SALCOMBE

Salcombe is a beautiful, upmarket estuary town in the South Hams district of Devon. Its attractiveness as a place to live, as well as its long-standing reputation as a yachting paradise, has made it a magnet for the wealthy including a number of celebrities, pushing up house prices and leaving it out of reach for many, something which can be said for a lot of the loveliest towns around the south-west coast. The coast of South-West Britain has many exhilarating walks, but one of the best I have done is a walk starting from the car park of the National Trust Overbeck’s garden – not to be missed – and heading west towards Bolt Head. The day I did it was the day of  Diana’s funeral; hopefully I will get to do the walk again one day on a happier occasion.

During the Second World War, Salcombe played host to the US Navy, which set up an Advance Amphibious Base there, using the Salcombe Hotel as its headquarters, while a radar station was established on Bolt Head, now dismantled. Many ships and vessels left Salcombe on 4th June 1944 for Utah Beach, Normandy, as part of the D-Day Operations. Earlier war action saw the town siding with the Royalists during the English Civil War. The now ruined Fort Charles was the last remaining Royalist stronghold, having withstood two Roundhead sieges.

For events in Salcombe and surrounding area follow this link.

Webcam view looking towards Portlemouth.

Map of the area.

View of the estuary from Overbecks