For centuries people have been milling around the waterside at Dartmouth; hopping on and off boats, popping into shops and cafés, catching ferries, fishing, sitting to watch the yachts sail by.
I’m lucky enough to be overlooking the scene through a sash window, three floors up. From my room I can see the comings and goings, both day and night, from the early morning queue of people for the ferry to Kingswear to the firefly lights of boats passing through the watery darkness.
The building I’m in dates back to the 17th century and it occupies a key position bordering the harbour Boat Float. The Royal Castle was originally two merchant houses before being converted into an inn in the 18th century. For nine months last year it was closed while a major refurbishment was undertaken by owners St Austell Brewery.
Now reopened, this is clearly a popular spot. Just as in times past, locals and visitors fill its two ground floor bar areas; it’s a cosy hangout on a wintry day, you enter through a candlelit stone passageway to be welcomed by the sound of happy chatter, open fires, beamed ceilings and plenty of tables and comfy seats.
The oldness of this building is celebrated; the decor is stripped back, with original features like the floors and wooden panelling brought to the fore and the colour schemes of pinks, reds and greens giving an earthy, rooted feel. There’s lots of character too; features like the old room bells on the atrium wall have been retained and... have I ever seen so many pictures? They are everywhere, covering walls, and such a mix, from old 18th century portraits and ships at sea to 1920s poster art and work by contemporary artists too.
The room I’m in is dog friendly and Ralf is delighted to discover treats and a ball, as well as dog bowls. I’m equally thrilled to find quality snacks, a well stocked mini bar and a coffee machine.
From fabrics to lampshades, it all feels elegant and luxurious and of course there’s that view out across the harbourside.
The Royal Castle has various areas for dining, from the more intimate, and dog-free, first floor Sloop restaurant, to the two downstairs bar areas. The dining menu offers plenty to please, with burgers and steaks, curries, pasta and fish dishes, including my choice, a super smoked salmon and cherry tomato linguine.
The following morning a generous breakfast – cold buffet or cooked options – sets me up for a day exploring Dartmouth.
Even when visiting midweek off season, with some nearby attractions and shops closed, there really is still so much to see and do here. With Ralf in tow it makes sense to take a walk and we follow the waterside, along to Dartmouth Castle then take a recommended route across fields to Compass Cove then back along the coast path. The views are fabulous, and discovering little beaches like Sugary Cove is a real treat. We come back into town via Gallants Bower, the site of an English Civil War fort, which again offers great views up along the estuary – and is where I spot a band of rain heading towards us. Down the wooded hillside path and back along little streets, we end up drying off at Woodroast coffee shop, where along with a superb coffee and cake Ralf enjoys being made a huge fuss of by barista Chelsea.
Exploring Dartmouth’s many little backstreets with the higgledy patchwork of houses is great fun, even if it means a few up and down hills, and this is a very dog-friendly town, as we discover when looking around its shops. There are plenty to investigate, scattered around various areas and with a healthy number of independents – delis, bookshops, jewellers, art galleries and I’m so impressed by the beautifully laid-out Devon Air Ambulance charity shop.
From breakfast to evening meals, there are good places to eat in town. Rockfish is a Dartmouth institution and absolute must for anyone who loves fish and seafood. It’s another friendly, popular spot, offering food that’s so intrinsically part of Dartmouth and the Devon coast.
It may be its coastal setting, its celebrated history, but everywhere in Dartmouth there’s a strong feeling of the generations of people who’ve lived in or ‘sailed through’ this place. Perhaps that’s why it feels so welcoming. At the end of the evening, settling in for a last drink in the Ketch Bar at the Royal Castle, it’s still buzzing with activity and friendly chat – just as it would have been 300-odd years ago no doubt. .
royalcastle.co.uk
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