Holiday rentals and lettings in Kingsbridge

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a holiday letting in Kingsbridge?
• Holiday lettings in Kingsbridge: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Kingsbridge: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Kingsbridge?

• Cottages by the estuary: Most lettings here are self-catering cottages and town flats within walking distance of Kingsbridge Quay, many with a garden, parking or a creek view.
• Where to base yourself: Stay in the town centre for shops and the Quay, or in Churchstow, Charleton and Salcombe for quieter lanes and quicker beach access.
• Top-rated stays: Guests rate the town's cottages highly for their location, comfort and easy walks into the centre along the water.
• Best time to visit: June brings the Food and Music Festival, July the Fair Week, while autumn offers quiet coast paths and lower prices.
• Things to do: Walk the South West Coast Path, spend a day on Slapton Sands, birdwatch at Slapton Ley or play a round at Thurlestone.

Kingsbridge is a market town at the head of the estuary, and its holiday lettings reflect that: listed stone cottages in the old passages, contemporary flats above the Quay and roomier family houses in Churchstow and Charleton. Many are holiday cottages sleeping four to eight, while more outdoorsy travellers pair a stay here with holiday cottages near Dartmoor. Whichever you choose, the following features come up again and again.

• Enclosed gardens and sunny terraces for long summer evenings
• Off-street parking, a real bonus in the narrow town centre
• Wi-Fi throughout, so a workation is genuinely doable
• Pet-friendly cottages for walkers travelling with a dog
• Fully equipped kitchens, wood burners and estuary or creek views

Book early for the summer weeks, when the best-placed cottages near the Quay go first.

What are the best areas to stay in Kingsbridge?

For a first visit, base yourself in the town centre near Fore Street and the Quay, where the shops, cafés and the estuary path are all on your doorstep. The table below details areas for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests consistently praise Kingsbridge for how walkable it is: cottages that put the Quay, the high street and the estuary path within a few minutes on foot score especially well. Comfort matters too, with wood burners, well-equipped kitchens and gardens singled out, alongside easy parking and quick drives to Slapton Sands and Salcombe.

Here are our top-rated holiday lettings from the past year:

1. 1 Crabshell Quay - 10.0+: A three-bedroom cottage for five right on the Quay in Kingsbridge, with the estuary and waterside pubs just outside.
2. Kingsbridge Penthouse - 10.0+: A bright town-centre flat for four in Kingsbridge, a short stroll from Fore Street and roughly three miles from the coast.
3. Garden Cottage - 10.0+: A two-bedroom cottage for four in central Kingsbridge with its own yard, praised by guests for its excellent location.

Kingsbridge sits at the head of a tidal estuary in the South Hams, in the heart of the South Devon coast, roughly an hour south of Exeter and a short hop from St Ives country further west.

✈️What is the best way to get to Kingsbridge?

Kingsbridge has no railway station, so most visitors arrive by car. Here are the most common ways to get to the town:

• Car: Leave the A38 Devon Expressway at Wrangaton or Marley Head and follow the A379 or A381 south through the South Hams; the drive from Exeter takes about an hour and from Plymouth around 50 minutes. Town car parks sit beside the Quay, and having a car makes reaching Slapton Sands, Bantham and Thurlestone far easier.
• Train and bus: The nearest stations are Totnes and Plymouth, both on the main line from London Paddington and Bristol. From Totnes the Gold bus service runs through Halwell and Harbertonford to Kingsbridge in about 50 minutes, while Plymouth is linked by the coastal service via Modbury. Both routes are scenic, though timetables thin out considerably on Sundays and in winter.
• Plane and ferry: Exeter Airport is the closest, about 90 minutes away by road, with Bristol a longer but better-connected option. From Plymouth, the Brittany Ferries route from Roscoff brings drivers over from France, and the run east to Kingsbridge takes under an hour.

