Brixham

Brixham and the local area

• Brixham is in an area known as the English Riviera. It is one of  the premier fishing ports in the UK. In the 1840s, the town was home to  some 270 fishing vessels. There is lots to see and do in Brixham if  you’ve got time to stay in the town, including a bustling outdoor market  next to the harbour. The full-sized replica of the Golden Hind — the  famous ship of Elizabethan explorer Sir Francis Drake — can be found on  Brixham harbour. The attraction welcomes well-behaved dogs on leads on  board. There are many dog-friendly pubs in Brixham including the Blue  Anchor and the Smugglers Haunt Hotel.
• Berry Head is important as a nature conservation site, mainly  because it is an area of limestone grassland. It supports many  rare plants, and the cliffs are known for the largest colony of  guillemots — distinctive birds referred to locally as Brixham penguins  due to their appearance — in southern England.
• The main headland was occupied by a cliff castle during the Iron  Age. The name Berry derives from the Anglo-Saxon word or fortification.
• The defences that can now be seen date back to the Napoleonic  wars, built between 1794 and 1804, to protect Brixham and Tor Bay from  French attack.
• The dog-friendly Guardhouse Café on Berry Head has a dog stop  and water bowls outside. Inside, there is a little gift area which sells  dog collar and lead sets and lead holders.

Things to do in Brixham

Being in the midst of the popular English Riviera area of south Devon, you’ll never be short of things to do while in  Brixham. 

You can spend hours getting lost around the quaint old streets surrounding the harbour, browsing shops with every thing from the day to day, as well as quaint nautical bric a brac.   

Traditionally, the town is famous as a fishing port and for the Fish Market, which offers tours so you can see the trawlers bringing in that morning’s catch. The town regularly hosts sea food festivals and  is the ideal destination for fans of fresh, high quality sea food.

Festivities all year around

As well as Food Festivals, one of the biggest events on Brixham’s  busy calendar is the Pirate Festival which sees thousands of people  flock to the town, many in costume, every year, other popular annual  events include BrixFest which celebrates the town’s heritage and the Trawler Race. 

Centre for water sports

Boating and watersports are a huge part of life in Brixham. Torbay is a favourite of sailors and boat enthusiasts because of its  calm waters and mild climate so you’ll find plenty of opportunity to  learn how to sail on dinghies, yachts and motorboats. If you want  something a little more adventurous, you’ll also find lots of  organisations offering a wide variety of water based activities  including sea safaris, kayaking, diving, wild swimming, paddle boarding  and more. Whatever your age or ability, there are sessions and courses  open to you and many of these companies offer exclusive use of their  equipment and instructors should you want to book as a group or family.

For those of you who prefer being passenger to captain, there are  several boat and ferry excursions that can be booked from Brixham  Harbour that will take you around the Torbay area and over to the  neighbouring towns of Paignton and Torquay. These trips are great for those that want to see Devon from the  waterways  If you don’t have your sea legs, sitting in the harbour and  watching the boats come in and out is a lovely way to while away a  summer evening.

Walkers and hikers will love spending time in this part of Devon and  it is ideal for anyone bringing their dogs on holiday with them. You can  pick up the South West Coast Path, as well as many other walking trails  through coasts and countryside. 

Brixham is part of the UNESCO  accredited English Riviera Global Geopark and the Berry Head National  Nature Reserve both of which have an abundance of wildlife and stunning  views for you to enjoy. Nature and wildlife fans will want to keep their  eyes peeled as it is common to see dolphins, porpoises, seals and  sharks near the surrounding beaches and in the harbour!

Brixham is a great destination for art lovers, the town has a great range of art galleries that feature local artists as well as showcasing visiting installations. On the Strand, you’ll even have the opportunity to see artists working.

The town also boasts a museum and tours around the coast so you can get a real taste of it’s maritime heritage. 

Brixham is the home of the Golden Hind replica, a recreation of Sir Francis Drake’s flagship. 

Visitors can experience life on board and explore all five decks, it’s a great exhibition for kids learning about the Tudors or for adults who want to find out a bit more about the UK’s history.  goldenhind