Best Sunset Spots in Totnes

Short answer: Totnes is eight miles inland, so its sunsets are over the Dart valley rather than the sea. The castle keep is the highest point and has the best view over the town. The riverside by the Plains catches the evening light on the water.

An inland sunset

Totnes sits at the tidal head of the Dart, eight miles from the sea. Its sunsets are about the river valley and the hills rather than the ocean — softer, and genuinely lovely on a clear evening.

The castle keep

The highest point in town, with the best view over Totnes and the Dart valley. Check closing time first — English Heritage sites shut before sunset for much of the year, so it works best in the long summer evenings.

The riverside

The Plains and the quays by the Dart catch the evening light on the water. The Steam Packet Inn on St Peter's Quay has outdoor tables right by the river — the easiest good evening seat in Totnes.

Arrive half an hour before sunset and stay twenty minutes after. The afterglow is usually better than the sunset itself, and most people leave the moment the sun touches the horizon.

Down the river

The River Shack at Stoke Gabriel quay, down the Dart, does wood-fired pizzas into the evening by the water — a lovely spot as the light goes.

Practical

• Take a torch — coast paths are unlit on the walk back.
• Stay back from cliff edges; you cannot see where the ground gives way in low light.
• It gets cold fast once the sun goes, even in summer.