The Ferry Boat Inn, Dittisham Pub Walk
Circular Walk around Dittisham above the River Dart, 4 miles
Some pubs are worth visiting for the beer. Others for the food or the history. The Ferry Boat Inn has all of those, but its greatest asset is something no landlord could ever create: one of the finest waterside settings in England.
I've been returning to this part of Devon for more than 35 years, and almost every visit seems to end here. It was on the sheltered waters in front of Dittisham Sailing Club that I nervously launched my first dinghy. When I paddle the River Dart by canoe, this is still the place I aim for. There might be prettier villages in Britain and grander rivers, but to me few places capture the simple pleasure of being beside the water quite like this place.
The reason is simple: Dittisham sits on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Dart. Tucked into a bend of the river, with Greenway, Agatha Christie's former home, just about visible through the trees on the opposite bank, it's how I imagine Swallows and Amazons.
A small passenger ferry still shuttles across the River Dart to Greenway Quay throughout the day, and one of Dittisham's enduring traditions is watching people ring the old ship's bell on the jetty to summon the boat.
It wasn't always just foot passengers making the crossing. Until the early 1960s, this was the western landing point for the vehicle ferry to Greenway, making the pub an integral part of one of the Dart's busiest river crossings. The Ferry Boat Inn has always belonged to the river, and that's still how it feels today, although looking at the narrow lane climbing away into the village beside the pub, it's remarkable to think that cars once queued here waiting to board the ferry.
The walk explores that same timeless landscape. Quiet lanes climb above the village to reveal ever-changing views of the wooded Dart valley before returning through one of Devon's prettiest riverside communities. Along the way you'll discover an ancient church, hidden creeks, traces of Saxon history and the remarkable story of Alexandre Liwentaal, whose experimental flying machine briefly left the ground on these slopes in 1894—one of Britain's earliest recorded attempts at powered flight.
There are countless ways to spend a day here. Cross the river to visit Greenway House, or from Greenway Quay continue downstream by boat to Dartmouth, or simply wander Dittisham's narrow lanes before settling beside the water with a pint. However you arrive, chances are you'll find yourself reluctant to leave.
About The Ferry Boat Inn, Dittisham
Last visit: June 2026
Standing almost at the water's edge, The Ferry Boat Inn feels inseparable from the River Dart. The Grade II listed building probably dates from the eighteenth century, with alterations during the nineteenth, and was built to serve a community whose fortunes were tied to the river. Originally arranged as two separate rooms around a central entrance, it has gradually evolved into the welcoming open-plan interior enjoyed today, while retaining all the character that makes old Devon pubs so appealing.
Step inside and you'll find low ceilings, exposed beams and walls crowded with nautical memorabilia collected over decades. It isn't a carefully curated theme; rather, it feels like a pub that has simply absorbed the stories of the river outside. Although the internal layout has changed over time, the atmosphere remains traditional.
The real focal point is the magnificent picture window overlooking the Dart. Few pub windows offer a better excuse to linger. The River Dart isn't simply the view from the pub; it's the village's front garden, playground and highway, with something happening every few minutes. Families gather on the stone wall to fish for crabs, paddleboarders and kayakers drift past on the tide, sailing dinghies tack across the river, while walkers simply sit with a drink in hand, watching life unfold on the water.
Outside, the riverside wall has become an extension of the pub itself. On warm days it fills with walkers, boat crews and visitors simply enjoying one of Devon's most enviable views.
The Ferry Boat Inn has naturally evolved over the years. The website is slicker than it once was, and the T-shirts behind the bar now simply carry the initials "FBI", as does a wonderful ale brewed for the pub by Otter Breweries. Thankfully, that's about as far as the modernisation goes. The character of the building, the warmth of the welcome and the simple pleasure of watching life unfold on the river remain reassuringly unchanged.
Given its remarkable setting, it's no surprise that the pub regularly features in travel guides and newspaper recommendations. Yet despite its popularity, it still feels like the 'Ditsum' village pub first and a destination second. That's an increasingly rare balance to find. Oh, and I love it.
