The wonderful town of Totnes with its feast of historical buildings and heritage activity is just 15 minutes (by car or train journey) from Newton Abbott. It is worth downloading a Totnes town guide from the tourist / visitor information site when planning a visit, and don’t forget to take a camera!
Just a short distance from Totnes is the wonderful Dartington Hall Gardens and shops. The Dartington Hall estate is home to 25 acres of Grade 2* listed gardens, open year round from dawn till dusk. With a rich sense of history and a host of delightful features – from a new bridge by artist Peter Randall Page to a sculpture by Henry Moore to 500 year old Spanish Chestnut trees – the gardens at Dartington are worth exploring all year round. Dartington is an independent charitable organisation, trading ethically and sustainably as a social enterprise in order to fund their pioneering work. There are many different aspects to Dartington including cinema, festivals and music schools, see www.dartington.org for more information.