8 hours
Guided in English
Instant confirmation
Private tour

Highlights

"Probably the most militarised county in WWII", some 1.5 million GI's were stationed in the county of Devon. The north and south coasts of Devon were used extensively to both house the GI's and enable them to practice amphibious landings before the Normandy landings. This includes the notorious Slapton sands, one of the US military's darkest secrets of WWII. Focussing on the south coast, in addition to Slapton we'll visit Plymouth, where some 36,000 GI's departed. Plymouth is said to be the most bombed city in WWII (per sq mile) more than London and Coventry and is still the largest naval dockyard in Western Europe. Down the coast the picturesque coastal town of Dartmouth is home to two stunningly preserved castles at the mouth of the River Dart as well as Britannia Naval College, home to US naval command and where Queen Elizabeth first set eyes on the Duke of Edinburgh. Finally Brixham, now Englands' biggest fishing port with some of the best preserved naval gun batteries of WWII.

Inclusions

What's included

Chilled water
Private transportation
All Fees and Taxes
Air-conditioned vehicle
driver/guide

What's not

A table is booked for lunch, however choice of food and the cost is guest responsibility

Itinerary

Devons' biggest city and still home to Western Europes' biggest naval dockyard.
1.3 h
Perched majestically on the mouth of the River Dart, Dartmouth Castle was conceived in Medieval times and continued its development right up to WWII when howitzers were introduced to help defend the mouth of this strategic entity. For castle lovers, you can go on tour around the castle and we can re-model the rest of the day
15 min
A unique experience awaits you with the fresh water ley on one side (largest example in the UK) and the stunning Slapton sands (beach) on the other. The sea (on the beach side) and the ley are separated by a thin beachy causeway which provides the base for the tarmac road. With its future under threat from the winter storms, this beautiful location is a must see.
45 min
Home to one of the most famous war memorials of WWII, Torcross village at the western end of Slapton Sands is the resting place for the Sherman tank that took local hero Ken Small 20 years to extract form the sea bed of Start Bay and now pays homage to the hundreds of Americans that died out in the bay. Wether you have an interest in World War II or not its difficult not to be moved by this tragic story and one mans' quest to ensure it was never forgotton.
30 min
This beautiful coastal town is without one of Devons' gems.
30 min

Cancellation

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Reviews

5.0

Ratings come from 2 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Pickup: Pickup is included for everyone.
Ticket type: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operated by: DEVON&MOOR walking and driving tours

Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reasonable fitness levels and the desire to walk short distances will ensure you get the most out of this tour

How it compares in Plymouth

Its from-price is 40% below the median of the 9 day trips we list in Plymouth.
Its length is typical for the group.
By number of reviews it ranks 5 of 9.

About Plymouth

Plymouth is a naval port on Devon's south coast, where the Mayflower sailed from in 1620, with a grassy waterfront hoe and a sheltered sound.

Plymouth lies on a broad natural harbour, Plymouth Sound, between the rivers Plym and Tamar. The Hoe, a grassy headland above the water, carries Smeaton's Tower, a red-and-white lighthouse moved from the Eddystone Rocks, and legend has Sir Francis Drake finishing a game of bowls here before facing the Spanish Armada. The Royal Citadel, a seventeenth-century fortress, stands on the eastern side.

See all 41 experiences in Plymouth