Topsham
If Exeter is too busy for your liking, nearby Topsham is gentler, quainter, and runs at a slower pace. The people are calmer and more considerate and you can sit by the river for a minute, an hour, or a day sipping your tea and watching little boats nip by. Topsham makes a perfect base if you're holidaying in Devon—you don't even need a car to get here or get around!
Photo: Right: Some of Topsham's lovely waterfront houses have a distinctly Dutch feel. Left: There are many colourful little streets and paths to wander around.
The location
Topsham is a small, historic maritime town on the Exe estuary roughly midway between the cathedral city of Exeter and the seaside resort of Exmouth. It's small enough to explore on foot in an hour or two, but that doesn't mean there's any shortage of things to see or do. You're about 10 minutes from Exeter, the M5 motorway, and a mainline train connection to all the amazing places in Devon and Cornwall. But you're far enough away for perfect peace and quiet too. Explore if you wish, or just sit by the river and watch the sun go down.
Things to do
Attractions
Photo: The River Exe estuary from the quay at Topsham, Devon.
Topsham's biggest attraction is its lovely location on the estuary. There are short, riverside walks around the town and plenty of little streets to nose around and explore. If longer walks are your thing, you're not far from Exmouth, the South West Coastal Path, and the southern end of what's now called the Jurassic Coast. Other walking possibilities include the Exe Valley Way and the East Devon Way.
How about exploring the estuary itself? You can get (foot) ferry and boat trips up and down the river to various other waterside places from Topsham Quay (Exeter Quay and the Turf Locks pub on the other side of the estuary are two possible destinations). If you fancy exploring by bike, you can hire cycles from Route 2, a café on the corner of Holman Way and Monmouth Hill, near the Quay. You can also hire bikes in Exeter (for example, from Saddles and Paddles on the Quay) and ride out to Topsham if you prefer.
The town's fascinating history is well documented at Topsham Museum and there's also a tiny public library here. Another amazing local attraction is the solar-powered outdoor Topsham Pool run by the local community that opens from May to September. Birders (bird-watchers) will delight in the Exe Estuary; find out what's currently of wildlife interest from RSPB's Exe Estuary page.
Shopping
Photo: Topsham is full of interesting, individual shops.
In marked contrast to anonymous Exeter, where virtually every shop in the city centre is a chain store, almost every shop in Topsham is independently run. You'll find a butcher's, a baker's, a greengrocer's, a hardware shop, lots of cafes and restaurants, and quite a few charity shops with a good selection of books (as well as a very small branch of the Co-op supermarket). There are plenty of gift and present shops, a good selection of antique shops (including a branch of Bright's of Nettlebed), and Dart's Farm (a farm food shop and mini retail village) is just up the road.
Places to stay
The Globe Hotel is the best-known place to stay in Topsham, though it's by no means the only accommodation on offer. There are lots of B&Bs and guesthouses around the town (see the list of accommodation on the Topsham community website) and local estate agent Paul Property offers some self-catering cottages and flats. The Route 2 café also has a couple of self-catering flats upstairs called the Steam Packet Apartments. You could also stay in Exeter or Exmouth, of course.
Photo: The Globe Hotel and Route 2 both offer accommodation.
Getting here
Topsham is best explored on foot: most of the narrow streets in the centre were clearly designed for horses and carts and clog up with traffic at the slightest excuse. Take the opportunity to come by train to Topsham Station (Exeter Central station is only about 10 minutes away and a day's return ticket will cost you only a couple of pounds or so) or even walk out along the estuary from Exeter, stopping at the Double Locks pub on route for lunch. You can also get a bus here from Exeter or drive, if you really must.
Photo: Topsham station is modern and clean and offers direct trains to Exmouth, Exeter, and Barnstaple. You can change at Exeter St David's (about 15 minutes away) for connections to all sorts of other places.
Maps
Here's a map of Topsham from Google.
More information
General
- Topsham Town Page: Official Topsham community website.
- Exe Estuary: All about the estuary of the River Exe.
- Visiting Exeter: Official tourist information site covering the wider Exeter area.
- Topsham in photos: Take a look at some of the images people are posting on Flickr.
- Topsham: A short, background article from Wikipedia.
