A 15 minute drive from Torquay and Paignton, through the ancient and historical village of Berry Pomeroy will bring you to the town of Totnes, and an experience that you are unlikely to forget in a hurry.
Totnes really is something else. You would not believe that it is so close to Torquay, Paignton, Brixham and Newton Abbot and yet so different. Totnes is probably what you would call a hippy town and the population is a mixture of these type of people and your average every day town dwellers. It is said that the place which is about as similar as you can get to Totnes is Glastonbury but even that famous town. (the Glastonbury Festival, does not even come close to Totnes)
A market like no other
Friday is market day in Totnes, at the top of the road which runs through the town, underneath the ancient arch and on the left, in the Civic Hall car park, you will find a market like no other. It is hard to find any of the traditional type of market stalls that are usually found at local markets, instead you will find individual stalls where the stock which is being sold has usually been picked up from the sellers travels around the world, usually India.
Alongside these stalls you will find highly skilled craftsman selling their wares such as fabulous wood carvings and quilts that you would not be able to find at any high street stall. As you are walking up the steep road towards the market you will have to move out of the way of the many talented individuals who are either singing or playing a musical instrument. Words really cannot describe the Friday market day in Totnes, which runs throughout the year, I can absolutely guarantee that your visit will leave you with a desire to return to Totnes at the earliest possible opportunity.
Vegetarian delights
The restaurants and cafés in Totnes are a fine mix of what you would expect in any high street alongside the slightly more unusual. As you travel to the top of the main road, past the Friday market site you will find a vegetarian restaurant that people travel all over Devon to sample it's delights.
Willow, one of the best restaurants of this type in the UK offers a basic menu on first sight, but when you sit down and simple any of the dishes you will be astounded by the tastes and flavours. No wonder Willow is always packed and this even goes to enhance the whole experience even further as the atmosphere is so relaxed and easy going that you will find yourself savouring the experience for longer than you would have imagined.
If you visit Willow on a Wednesday evening you are in for a treat as this is the designated curry night. Not your normal curry mind you, the Indian lady in charge has two or three huge pots from which she delivers her creations, and I can assure you that they will be the best curry's that you have ever tasted, absolutely gorgeous and very highly recommended.
If you find yourself in Torbay or the surrounding areas you really should make the time for the short trip to Totnes, all the better if it is the market day on a Friday but whatever day you choose, you won't be disappointed.