Dittisham, River Dart

[Max...]

We have just booked a cottage for a week in Dittisham later this month. As a child our family used to holiday in Kingswear for many years but this is going back to the 70's!

Can anyone please advise on the local boating etc (upstream and downstream) and maybe other places of interest - we'll be with the kids (6 + 10).

Planning to take the Zodiac 3.4m and Twat 9.8.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Max...

We have just booked a cottage for a week in Dittisham later this month. As a child our family used to holiday in Kingswear for many years but this is going back to the 70's!

Can anyone please advise on the local boating etc (upstream and downstream) and maybe other places of interest - we'll be with the kids (6 + 10).

Planning to take the Zodiac 3.4m and Twat 9.8.

Great pub and cafe on the doorstep!

[Max...]

Hi guys, hoping some other locals can jump in with some advice on this one.

Especially speed limits, how a SIB will fare upstream re' tides, where to moor etc.

And venturing out to sea too.

Just wondering if anyone hires boats out locally too?

[camelgas]

I was in dittisham early june last year and the dinghy pontoon was very busy then!, so guess its heaving now. normal harbour speed limits apply and I did see the harbour team out and about checking. we went up river as far as the vin-yard as do all the big tour boats, I prefered to go downstream most of the time to the harbour as there was more going on.
Family type hard boats with a cuddy could be hired off the quay in dartmouth but not cheap, these all had yellow cuddys and are easy to spot, best give them a wide berth as "driven" not helmed by clueless holidaymakers.
We made the short hop by road along to salcombe one day and enjoyed a day on the water there. Have a good time.
HTH.

[Razorbill RIBs]

Originally Posted by Max...

Hi guys, hoping some other locals can jump in with some advice on this one.

Especially speed limits, how a SIB will fare upstream re' tides, where to moor etc.

And venturing out to sea too.

Just wondering if anyone hires boats out locally too?

Monty Halls' new venture /shop is in Dartmouth.... Understand they do skippered trips on their Humber....

Great escapes

[Max...]

Thanks chaps, how restricted is a SIB up river tidal/time wise?

[lakelandterrier]

You'll get to Totnes in a sib at any state of tide.

Maltsers Arms up Bow Creek is OK - not that good for young children last time I was there & you're OK +/-2Hr high tide

Dartmouth is 20min downstream, Ship in Dock & Dartmouth Arms good, as is Ship in Kingswear.

The Range can be challenging in S/SW wind for any small boat.

I'll be down from 21 Aug.

Isn't JK down at the same time?

[Max...]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

You'll get to Totnes in a sib at any state of tide.

Maltsers Arms up Bow Creek is OK - not that good for young children last time I was there & you're OK +/-2Hr high tide

Dartmouth is 20min downstream, Ship in Dock & Dartmouth Arms good, as is Ship in Kingswear.

The Range can be challenging in S/SW wind for any small boat.

I'll be down from 21 Aug.

Isn't JK down at the same time?

Excellent, thanks very much for that.

I feel a Dartmouth visitors SIB club day out coming on?

[John Kennett]

We're in Dittisham for a week from 23 Aug, and in Cornwall for the week before

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

We're in Dittisham for a week from 23 Aug, and in Cornwall for the week before

I think a RIB / SIB meeting at FBI Dittisham or in Dartmouth may be in order then I could dust of my Zodiac & 4HP if I have to qualify for the sibbing club

[Max...]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

We're in Dittisham for a week from 23 Aug, and in Cornwall for the week before

Ahh, we leave early morning on the 24th...

[John Kennett]

Well we're here, and this is the view from out lounge for the next 7 days

How was your week? Any recommendations for places to go?

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Well we're here, and this is the view from out lounge for the next 7 days

How was your week? Any recommendations for places to go?

Hi John,
Welcome to the Dart.
Nice cottage you've got. We're down river by the Higher Ferry until Sun week.
I've been acting as safety boat for DYC last 2 days - you may have seen me herding Toppers today - weather not as good as yesterday. - although the instructor was trying (and managed) to take all the boats over Ower Flats at low springs-- I was in 18" of water at one point - made me rather nervuos for the welfare of the engine!

Lots to do around regatta & we have some great view points for the Red Arrows next Friday. I'll drop you a pm.

[Max...]

Hi Chaps just back, absolutely awesome time, glorious weather every day and managed to wangle 3 days out of the 6 on the SIB!

I will post some pics and more details ASAP.

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by Max...

Hi Chaps just back, absolutely awesome time, glorious weather every day and managed to wangle 3 days out of the 6 on the SIB!

I will post some pics and more details ASAP.

Glad you had good time & the weather.Been out last 3days - 2 as acting as safety boat upriver, so slow. Town & walk ashore pontoons now beginning to get very busy in run up to regatta. Look forward to the pictures

[Cookee]

Might be coming over to Dartmouth today in the wife's yacht - Sigma 33 with red canvas called Kingfisher and will be staying overnight - say hi!

[Max...]

A few pics to share. Familiar scenes to those who know the area but if not it really is SIB heaven and wonderful for families. Everyone we met from the harbour master to the ferry operators, barmen to shop owners were so friendly. Naturally it's a very boat friendly area with the free slips (we paid harbour dues of £2.60 a day for our 3.4m SIB), helpful locals and easy free landing pontoons everywhere.

We stayed at the top of Dittisham and drove the boat down on the Landy roof, dropping it off on the quay by the Ferry Boat Inn each time but we left it overnight on the penultimate day. This was OK but it's a dead end down a steep road and can be a minor nightmare with getting access or blocked in by a queue of other cars.

Did some research while we were there and next time we may just leave it there the week or maybe store it at the park area opposite the higher ferry slip (£8 a day or £38 a week).

Place seems to be a thief's dream with hundreds of small boats with engines and fuel left all over the place each night but chatting to locals there don't seem to be any serious issues.

We went up to Totnes once (saw a seal a long way up river) but mostly pottered around the Dartmouth harbour area and the harbour mouth, up to Blackpool Sands for a superb blast one day - on the way seeing an Orca (or small shark?). Also saw a dolphin right in the harbour. All in all a fantastic place and not really changed much since I was a kid in the late 70's - neither has the 7 hour crawl/drive down there.

[Max...]

Some more, visit to casualty was not planned and the thumb does not look too good under there...
















This is the view from Dittisham Quay:





And here from our holiday cottage:

[Nick Hearne]

Any one who likes Dittisham and wants a great pad next to the pub my mate rents out his place Dittisham is the place to be, The Old Brewhouse is the place to stay.
Great location next to the pub

[Fenlander]

Brilliant images Max. Great to see your family enjoying the boat.

Not been on the Dart for a while... about 48yrs since I was buzzing about in a grubby 10ft grp dinghy with spray dodger powered by an oily Seagull outboard. No life jacket, flares, radio, spare fuel or anything like that... just the boat, outboard, oars and me scuttling around the moored craft.