Torquay & South Devon - Devon and Cornwall - page 169

cause one of the boats sprang a leak. Then in WWII thousands of American servicemen
set off from Dartmouth for the carnage of the Normandy landings. Echoes of that martial
past are still present; the hills above town are home to the Britannia Royal Naval College,
the imposing 100-year-old mansion where the Royal Navy still trains all its officers.

Sights

Greenway

HISTORIC BUILDING

(NT; 01803-842382; www.nationaltrust.org.uk ; Greenway Rd, Galmpton; adult/child £9/5; 10.30am-5pm
Wed-Sun mid-Feb-Oct, plus Tue late-Jul-mid-Sep) High on Devon's must-see list, the captivating
summer home of crime writer Agatha Christie sits beside the placid River Dart. Christie
owned the property between 1938 and 1959 and a visit is a unique experience: part-guided
tours allow you to wander between rooms where the furnishings and knick-knacks are
much as she left them. So you can check out the piles of hats in the lobby, the topics in her
library, the clothes in her wardrobe, and even listen to her speak (via a replica radio) in the
drawing room.
The gardens are also a delight. Woods speckled with splashes of magnolias, daffodils and
hydrangeas frame the water, while the planting creates intimate, secret spaces - the boat-
house and views over the river are sublime. In Christie's book Dead Man's Folly , Green-
way doubles as Nasse House, with the boathouse making an appearance as a murder
scene.
The property is hugely popular. Entrance to the house is by timed ticket, and there's
only very limited parking, which has to be booked well in advance. The best way to arrive
is by boat, train or on foot. The Greenway Ferry ( 01803-882811; www.greenwayferry.co.uk ) runs
regularly from Dartmouth (adult/child return £7/5, eight daily), Totnes (adult/child return
£12/9, one daily) and Torquay (adult/child return £15/11, one daily); the latter involves a
ride on a heritage ship and a vintage bus. Services only operate when the house is open
and it's best to book.
Alternatively, take the Dartmouth Steam Railway from Kingswear to Greenway Halt
(adult/child return £8.50/5.50, four to nine daily March to November), then walk a mile
through the woods. Or hike along the leafy Dart Valley Trail from Kingswear (4 miles), or
walk the west bank of the River Dart from Dartmouth to Dittisham, then cross by the Dit-
tisham to Greenway ferry ( 0845 489418; www.greenwayferry.co.uk ; adult/child return £4/3;

9.30am-4.30pm) .