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Voykit pocket guide · United Kingdom
Totnes
Spend a full day in Totnes: walk the historic streets, visit Totnes Castle and the market, then catch a heritage train or head to nearby Dartington.
Totnes is a small market town on the River Dart in South Devon. Its Norman castle, Tudor‑styled streets and lively Friday‑Saturday markets give a compact historic experience, while the nearby Dartington Hall Estate adds arts and nature. A day is enough for the core sights; add an extra half‑day for the heritage railway or Dartington.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- check weather; conditions vary
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GBP
- Money
- Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; some places are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget £45–£70 excl. bed · Mid £70–£120 excl. bed · High £120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines, no registration needed.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Fire and ambulance 999 · Non‑urgent police 101 · NHS non‑urgent 111
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Three-pin Type G only; European, US and Australian plugs need an adapter. Bathrooms have two-pin shaver sockets only.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.; Pub or bar: Not expected; 'and one for yourself' offers the bartender a drink.; Taxi: Round up or 10%.; Hotel porter: £1–2 per bag.; Tour guide: £5–10 per person for a day tour; free walking tours expect £10–15.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Free refills are common; restaurants will bring tap water if you ask.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 or are card-only. Stations, museums, department stores and pubs (if you buy a drink) are the fallback.
Get in
By air
- EXT · Exeter International Airport
- About 45 min by car or bus; limited flights from UK/Europe
- PLH · Plymouth City Airport
- check
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is compact; most attractions are within a 10‑minute walk. Regular bus services link nearby villages and the heritage railway. Check current timetables for train services.
See and do
Known for
- Totnes Castle
- South Devon Railway heritage line
- Dartington Hall Estate
- Friday‑Saturday market
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth | Coach from Totnes bus station, about 30 min | ≈45 min |
| Kingsbridge | Bus via South Devon, about 40 min | ≈1 h |
| Salcombe | Bus to Kingsbridge then local service, ≈1 h 15 min | ≈1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Steam Packet Inn
- Riverside B&B, walkable to town centre.
- The Bull Inn
- Central high‑street inn.
- The Old Forge
- Historic stone B&B.
- Royal Seven Stars Hotel
- Boutique hotel on The Plains.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents and vocabulary; Welsh and Gaelic appear on signs and in some communities but you will never need them. Visitors mostly trip over words, not accents.
- Useful words: 'loo' toilet, 'queue' line, 'lift' elevator, 'pavement' sidewalk, 'return' round-trip ticket, 'cheers' thanks.
- 'First floor' is one above the ground floor.
- Politeness is indirect: 'I'm not sure that's quite right' can mean 'that's wrong'.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake at first meeting; 'hi' and first names quickly; avoid: Cheek kisses with strangers
- Conversation: Weather is a safe opener; understatement and self-deprecating humour; avoid: Asking about salary or class
- Queues: Join at the back; avoid: Pushing onto buses or trains before others get off
- Apologies: 'Sorry' is said constantly, even when not at fault; avoid: Taking it as an admission of blame
- Pubs: Buy rounds in a group; wait at the bar without waving money; avoid: Clicking fingers at staff
- Nations: Call Scots Scottish and Welsh Welsh; avoid: Calling the whole UK 'England'
Scams and watch-outs
- Train services are limited on Sundays; check the timetable.
- Castle entry fee: adults £3.60, children £2.20.
- Heritage railway runs seasonally (April‑October); verify dates.
Totnes is generally safe; watch for occasional pickpocketing in busy market areas.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Totnes yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Totnes Castle
- South Devon Railway heritage line
- Dartington Hall Estate
- Friday‑Saturday market
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- English Heritage – Totnes Castle: www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/totnes-castle/
- Dartington Hall Estate: www.dartington.org/
- Wikivoyage: Totnes, revision 5310265 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5310265
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/totnes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.