Fun things to do in Totnes: 10 fun attractions and activities

Amazing views. The tallest motte (artificial mound) still surviving at 15m above the bailey (courtyard), all overlooking Totnes on the north west fringe of the original Saxon town. Some original bailey walls still exist to the west (you can tell by the thickness). The current stepped walk up to the motte is a gentler incline than the original would have been that ran along the steep wall to the east above the entrance shop. Much of the castle has not been excavated so archaeological mysteries remain, especially around the buildings that would have existed in the Bailey and above on the motte. And yet, either standing on the battlement above, or walking the bailey below, you get a real sense of the place and it’s magical. I recommend buying the great little guide book when you enter and sitting for a few minutes to read before you explore. As an artefact of the Norman invasion and domination it’s a bit of a wonder.

Visited totnes castle with my son whilst on holiday the castle itself is up quite a steep set of stairs so not for the unfit or disabled and it is only really a round castle wall onto of a hill you can go up top and do a lap of the wall but found there to be other castles near by that have more to see

The weather was dull and the rain fell many times, but we had a great visit! The children loved pretending to be soldiers as we walked around the wall. The views are beautiful (photos do not give justice!) the atmosphere is lovely and calming, the little treasure hunt in the grounds and the old games were brilliant for the children. Friendly staff, lovely little gift shop. A lovely visit!

A very small EH site. The site is basically the castle wall on top of the motte. The wall walk offers some very good views over the town of Totnes. As an EH member we didn't pay to get in but noting the price I thought it was quite expensive for what there is especially when compared with other sites in the area (Berry Pomeroy and Dartmouth Castle)

Worth going there if going to Totnes. I may not make a special trip but it was worth seeing this castle. It was really more of a tower than a castle.... Great piece of British history.

Great example of a Norman Mote and Bailey and moat. Some nice views of the area from the curtain wall.

This is a lovely little castle to visit. It's definitely worth stopping off here if you're visiting the Medieval town of Totnes, especially if you're an English Heritage member. There's a steep climb up to the keep (which would be unsuitable for anyone with mobility problems), but the views on a clear day are worth it!

DO NOT FOLLOW GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS!!! Took us to completely the wrong place. When we arrived after a nice little walk to the farm, over the river and through the steam train station, the prices weren't too bad and there was a nice variety of animals, food bag for £1 to feed the animals, some of which you can get into the pens with, guinea pigs too hold. Very clean lots of sinks and sanitizer. Nice Cafe with lots of seating. Only reason for 4 star was due to the lack of signage to help find the place and overall it's a fairly small place, you can get around it quite quickly, could maybe do with a play area for kids to break the time up a bit.

Really lovely place,much bigger than we expected well worth a few hours visit. Staff were very helpful. Nice coffee shop on site. Toilets are located on the Steam railway platform adjacent to this attraction.

This is a lovely little zoo. The staff are very helpful and took a long time showing the owls to my daughters, who were captivated. Then, they also helped them pet guinea pigs. We spent about 3 hours there in total, so the entry fee of less than £10 a person is good value. Nice cafe, too, albeit with a limited menu.

The nicest place to visit with children. Small in size but lots to see and do. Holding small animals, feeding the bigger ones. The Cafe is incredible and has a huge selection of yummy food.

Lovely little place,can get around it in 5 mins tho, next time we will book the train rides too and that would make a day of it.

Staff very friendly, animals seem to be kept well and for kids great fun tobe able to hold and strike guinea pigs as well as strike some of the owls. Food was great too!

What a fabulous place! Lovely to get so close to the animals and the staff are super friendly and helpful. It is only small but we spent 4 hours there easily. The cafe is excellent. Great food at a very reasonable price and lovely staff. I highly recommend this place and definitely will be visiting again.

