Totnes is well worth a visit, either on a day trip at any time of the year, or for staying at or near as a holiday base in south Devon during the summer. It is within easy reach of Torquay, Brixham and Paignton, 'the English Riviera' (about 6 miles), Plymouth (26 miles) and Exeter (30 miles), on the main train and bus (local and National Express coach) routes.

According to legend, in prehistoric times Brutus, grandson of Aeneas of Troy, sailed up the river Dart, and founded both Totnes and the British race. Be that as it may, it was settled and fortified by the Saxons, and the Church of St Mary and Totnes castle were built by the Normans. The moat of the latter still survives and is open to the public, while the church was reconstructed in the 15th century. Two gateways remain from the medieval town, and the 17th-century Guildhall is one of the oldest surviving such buildings in the country. Many of the houses in Fore Street were built between the 16th and 18th centuries and have remained largely unspoilt.

Shopping facilities in the town are good, with the usual high street banks, groceries, coffee shops, newsagents, a small Woolworths, and the ubiquitous Safeways. On a brighter note there are also four small to medium-sized secondhand and antiquarian booksellers, the largest being Pedlar's Pack on The Plains, at the bottom of Fore Street. Higher up, Harlequin Books has a good stock of new (full price and remaindered) and secondhand titles.

During the summer months, Elizabethan Society members dress up in period costume and can be seen mingling with the crowds, especially on market day. They also run their own charity market on Vire Island on the Dart.

One word of warning. Most of the shops in Totnes are in Fore Street, which is built on a fairly steep hill. Us westcountry types be used to dem hilly places [said in a Deb'nshire accent], so for those of you who aren't, make sure you're fit, and be prepared to bribe youngsters with ices or sweets if necessary! Also, at busy times it's probably almost as quick to walk up Fore Street as drive up it. Traffic is only one-way, and there is a long-running debate about pedestrianising the area. There is adequate parking within walking distance (though watch out for over-zealous traffic wardens), and if you don't mind the exercise, unrestricted parking at various places above or below the town.

FURTHER AFIELD...

In addition to the large towns and cities already mentioned, there are two small ancient market towns about 6-8 miles away along the A38 (Devon Expressway) between Exeter and Plymouth. Ashburton has the Dartmoor Bookshop, which in my view is probably the best secondhand bookseller in Devon, with a superb general stock covering three floors. Buckfastleigh is home to Buckfast Abbey, the Butterflies and Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary (a must for any animal lover), and the Valiant Soldier, a recently-restored pub 'that time forgot', now open as a museum. Like Totnes, both are comparatively unspoilt and preserve much of their ancient character. They are both on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, so heaven on earth is only a few minutes' drive away from either.