Hansel and the Surrounding Area
Hansel is a small hamlet situated in the Gara Valley approximately two miles from the villages of both Slapton and Strete. The whole hamlet was originally one farm believed to date back to earlier than the Domesday Book but has now been divided into a number of homes. It is a quiet, nature filled area with no through road. At night hedgehogs scuttle across the road, owls hoot and the stars are spectacular.
Hansel is just a couple of miles from the popular village of Slapton, noted for wide shingle beach and a fresh water lagoon which is the largest natural lake in south west England. Coastal and country walks, water sports, bird watching, fishing, crabbing and rock-pooling can all be enjoyed close by. For history buffs, Slapton and the surrounding area including Hansel had huge significance and later tragedy in the preparations for the D-Day landings and the Naval Museum at Dartmouth should not be missed.
The South Hams coastline boasts some of the most lovely beaches in Devon ranging from one of the nearest to Hansel, the award winning Blue Flag Blackpool Sands, to the white sands, trickling stream and wooded backdrop of Mill Bay, to the wide sandy surfing beaches of Bantham and Bigbury, the long shingle spit and ley of Slapton Sands and the traditional Punch & Judy shows at Paignton.
There are also many family activities available in the area from steam train rides, adventure parks, water parks and swimming pools, canoe trips, boat trips and boat hire.
It's a superb location for a self-catering Devon holiday!
Food and Drink
There are many acclaimed pubs, cafes and restaurants in South Devon, these are a few highly recommended to suit different budgets.
The Tower Inn, Slapton
The Kings Arms, Strete
The Cricket Inn, Beesands
Start Bay Inn, Torcross
Church House Inn, Stokenham
Venus Beach Café, Blackpool Sands
Britannia at the Beach, Beesands
The Seahorse, Dartmouth
Taylor's Restaurant, Dartmouth
Platform 1 Champagne Bar & Restaurant, Dartmouth
Rockfish, Dartmouth
Twenty Seven by Jamie Rogers, Kingsbridge
Winking Prawn, Salcombe
Beachhouse, South Milton Sands
Hope & Anchor, Hope Cove
The Cove, Hope Cove
Sporting Activities
There are numerous outdoor sporting activities available in South Devon but here are a few suggestions:-
Wild swimming - at any beach with a life guard or known to have safe swimming
Crabbing - Dartmouth, Kingsbridge & Salcombe
Rock pooling
Fishing - sea and river
Sailing - dinghy lessons available in Dartmouth and Salcombe Salcombe Dinghy Sailing | Sailing in Salcombe | RYA Sailing Courses
Canoeing - family sized canoes Canoe Adventures - Explore the Stunning River Dart with the Whole Family | Canoe Adventures and Singing Paddles – Outdoor Adventures in Salcombe, Kingsbridge and South Devon
Golf Home :: Thurlestone Golf Club , The Dartmouth Hotel
Kayaking and paddle boarding - available to hire at Blackpool Sands and South Milton Sands Surfin' Sam Watersports (surfinsam.co.uk)
Indoor swimming - Dartmouth Leisure Centre
Horse riding www.dittiscombeequestrian.co.uk
Shopping
Slapton Village Community Shop - the nearest shop!
Stokeley Farm Shop - the second nearest shop stocking a wide range of fresh produce.
Kingsbridge - 2 supermarkets and wide range of independent retailers
Totnes - renowned for independent, Fairtrade retailers with strong ethical values.
Dartmouth - 2 supermarkets, M&S Food, interesting shops, boutiques and art galleries
Salcombe - boutique shops, high street brands and independent producers
Ashburton - antique shopping
Beaches
Blackpool Sands
Slapton Sands
Mill Bay, East Portlemouth
Sugary Cove
Bantham
South Milton Sands
Bigbury
Mattiscombe Sands
Lannacombe Beach
North & South Sands, Salcombe
Hope Cove
Houses and Gardens to Visit
There are several interesting houses and gardens within an easy drive
Coleton Fishacre - one for the gardeners
Greenway - Agatha Christie's riverside house and gardens, can be reached via Steam train from Kingswear
Overbeck's - stunning views of the Salcombe Estuary
Blackpool Gardens - the secret garden next to Blackpool Sands
Buckfast Abbey
Compton Castle
Saltram House
Cotehele
Family Attractions
South Devon railway
Dartmouth Steam railway
Pennywell Farm
Paignton Zoo
Woodlands Family Theme Park
Babbacombe Model Village
Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves
Dartmouth Castle
Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
River and Harbour Cruises from both Dartmouth and Salcombe
River Dart Country Park
Totnes Castle
Splashdown Waterpark, Paignton
Letterboxing on Dartmoor
Sea N Shore rib rides, Salcombe
Dartmouth Outdoor swimming pool
Waves Leisure Pool, Torquay
Shoalstone Seawater Pool, Brixham
Tinside Pool, Plymouth- further afield but considered one of Europe's finest lidos.
Boat hire - Boat Hire, River Dart | Dartmouth Boat Hire (dartmouth-boat-hire.co.uk) and Home - Whitestrand Boat Hire, Salcombe
River tours - Dartmouth Steam Railway And River Boat Company (dartmouthrailriver.co.uk)
Walking
30 minute ‘Green lanes’ loops direct from cottage
Slapton Ley - walks through the nature reserve and around the Ley including expansive board walk routes
Dartmouth Castle - loop around the headland partially on South West coast path
Gara Rock/Mill Bay - a loop around another headland close to the entrance to the Salcombe Estuary
Start Bay Lighthouse - yet another headland walk incorporating a lighthouse and sandy beach
Hope Cove/Bolberry/Soar Mill Cove - a long stretch of National Trust land offering cliff top walks, stunning views and sandy beaches
Noss Mayo - a headland walk that includes wild swimming opportunities with a stretch of the 19th century clifftop Revelstoke carriage Drive
Dartmoor - hundreds of miles of off road tracks, paths and open moors to explore.
Dart estuary - woodland riverside walks
Interesting Villages and Towns
Dartmouth
Kingsbridge
Totnes
Salcombe
Brixham
Hallsands
Beesands
Hope Cove – Inner Hope is particularly scenic
Slapton
Burgh Island via tidal road
Ashburton
Widecombe-on-the-Moor
If you have any questions about any of the activities or local attractions please get in touch and we’ll do our best to answer.