This weekend, I joined a group of eight other international students (representing the United States, Canada, and Australia) to spend a Saturday outside of Exeter by exploring the town of Totnes. It was a really fun day, and even though locals think Totnes is quite unique, “alternative,” “hippy,” and “bohemian,” I think it is archetypal of many country towns in southwest England.
Why Totnes? The university has a society called the West Country Society, which aims to get students to engage with the life, culture and scenery of the West Country, with is a loosely-defined area of southwest England. This society had organized a coach trip to Totnes for Saturday, but the society sold out of tickets by the time I and other students went to purchase them. Instead, one student organized a group to take a train to Totnes. I had never been to Totnes, so I was excited to discover a new place and meet some new people.
The train was scheduled to depart Exeter St. David’s Station at 9:27 AM. Waking up that morning, my enthusiasm for the trip struggled against my overwhelming desire to stay in bed. Nonetheless, I pulled myself together, rushed to the station, and made it on to the train just in time. There, I met up with the group of international students, most of whom I had never met. On the ride down, we past some scenic landscapes: estuaries, coastlines, cliffs, and fields. Although the rain held off for most of the day, clouds were low in the dark sky. It was also cold. In thirty minutes, we arrived at Totnes and began our exploration.
After disembarking the train and having perked up with the assistance of some hot tea, I chatted with my fellow tourists to get to know them. Usually I like to be the one in charge; the one who has done all the research and planning for a trip. This time, one of the other students had clearly done her homework and kindly led the group. I had not researched Totnes much, and I was happy to be spontaneous, follow along, and see where the day took me.
As described by Visit South Devon, “Totnes is an historic market town that combines alternative therapies, breathtakingly beautiful countryside and a fascinating history. Sitting in the heart of South Devon on the banks of the River Dart, this unique and charming town has an international reputation for its lively and diverse community and relaxed atmosphere.” During medieval times, Totnes prospered as a market town, which was well-established by the twelfth century.
Our first step was The Cornish Bakery. I love bread and baked goods, so I was very tempted to buy a croissant or other pastry, but I had already had breakfast. Some of the students bought food, including a croissant, but more uniquely British–pasties. Pasties are hot baked semicircular pastries typically stuffed with meat, potatoes, and vegetables, and they are particularly associated with Cornwall. They come in different varieties, including “cheese and onion” and “pork, apple and Cornish cider.” I’ve had them before, and I definitely recommend!
Continuing on, we made our way to the Saturday market. This small outdoor market included antiques, second-hand clothing, crafts, plant dealers, vinyl records, and food vendors. I purchased a gorgeous loaf of multigrain sunflower seed sourdough bread (Like I said, I love bread!).
We then browsed the various specialty shops along High Street (Side note: In the U.K., “High Street” is the name usually used for the primary business district of a town). There are antique shops, second-hand clothing stores, art galleries, stationary shops, candy stores, plant shops, book dealers, and much more. At times, it was a feat for all nine of our tourists to cram in to the little boutique shops. At a British Heart Foundation charity shop, I bought a second-hand jumper (translation: sweater). High Street is narrow and swarming with visitors, but be aware that it is not pedestrian-only; pay attention for cars and be patient when sharing the road.
Next on the itinerary was a visit to Totnes Castle. This small circular stone fortress was just at the end of High Street. It is one of the best-preserved Norman motte and bailey castles in England. It is amazing how interwoven such ancient artifacts are here. Admission to Totnes Castle is normally £4.50 for students, but I was able to enter for free as an English Heritage member. If you are fascinated by history, you may want to consider becoming an English Heritage member. English Heritage is a charity organization that preserves over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites–such as Totnes Castle, Stonehenge, Tintagel Castle, and Hadrian’s Wall. Our visit to Totnes Castle provided us with some fantastic views of the town and surrounding countryside, and of course great photo opportunities. There was not much to physically see at the site. I find though that the informational panels provide a better picture of the significance of the site, especially in these situations when the buildings are not overly impressive. Do spend some time to read the panels.
Properly cold and hungry at this point, we decided to find respite inside a local pub. Pubs are a quintessential British staple. Pubs have bars, but they are not just bars. They have food, and are usually family-friendly. They are perfect place to have a casual drink and meet up with friends and family while sitting on a comfy old leather chair next to a gentle fire. Our group of nine found a rear room furnished with two sofas, a few tables, and some chairs. It felt just like someone’s living room and furnished basement hangout. We had some grub and drinks. In the adjoining room, a young boy played with his pet dog. Overall, it was a charming time. The friendly manager of the pub even encouraged us to pick up some food at the market and bring it back to enjoy in the pub.
With a couple hours left before we had to catch the train back, we meandered High Street and ventured in to the main church. Although this might seem strange, it is very common in my experience. English churches are old and architecturally beautiful, so they welcome visitors. I try to remember to be respectful and quiet, as there are sometimes people worshiping in the pews. The group then left the church and carried on to catch an earlier train than we had planned. There was some uncertainty about if our tickets would work on the earlier train, but we figured it out with the help of the Great Western Railway app. There are many train operators in the U.K. and it can be a confusing system to navigate. I recommend downloading the local train operator apps and the Trainline app.
It was a lovely British day: trains, dreary weather, Cornish pasties, a pub, High Street, a church, and a castle. Aside from the places, the people we met along the way were friendly and happy to provide guidance to us as tourists. Through our shared adventure, the other international students and I had fun and bonded with each other.