Pub Key Information
| WEBSITE | https://www.fbidittisham.co.uk/ |
| ADDRESS | Manor St, Dittisham, Dartmouth, TQ6 0EX |
| PHONE | 01803 722368 |
| WHAT3WORDS | ///breath.shrub.charmingly |
| PARKING | No parking at the pub. Use Ham car park instead (///paradise.online.users) |
| LOCATION | Dittisham is a village on the south bank of the River Dart, 3 miles upstream from Dartmouth. If driving to the village, you'll find that it's signposted off the A3122. Follow the road for 3 miles. You can also reach the village via ferry, from Dartmouth. Or if you're on the North bank of the River Dart, in the Torquay or Paignton area for example, you can aim for Greenway Quay and catch the passenger ferry across to Dittisham from there. |
| HANDY FOR | Dartmouth; Agatha Christie's Greenway House; River Dart river trips; South Hams Way; Dart Valley Trail; John Musgrave Heritage Trail. |
Walk Overview
This circular route explores the landscape that makes Dittisham and the middle sections of the River Dart so special. It climbs above the village into quiet countryside, revealing a different perspective on this beautiful river valley before returning to the Ferry Boat Inn.
The route follows sections of three long-distance paths—the Dart Valley Trail, the South Hams Way and the John Musgrave Heritage Trail—so you'll often find several waymarkers comically sharing the same posts. It begins through the historic heart of Dittisham, passing St George's Church, whose position above the village reflects centuries of life shaped by the river below.
From here the route descends towards Dittisham Mill Creek before climbing through woodland and farmland above the village. Along the way you'll pass close to the slopes where Alexandre Liwentaal carried out his pioneering aviation experiments in 1894, one of Britain's earliest recorded attempts to leave the ground.
The final return through Dittisham is a highlight in itself. After exploring the countryside above the village, the gradual descent through its lanes brings you back towards the river and the welcome sight of The Ferry Boat Inn waiting below.
Walk Instructions: Choose what works for you
There are multiple ways to consume the route described below.
- Either follow the online instructions, or download and print a copy of the route.
- If you have the OS Maps app, you can follow a saved route directly in the App.
- Or download the GPX file for use on your chosen GPS-based navigation application.
Walk Key Information
| START/FINISH | The walk starts at The Ham car park, a small level site down Ham Lane beside the River Dart. |
| PARKING | As above, use the car park at The Ham. There is some street parking on Riverside Road, just past the Church, before you drop down Ham Lane to the car park. |
| GRID REFERENCE | SX 865 551 |
| WHAT3WORDS | ///paradise.online.users |
| DISTANCE/TIME | 4.2 miles / 6.7 km; approx 2 hours |
| ASCENT | 900 feet / 275 metres |
| PATHS/TERRAIN | Pavements, quiet country lanes, fields, farm tracks. Option for walk along edge of creek. |
| DIFFICULTY | Moderate. The walk is not technically difficult, but there are several steady climbs, some uneven paths and a short section that can become muddy after wet weather. Shoreline routes are available that can be affected by high tides, in which case the alternative routes are suggested to provide an easy detour. |
| PUBLIC TRANSPORT | Bus services to Dartmouth, Totnes, Newton Abbott and Torquay are available, though the frequency is limited. Check the link here Bus Services | Dittisham Parish Council |
| TOILETS | Public toilets at The Ham car park, as well as at The Ferry Boat Inn. |
| OTHER PUBS TO VISIT | This area is served by some excellent pubs that would appreciate support: The Hunters Lodge pub in Cornworthy village; The Maltsters in Tuckenhay and The Waterman's Arms a few hundred yards further on along the lane. Both are superb pubs in idyllic locations. Then in the village of Ashprington is The Durant Arms, another excellent village pub and a reasonable goal for a Dart Valley out and back walk from Totnes. Note that The Red Lion in Dittisham is currently being refurbished, but still functions as the community run village shop and post office. |
Directions
- From the Ham car park, head back up the way you came, towards St George's Church. The church has stood watch over this bend of the Dart for the better part of seven centuries — parts of it date to 1328–33 — positioned deliberately to be visible both up and downstream. Cromwell's men did their usual damage here, burning the rectory and destroying the early parish registers, but the 15th-century carved wineglass pulpit survived, along with the red sandstone font, reputedly buried to keep it safe.
