Totnes Off The Beaten Path

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One of the things about just wandering to see where you end up is that you quite often come across things that aren't on any map or in any guidebook. Then you have to try to work out what they are!

I had no idea what I was photographing when I took this pic but retracing my steps by going through my full set of photos I must have been on Cistern Street and so I'll presume this is in fact the cistern where the Medieval town's fresh water supply would have been stored.

The wonderful Dartington Estate is roughly 2 miles out of Totnes. This the building of huge estate started in 1388, with the wonderful great hall.

Today there are beautiful gardens to wander in, including a Zen Garden. A summer Music college, White Hart bar & restaurant. The Barn Cinema, which tends to show more unsual films. Plus the Dartington Cider Press centre, which is a collection of shops, cafe & restaurant, a gallery where art, sculptures, pottery, jewelery etc from local artists is shown. They quite often put on music or entertainers here in the summer months.

This is a georgeous shop, along with the Bazar its my favourite here. The downstairs sells really nice expensive books, lots of glossies & unsual titles. The last book I bought from here was how to build your own straw bale house!

The upstairs sells unusual cards, writing paper, pens etc & small gifts.

The area in front is where the entertainment is held in the summer

Dartington Toy Shop is a great place to find different toys for children, a lot of educational & wooden toys & games here.

As you can see they also have a play area, which is great when the kids had enough of wandering around the shops here.