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| Torquay Travel Guide: Torquay - Key to Holiday Heaven
| | Written by Michael D Hughes on 06 Sep 2006 about a trip in Aug 2006.
Trip was for a holiday. Michael D Hughes would definitely visit again.
| Torquay shopping |   8.0 | | As a mere man I'm not a great one for shopping even when I don't have many far more interesting things to do. Most clothes and shoe shops are in Union Street, continuing towards the Harbour through Fleet Street. On the Harbour and Victoria Parade are the gift shops. If like me you fall in love with Torquay you may want to take a bit of it home with you: what better memento than a Torquay Palm tree. They are sold in the Tourist Information office on the Harbour, the smallest are £3.99 |
Torquay nightlife | 9.0 | | Nowadays the bars and clubs are clustered round the Harbour, apparently those elsewhere struggle. The two biggest clubs, The Venue and Route 66 are here, together with Park Lane. Park Lane is a disco/fun pub, best on Saturdays when the upper floor is open and its virtually a night club with no entrance fee. The splendid three-level Wetherspoon, the London Inn, last year became a Lloyds bar (but still has a good real ale range) and it can get pretty lively. However, Torquay nightlife is pretty much a Friday to Sunday affair, the rest of the week is very quiet. |
Torquay restaurants | 8.0 | | Although I stay in Torquay at least twice a year I rarely use the restaurants. I go drinking in Newton Abbot every night because my favourite pub in the world (Ye Olde Cider Bar) is there, so I dine in N.A. as well. On Torquay Harbour and nearby Torwood Street are Indian, Italian, Mexican, North African and several fish & chip. |
Torquay attractions | 10.0 | Beaches...
It amazes me that every summer heatwave brings forth newspaper photos of Bournemouth or Brighton beaches packed solid: you won't catch me among these sheep. The English Riviera boasts some 25 DIFFERENT beaches, even just Torquay has about 10. They range from large sandy ones, Torre Abbey Sands being the most accessible, to small shingle coves. My favourite Torbay cove never has more than three dozen people on it - please forgive me for not disclosing its location!
Parks/Gardens...
Torquay is compact so they tend to be small. Up Torwood Street is Torwood Gardens, prettier and better known is Abbey Park opposite Torre Abbey Sands. |
Torquay events | | | Some of these are one-offs like this years "Brunel's Riviera" to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth. Annual events include Torbay Carnival Week, Torbay Royal Regatta, and a week long celebration of Torquay's most famous resident, Agatha Christie. There is far too much to list here, to find whats happening soon, best visit www.englishriviera.co.uk |
Torquay day trips | | The easiest trip, to Babbacombe/St Marychurch, is just 10 minutes on the 32 bus. Older folks will love the tranquil, unspoilt ambience of Fore Street with its small independent shops, a complete contrast to the trendy bustle of central Torquay. Walk across Babbacombe Downs to the cliff top and behold a vista of breathtaking lovliness: Oddicombe beach below the 240 foot sandstone cliff. This is my favourite beach in the world, though I advise all but the most energetic to take the cliff railway. Two nearby attractions are Babbacombe Model Village and Bygones, a mock-up Victorian Street.
Another must is the pretty harbour and fishing port of Brixham, about 40 minutes on the 12 bus. Kiosks on the harbour do mouth watering crab and prawn sandwiches. The Blue Anchor is the nicest of a rather mediocre group of pubs round the harbour. There is a Wetherspoon further back in Bolton Street.
Another port worth a visit is Dartmouth, though its years since I've been. Dedicated day tripers can also do the small resorts of Dawlish and Teignmouth. Unless you love shopping the regional capital of Exeter is somewhat bland, a prettier inland town is Totness. |
Torquay History and Culture | | | It has quite a bit, but rather than hear it second hand from me, wait till you get there and buy a book in the tourist office. |
Getting to Torquay | 8.0 | | I always go on the train from Birmingham. Try to grab a seat on the left by the time it reaches Exeter, to get a better view of the fantastic scenery going through Dawlish, Teignmouth, and along the river Teign. |
Getting around Torquay | | Buses on routes most tourists will need are very frequent (10-15 mins), and the drivers are helpful and friendly. I buy a £4 dayrider ticket, not cheap but if you do more than three short journeys per day its worth having. |
When to visit Torquay | | Like most U.K. seaside resorts, high season is July and August when sunshine is most likely and the nightlife gets into full swing. I havn't visited outside of April to late September, but the climate is famously mild so hardy souls who don't want a sun tan could even try winter. I read British weather reports daily; in winter Torquay's temperate is anything between 2 and 15f higher than Birmingham's. |
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All Torquay Travel Guides | The travel guides below were written by diytravel.co.uk members who have visited Torquay in South West England. To write your own guide, click the 'Write travel guide' button at the top of the page.
| Torquay guide | | 8.6 | Torquay - Key to Holiday Heaven | | As a mere man I'm not a great one for shopping even when I don't have many far more interesting things to do. Most clothes and shoe shops are in Union Street, continuing towards the Harbour through... |
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