On a very sunny July 2025 this was my 2nd visit to the wonderful heritage railway, haven visited in a wet 2024. A beautifully scenic journey on the steam train as we run along the countryside and often parallel to the river. There was plenty of rail activity on our visit. The regular steam train journeys, a good bit of yard shunting, and many hard working volunteers tending the gardens, platforms and signals. In addition to the good size restaurant and gift shop. We found all the staff to be friendly and loved chatting about their lovely railway. We were there from start to chucking out time and absolutely loved it. Restaurant food was excellent but there is also picnic bench/tables dotted around if you wish. We had our lunch, sat by the flower beds in the shade of the trees and watched all the shunting. Plenty of photo opportunities. Good toilets and plenty of parking. It was particularly a joy to see the staff accommodating for wheelchair users with no bother whatsoever, using their wheelchair ramps and observation coach. Highly recommend the South Deven Railway....go and treat yourself to a lovely day.

Caught the train from Buckfastleigh to Totnes. Very clean and comfortable ride, pulled by steam train. Very picturesque route alongside the river Dart. Stopped for Lunch in Totnes then returned. Restaurant at Buckfastleigh station expensive. Small coffee and small hot chocolate not good value. Great visit overall. Museum worth a quick look.

A great day out! Nothing like a beautiful day and a ride on a steam train. The trains are awesome and the staff is super friendly. The site has lots of stuff to do and see, from the museum to the butterfly and otter attraction. You'll love it!

What a lovely ride on a steam train to a really really lovely town, Totnes. So many lovely independent shops. Had afternoon plans so had to get the next train back but we could have stayed all afternoon.

A real favourite heritage railway, with a lovely route between Buckfastleigh and Totnes. Trains are drawn by both steam and diesel locomotives and the stations are beautifully presented by friendly staff.

We had a lovely steam train ride. Friendly staff. Interesting station with lots of memorabilia to see.

What an experience, short train journey, the staff were really enthusiastic and totnes is a great place to visit. Picked up a few items and had a tasty lunch.

We had an excellent visit to this museum today. The volunteers were very informed and extremely friendly. I am very interested in clocks and the number of local clock on view was very good. The museum was very interesting with a wide variety of objects. The area on Charles Babbage was very informative. I highly recommended this museum.

Interesting place to visit, free admission but they do rely on donations and suggest a very reasonable £2 a person. Quite a lot to see on multiple floors. Glad we popped in for a look around. If you are in the area do pop in!

Fun outta the Sun.. 🏩👒

Great little museum! Loads of stuff to see and read and great for the kids as there is little wooden mice dotted around that they can try and find, the staff were very welcoming and friendly. Highly recommend and the added bonus is it was Free entry.

Really interesting museum. Run by informative volunteers and well worth a visit

This museum is free to visit. All the staff are volenteers. It is amazing. Very interesting. Well worth a visit.

As museum go it's not very big but well worth looking around as there is plenty to see...The building it self is very historical with all the lovely old wooden beams and supporting posts...what fascinated us was one particular man by the name of Charles Babage,the things he started to invent all those years ago is almost unbelievable....Back in the 18th century he came up ideas about computers and submarines etc,you would never imagined people thinking like that all those years ago...What a clever man he was...The whole museum is so interesting to look around 👍

Beautiful old building but shame museum closing

Can’t believe we’ve never come in before! Fabulous collection of costumes and really lovely, helpful ladies 😊

Great fashion and textiles exhibition Totnes 2021, featuring indigo colour and historic design.

Fabulous place to visit

✅🍑

Ok

Wow, what a fabulously unique cinema. We are frequent visitors to Totnes and love its quirks but never knew there was a cinema here. So, on a very wet day we looked for something to do and found it by chance. You enter via a tiny art deco lobby into a marvellous bar space with a gallery upstairs. It’s more like a club than a cinema - great meet & greet staff, tables and chairs, sofas etc. It’s unique and utterly fabulous.

