Hartstongue - Torbay Nature Reserves

This well-preserved late medieval house, built of local stone, lies near the centre of the Devon town of Paignton. It probably belonged to a well-to-do landowning or merchant family, and had a grand hall with space for up to 20 people to dine together. The house now contains modern furniture, illustrating traditional craftsmanship and the original use of the rooms.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kirkham-house-paignton/

Kirkham House Kirkham Street, Paignton TQ3 3AX

: Last Updated: 03 December 2020; Hits: 463

The Torbay Hinterland is a steeply undulating series of hills incised by small streams which extend into the adjacent urban areas. It includes a distinctive rim of landscape which forms the setting and backdrop to Torbay with views across the conurbation out to sea. Here the proximity of the urban edge has resulted in a proliferation of urban fringe development and recreation activities which have fragmented the hedgerow, woodland and land use patterns and made them vulnerable to change. Nevertheless, fingers of green landscape penetrate down the steep valleys into the built up areas of Torbay, creating welcome contrasts and opportunities for recreation. Further west the landscape looks inland, with views to Dartmoor in the west. Here there is a stronger rural character; the folds of the landscape and high hedgebanks lend visual enclosure and a greater degree of tranquillity; the historic pattern of hedgebanks, small woods, winding rural lanes and sparse settlement remains intact; and historic castle sites are a feature that adds to the time depth of the landscape.

The Torbay Hinterland is located adjacent to the coastal resorts of Torbay (Torquay, Paignton and Brixham) and forms a rim of rural landscape that acts as a setting to these settlements, offering views eastwards across the built up area and out to sea. To the west the landscape faces inland and overlooks the tributary valleys of the River Hems. Here the boundary with the Denbury and Kerswell Farmlands is transitional. In contrast the eastern boundary is abrupt and is formed by the urban edge; while to the south the boundary follows the ridge which separates Torbay from the tidal Dart Estuary south-east of Totnes.

https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/torbay-hinterland

https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas

http://map.devon.gov.uk/dccviewer/?bm=Aerial2015Onwards&layers=Landscapes;9&activeTab=Landscapes&extent=275396;54612;295477;67961

: Last Updated: 30 October 2020; Hits: 444

Read more: DCA - Torbay hinterland

The Breccia Hills and Coast is a strongly undulating and highly dissected landscape of deep winding valleys with intervening high rounded ridges, and coastal slopes and combes, with steep red sandstone cliffs along the coast itself. Coastal influence is felt throughout much of the area, with extensive estuary and sea views from the high ridges and coast and estuary slopes providing a strong sense of place. Dense hedgerows and narrow, winding lanes are characteristic, along with small blocks of mixed and broadleaved woodland, occasional old orchards and small parks and tree-lined streams. This landscape has a deeply rural character with scattered farmsteads and small villages within the narrow valleys. Overall, sense of tranquillity is strong, even close to the nearby large settlements of Shaldon, Torbay, Kingskerswell and Newton Abbot, by virtue of the separating steep ridges.

This is a coastal landscape comprising an area of undulating high ridges dissected by deep narrow valleys and traversed by a maze of sinuous lanes and ancient greenways. These ridges are clearly defined on all sides and stand out as distinctive from the surrounding land – the northern edge of the area is marked by the Teign Estuary and the southern edge by the built development of Torquay and Torbay. To the east is the sea and to the west the settlements of Newton Abbot and Kingskerswell set on the valley sides of the Aller Brook. To the south, the area extends as a narrow finger of coastal open plateau between Torquay resort and the sea as far as Hope’s Nose.

https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/breccia-hills-and-coast

https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas

http://map.devon.gov.uk/dccviewer/?bm=Aerial2015Onwards&layers=Landscapes;9&activeTab=Landscapes&extent=281203;61214;301285;74562

: Last Updated: 30 October 2020; Hits: 434

South Devon National Character Area (NCA) is predominantly a plateau, dissected by steep valleys and rivers, most rising on the adjoining Dartmoor NCA. Towards the coast the often wooded valleys and rias are remote and hard to access from the land. The majority of the area consists of mixed farming, with fields flanked by Devon hedgebanks and narrow winding lanes. The south of the area contains many internationally important coastal and estuarine habitats. These support populations of wintering waders and wildfowl, rare plant communities and also provide significant carbon storage. Much of the area is a popular visitor destination, with the South West Coast Path National Trail being a major asset. Historic market and coastal towns are strategically located across the area and the two major urban settlements are located at either end of the coastal stretch, Plymouth in the west and Torbay in the east.

http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/1911063?category=587130

: Last Updated: 29 September 2020; Hits: 619

Read more: Torre Abbey, Torquay

Cockington Court is one of Torbay's favourite destinations, combining history with present day through a thriving craft centre and a popular programme of events. The site enjoys a growing reputation as a regional centre for quality arts and crafts.

Set in an award-winning country park a mile away from the seafront, Cockington Court is an historic manor house with over twenty craft studios, tea rooms, walled art garden, tudor rose garden, contemporary art gallery and a popular children’s play area.

Following the latest Government announcements, we are pleased to provide an update on reopening Cockington Court, in line with Covid-19 guidance.

We are so excited to share the news that most of our studio makers are now open at the Stable Yard and Sea Change Studios, with measures in place to keep visitors safe. Anchor studios, OurGlass and Rex Latham Blacksmith are open from 10am daily. Please check other studios for their various opening times.

The parkland is open 9am - 7pm, and The Seven Dials café is open for take away.

The Galleries and Visitor Welcome Point are open Thursday - Sunday 10:30am - 4:30pm. We are open for vulnerable people on Wednesdays from 1pm - 4:30pm, when extra safety measures are in place.

The nearest parking to access the whole site is behind the Manor House. This car park is open 8:30am - 7pm daily. Disabled parking can be found behind the Rose Garden – please refer to maps below.

The public toilets are now open 10 am - 5pm daily.

Please keep in touch on our Facebook page for further updates.

https://www.cockingtoncourt.org/

Cockington Court Craft Centre Cockington, Torquay TQ2 6XA

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cockingtoncourt/ (4k)

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: Last Updated: 21 September 2020; Hits: 523

The Lupton Trust was formed by a group of local people to breathe life back into Lupton House - an old empty school, gardens and woods in Brixham. By pooling the communities’ enthusiasm, skills, expertise and knowledge to deliver an environmentally sustainable space for the whole community; enabling local people, groups, charities, arts and environmental projects to grow, develop and learn within a magical setting in the heart of Torbay.

Lupton House is a Grade II* building set in beautiful parkland on the outskirts of Brixham. To the south of the main house there is a formal Italianate garden also listed. A private residence for several generations Lupton House is dedicated to the regeneration of the local community and its historical site, Lupton Trust leads various highly successful volunteer run projects and was awarded the Big Society government award in 2013.

http://discoverlupton.com/

Lupton House Brixham Road, Churston Ferrers TQ5 0LD

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: Last Updated: 17 September 2020; Hits: 1310

Berry Head is a National Nature Reserve. This stunning headland, with its iconic lighthouse and Napoleonic Fort, is surrounded by water on three sides and offers exceptional views across Torbay and beyond. It is Torbay’s most designated heritage site being a Special Area of Conservation, National Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest and Scheduled Ancient Monument to name only four! The guillemot colony is protected by the only Area of Special Protection in the UK, which prohibits boats from entering the cove during their breeding season.

https://www.countryside-trust.org.uk/explore/berry-head/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/torbaytrust/ (2.5k)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TorCoastCountry (3.6k)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torbaycountryside (479)