- Go through the churchyard, round to the tower, and take the metal gate that's at the end of the path opposite the tower door.
- You'll emerge onto Lower Street with Craig Cottage ahead of you. Turn right, downhill through the village.
- Past a thatched longhouse, look for a footpath down to Dittisham Mill Creek, between Heronsgate and Seal House. At low tide you can follow the shore round to the left in the direction of Dittisham Mill, avoiding the lane above — flatter, and rather nicer underfoot.
- If the tide's in, or you'd rather stay on tarmac, continue past Seal House as the road curves steeply past village houses up to a junction. Turn right and follow the lane until Dittisham Mill comes into view, where the low-tide route rejoins from the creek on your right.
- Fifty metres on, before the mill, take the path on your right over a footbridge, across the private wooded drive of 'Dinah's Side', and up steps into a field. Follow the field left on a level if uneven path, with the old waterwheel at Dittisham Mill coming into view below you to the left. The slopes around you now are where Alexandre Liwentaal took to the air in 1894 — a 40-foot-wingspan machine, inspired by watching the local seabirds, that got six or seven feet off the ground for several yards before a gust flipped it onto its back. Undeterred, he had another go from the slopes above Bozomzeal and put it straight into a hedge instead.
- The path enters woodland and comes out on a narrow road just outside East Cornworthy. (The Hunters Lodge pub in Cornworthy village is about 1.5 miles further along the lane, to the right, if you fancy a detour.)
- Head downhill to the left, over a small bridge — the same Dittisham-to-Cornworthy lane you crossed earlier.
- After the bridge, round a bend and proceed steeply uphill to a junction signposted for Combe. Turn right.
- The lanes from here are properly quiet, passing Combe Farm Studio and Fingals — a cluster of quirky self-catered lets — before curving left to pass Barberry Farm.
- Some uphill work now, rising to the junction at Kingston Cross — roughly the ground Liwentaal was trying to get airborne over. Continue downhill, signposted Dittisham, to a bend where you turn right onto an unmetalled farm track between hedges, with a gate to your right as you head uphill.
- The track is narrow and can be genuinely tricky in the wet, with overgrown grass and fern verges folding in after rain.
- At the top, the track meets the main Dartmouth road into Dittisham — take care here. Turn left, follow it downhill for about 50 metres towards Bozomzeal Cross, and pick up the footpath opposite into a field through a gate.
- Cross the field on a clear path to a gate on the far side. You're above Dittisham now, with the village laid out along the river, visible in both directions.
- Through the gate, drop straight down onto a quiet road, cross carefully, and pick up what looks like a gravel drive opposite. Follow it its full length — level at first, then down into Lower Dittisham — arriving in front of The Old Rectory.
- Bear left onto Rectory Road through the upper village, then right at the junction by The White House to begin the final descent to the pub via Manor Street — one of the loveliest few hundred yards in Devon.
- As you drop towards the river, note "The Lane" on your left — your route back if the tide's in.
- Arrive at the Ferry Boat Inn. If the tide's in, this is about as good as waterside pub locations get in England. The passenger ferry from the jetty still runs across to Greenway Quay for Agatha Christie's house, with connections on to Dartmouth in season.
- From the Ferry Boat Inn, walk back to the car park along the shore, under the pub's famous window — or back up Manor Street to The Lane to reach the Ham car park from there.
The best pub walks are meant to be shared.
If you’ve followed this route, found a better path, got lost, uncovered a standout pint somewhere else, or simply have a story to tell, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
This site is as much about shared discoveries as it is about the walks themselves.
Other Pubs to try in Devon
Slapton Ley Nature Reserve & the Slapton Sands D-Day Memorial.
3 miles
Salcombe to East Portlemouth circular, via Ferry & the South West Coast Path.
3.8 miles
Bigbury-on-Sea to Ringmore & Aylmer Cove, South West Coast Path loop
4 miles
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