Found this gem while searching for things to do while on holiday and they had a showing of Dirty Dancing! Great night and venue all done by volunteers who were great and so friendly. The cinema got to be seen to appreciate, with a bar and lovely snacks. Snacks and drinks were served an hour before the film starts which made to a great night. Wish all cinemas were like this! Well done to the people who keep this going 😍👏🎬

Wow. What a fabulous experience. Never been in a cinema like that before . . We absolutely loved it . We went last night to watch F1 . Got a bottle of wine and sat on some big comfy tub chairs .all the staff were lovely . Might go back again tonight . Thanks guys .Well Done

Totnes Cinema is an absolute treasure—a perfect blend of vintage charm, artistic spirit, and community warmth. Housed in a beautifully restored historic building, it feels more like stepping into a friend’s eclectic living room than a commercial cinema. The décor is rich with character—retro furnishings, warm lighting, and quirky touches that make every visit feel special. The film selection is superb, with a thoughtful mix of independent gems, world cinema, cult classics, and the occasional blockbuster, all curated with genuine passion. The intimate screening room offers comfortable seating and excellent sound, drawing you completely into the story on screen. What truly sets Totnes Cinema apart is its atmosphere: you’re greeted by friendly, knowledgeable staff, there’s a cosy bar serving quality drinks and local snacks, and the sense of shared experience is palpable. It’s a place where film is celebrated, conversation is encouraged, and community thrives. A visit here isn’t just about watching a movie—it’s about immersing yourself in a warm, creative haven that makes you fall in love with cinema all over again.

Totnes Cinema is an absolute gem of a cinema right in the heart of our beautiful Totnes.. run by volunteers who serve a lovely selection of drinks at the bar at the front of the intimate space until the film starts when it’s all neatly tucked away. It’s a real step back in time.. there is a small upper floor with classic cinema seats in a couple of rows then downstairs there are a couple of sofas and armchairs but in the main there is a selection of chairs and tables where you can either enjoy an intimate date or share a few bottles of wine with friends. The building itself is stunning and during the day you can enjoy the surroundings with tea and cake.. they show a wide selection of films, lots of art house and classics often with a small delay to the big hitters meaning you can wait to treat yourself. Bookings can be made online in advance with membership options and reasonable prices. There is no parking but there are a lot of free street options in the evenings and local carpark options. During the day you can park up for a free 2 hours at Morrisons and take the short walk up the hill to enjoy the daytime cafe.

Wow, what a cool place with loads of character. It gets turned into a cafe when not showing films. We didn't get any food or drinks but it was busy with customers so i would guess it's a locals hangout as you can miss the entrance on the main street very easily. So if you're looking for a cinema or cafe with some different vibes, get here - you won't go wrong

What a wonderful, unique space this is. Incredibly welcoming staff/volunteers, solid projection and sound, limited ads and trailers before the film! Was a real pleasure to see my favourite film, The Wicker Man, in this setting. Thanks to all involved.

Looks great, a really nice feature, to a lovely town, within an area, of the most friendly locals, we've ever met, in all of our holidays.

On our trip to Totnes in Devon you cannot miss this prominent feature of this lovely little Devon Town...As you walk down the high street you pass under this amazing archway,which was built back in the medieval period and was the gateway to the old medieval town....The archway was reconstructed in 1990 after a terrible fire...It now stands proudly in the centre of the town displaying the time obits clock for everyone to see....👍

Small town but beautiful shops and antiques.

I've been a member for three years at the Totnes leisure center. And I'm now seriously considering leaving.the only thing that keeps me there is the locality and I refuse to have to drive to another town as I'm a frequent user. The facility is dirty, the majority of staff are unprofessional and unfriendly. When a piece of gym equipment breaks they just remove it. The sauna has now been closed for two months for minor cosmetic issues. The prices are not cheap and do not reflect the service/facilities. They call it a charitable/ community centre but they are not meeting the communities needs. I know a numerous people who used to have membership that now travel further a field so that there needs are met. And fusion don't seem to care. I find the fact they call themselves a charitable organization questionable. I think the local council should get on their case to up their game and provide the proper facilities the community deserve/want.

Bought a day pass for the gym while staying in Totnes. Really friendly helpful staff, reasonable facilities for a town leisure centre although some of it was out of order. Changing rooms pretty grim, glad I didn't have to use the showers! Opening hours restrictive - earlier morning opening would be useful. Overall pretty poor value for money, private gyms charge less for day passes with better facilities and better hours.

Recently left swimming lessons here for a much cleaner & safer environment. hopefully my child will get some attention in her new lessons and not be ignored.

