott and bailey castle. All that remains are the stone walls of the upper castle, and parts of the outer curtain wall, but from the top of the mound the views over the countryside are stunning.

I wandered back through the town to the station, conscious of the time it had taken me to get to Totnes, that in the early evening it might take as long. In the end I needn’t have worried. A train was pulling in as I approached the station and 25 minutes later I was back in Plymouth.

I had another wander around the city centre, taking in the Sutton Harbour and Barbican, the original parts of the city. With not much happening in Plymouth on a Monday evening out of peak time (the Uni students have all finished, but the schools are yet to break up, so it’s the perfect time for a quiet visit) I grabbed a bite to eat in the Pizza Express next to the hotel, and caught a film in the cinema opposite, before turning in for the night.