Kingswear Culture, Festivals and History
Not only is Kingswear in a great location for messing about on the river, but it also ticks all the boxes if you’re looking for a little culture and great dining. Just across the river, literally a 5-minute ferry trip and you’re in historical Dartmouth; famous for its music festivals, fine dining and galleries. If you’re a culture vulture this little gem has it all.
Dart Music Festival
This annual event takes over the town for 3 days in May and attracts some of the best talents around with a lineup of more than 100 acts performing at this fabulous family festival… And what’s more, it’s free!
Dartmouth Food Festival
A gastronomic delight for the palette and the senses and one of the top food festivals in the UK! Dartmouth Food Festival is free and fills the town with a heady mix of taste-tingling delicacies; street food, celebrity chefs, tasking shacks and demonstrations.
Flavel, Dartmouth
It’s worth keeping in touch with this contemporary venue, home to a cinema, theatre and library. The Flavel is right in the centre of Dartmouth just a short walk from the foot ferry and sits at the very heart of the town’s entertainment with regular music events, opera, art gallery and theatre shows.
National Trust near Kingswear
When staying in Kingswear, you will be lucky enough to have some of the best National Trust properties and outdoor areas in South Devon on your doorstep. From protected beaches to gardens with a view, there is plenty to see and explore. Make sure you keep an eye out for the various events put on by the National Trust throughout the year.
Coleton Fishacre
Just a couple of miles from Kingswear is Coleton Fishacre House and Gardens. Owned by the National Trust, this beautiful country estate is a reasonable 6-mile walk hike along the South West Coast Path. The tropical gardens are RHS-accredited and home to exotic plants, herbaceous borders and woodland with wildflowers. The 1920s Arts and Crafts house has fabulous Art Deco interiors and was once owned by the D’Oyly Carte family in its heyday. Dogs are welcome in the gardens.
Greenway House and Gardens
It’s a six-mile drive from Kingswear to Greenway House. This beautiful property was once the holiday home of Agatha Christie who solved many mysteries from her writing desk in this rather homely Georgian house. Today the entire estate is owned by the National Trust and the era of 1950’s style interiors reflects Christie’s life and loves and includes exhibits of her clothes and memorabilia.
The gardens are beautiful; there’s a vinery and a restored peach house in the walled gardens and a tea room off the cobbled courtyard. The front of the property overlooks the River Dart, follow the narrow winding paths down through the woodland to the boathouse on the banks of the River Dart and you can almost hear the words from the pages of a Deadman’s Folly ringing in your ears. Dogs are welcome in the gardens.