The few staff there are, are friendly and I love the venue but I’ve just arrived for 7am for my booked swim to be told there’s no lifeguard for the third time in 8 weeks (!!!!) so the session is cancelled.This is totally unacceptable. They offered to transfer the booking to the next session an hour later, but I start work at 8am. I pay £40 a month for a membership I can’t even reliably use. There are only a few group classes outside of working hours and only TWO on the weekends. I’m sadly close to cancelling my membership. I would like to be refunded for the value of my swim, at least.

The gym is very cramped, blares terrible music/radio? and working out on a Tuesday night just to watch the mirrors steam up is pretty nasty. The swimming pool also is no competitor, compared with the price.. literally go anywhere else for less than £35-£49 for better facilities. Not to mention the majority of the staff are the slowest kinda kids from Totnes local school (awesome).. no grownups here apparently besides some DoneWithIt. Would not recommend!

No blue roll ANYWHERE! Bring my own towel tomorrow! Too many sweaty people dripping their exercise perspiration everywhere! Loo roll doesn't count!! X lol. Dirty sweaty equipment- rarely cleaned :-( Jan 2019 - #BlueRollNOTlooRoll

The pool has a nice window where sun streams in the morning and late morning swims are really quiet and peaceful. The staff are also really lovely. However, the facilities are shabby and I've stopped swimming in the evenings because the changing rooms are covered in mud and hair at that time. Swimming pool is also pretty busy in last evening and first morning lane times, with very narrow lanes so that breast stroke is near impossible! The sauna is strangely located too, so that you have to pass the gym in your swimmers. The pool is definitely colder than it was but that seems to be everywhere since the energy price rise.

The sweetest playground for kids I've seen! Love the birch trees and the stream, and the fact there's no dogs allowed... such a blessing to not have to worry about dog mess! It's great that there's a small park area with a slide but also other sections of the park more focused on connecting with nature.

Great park with the feel of a large garden. The planting is natural and really beautiful. Lots of benches dotted around and lots of areas for kids to play including a large wooden climbing frame, a sandpit and pond area. (Smaller children will need supervision as there is a pond and stream). No dogs allowed but that makes it perfect for children and picnics ( although no restrictions on seagulls) A really peaceful, hidden away gem, with paid parking very close and just around the corner from the wells ( take the path/alleyway to the left leaving the park up the hill to the historic leech wells).

Gorgeous garden and play area, something for all ages; quiet seating areas amongst beautiful planting, wooden play equipment, sand pit and water play area. Very clean and tidy. We go there every time we are in Totnes!

Lovely garden with play equipment we were happy to stumble across. Great for a play before/after heading into town. Bonus we met a lovely local whilst here too!

Delightful small garden with some seating and play space for children. It can be rather busy during the Summer with families, but if you head there later in the afternoon it can be a bit more peaceful, especially in the far part of the garden. I highly recommend bringing a picnic from the various foods of the market and eating here as it's only a short distance away.

Great place, mud kitchen, stream, sand pit, slide, trees, my kids love it there :)

Lovely open space to chill. Not a huge park, but a small intimate setting with benches and ponds. Good amount of space for children to play. Only a small walk from the city area and it is quite easy to find!

We had our Canoe Adventure on a beautiful sunny day. We had 2 boats between us as 21 of us were going. It was exceptionally well organised by the team. We had a paddle from Tuckenhay to Stoke Gabriel for an ice cream stop then carried on to what became our private beach. The skippers were knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Nearly all of us went for a swim, even someone who had never swum before! Getting back was hilarious, a mixture of swimming, being pulled along by the canoe and wading through mud. Everyone enjoyed themselves and said how much fun it was. I would definitely recommend spending a day doing this, just remember to wear clothes and shoes that can get wet and dirty. Thanks for a great day.

A brilliant day's adventuring between Totnes and Dartmouth on the River Dart! Absolutely stunning scenery with the perfect number of pub and beach stops to let us make the most of this fantastic location! Hal and his team were really accommodating and made sure everyone had a great time!

Excellent family trip with Hal. Informative, fun & relaxing 👍

Great experience