🥗Where to eat in Kingsbridge?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Wild Artichokes is the best rated restaurant in Kingsbridge. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers recommend the Queens Arms in Kingsbridge: a proper local pub with a warm welcome, generous Sunday roasts and a garden that fills up nicely after a long walk along the estuary.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

The sweet spot is late May to September, when the beaches, boat trips and coast path are all at their best and the town's calendar is busiest, with the Food and Music Festival in June and Fair Week in July. Autumn is a quieter, cheaper alternative with mild days and empty paths, while December brings Kingsbridge Celebrates Christmas.

Spring

• Best for: Walkers and gardeners, with bluebell lanes and the coast path at its greenest.
• Weather: Mild and changeable, typically 11–16°C with bright spells between showers.
• Atmosphere: Calm and local, with cafés open but the beaches still uncrowded.

Summer

• Best for: Families and watersports fans making the most of the estuary and the beaches.
• Weather: Warm and mostly dry, usually 18–22°C with long light evenings.
• Atmosphere: Lively, with festivals, the Farmers Market and a busy Quay.

Autumn

• Best for: Couples and photographers after quiet coves and golden light.
• Weather: Cooler and wetter, around 12–17°C with brisk days on the coast.
• Atmosphere: Peaceful and unhurried, with lower prices and easy parking.

⭐Our Hosts' recommendation: Our Kingsbridge local expert, the team at Sykes Holiday Cottages of 1 Crabshell Quay, recommends coming to visit the estuary path at low tide, when the wading birds gather on the mudflats and the light over the creek is at its softest. From the Quay you can walk south towards Charleton in under an hour, then follow the South West Coast Path from Salcombe for the cliff views. You can read more about local tips on their page.

1. Walk the South West Coast Path
2. Spend a day at Slapton Sands
3. Watersports on Kingsbridge Estuary
4. Birdwatch at Slapton Ley
5. Explore the town's passages and museum

1. Walk the South West Coast Path

   The South West Coast Path runs right along this stretch of the South Devon coast, and the sections either side of Salcombe are some of its finest. Start at East Portlemouth after the little passenger ferry across the harbour, then follow the cliffs towards Gara Rock and Prawle Point, England's most southerly headland in Devon. Expect gorse, wildflowers and long sea views, with a pub or beach café to reward you. Walkers who catch the bug often continue west into Cornwall, where holiday lettings make a natural second base.

2. Spend a day at Slapton Sands

   A long shingle bar between the sea and a freshwater lagoon, Slapton Sands is the classic family beach day near Kingsbridge, good for swimming and popular with sea anglers. Nearby, Bantham Beach has a surf school, kayak hire and food trucks, South Milton Sands looks across to Thurlestone Rock with a café and a large car park, and Lannacombe rewards anyone willing to drive the narrow lanes with a secluded sandy cove. Take a windbreak: the sea breeze here is honest.

3. Watersports on Kingsbridge Estuary

   The sheltered water of the estuary is a fine place to learn. Kayaks and paddleboards launch from Kingsbridge Quay and glide down towards Salcombe on the tide, passing creeks, moorings and herons on the mud. Out on the open coast, surfing at Bantham and kitesurfing off Thurlestone suit more confident visitors, and coasteering sessions scramble along the rocks near Prawle. Sailing dinghies and small motorboats can be hired in Salcombe, and boat trips run up and down the harbour through the summer.

4. Birdwatch at Slapton Ley

   Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve is the largest natural freshwater lake in the South West, separated from the sea by the shingle bar. Boardwalks and well-signed paths lead through reedbeds where you may spot great crested grebes, Cetti's warblers and otters at dawn. Guided walks run from the field centre, and the pub at Torcross is the traditional finish, with a pint looking out over the water. Bring binoculars and midge repellent for summer evenings, and stay on the marked paths.

5. Explore the town's passages and museum

   Kingsbridge is best discovered on foot. Wander the narrow passages off Fore Street, including the famously tight Squeeze Belly Alley, then look for the mosaics, the community garden and the miniature railway beside the Quay. The Cookworthy Museum, housed in a former grammar school, tells the story of the South Hams, from farming to the wartime evacuation of Slapton. Finish with a browse of the independent shops and a coffee and slice of cake at one of the town's cafés.