Totnes To Sharpham River Walk Guide

I have moved to Devon. Yay. Well, not forever, just for 1 month. I arrived yesterday, dropped my stuff off at my homebase in Totnes, then went straight out for my first walk. I had marked out the Totnes to Sharpham walk as one to try. It was the perfect one to start with, as I could start the walk straight out of my front door in Totnes, and follow the River Dart to reach Sharpham Cheese and Wine. I had read that at Sharpham, you can sample the stuff. A nice first day I would say.

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What to expect on the Totnes to Sharpham river walk

The Totnes to Sharpahm walk is part of the Dart Valley trail, one I will complete on my stay here (update: I completed it. You can read about it here). The walk itself is really lovely. Some river, some woodland, a few hills and gorgeous views. Although there are some steps and a few hills, it’s not challenging at all. There is one very steep hill, but it’s short.

Looking across to the undulating green hills on the walk from Totnes to Sharpham.

A dirt trail under the woodland and an overhanging tree.

Looking down the valley to the River Dart as its snakes around the corner on the walk between Totnes and Sharpham. There are green undulating hills on the other side of the river.

A big green hill with a small ruin just visible on it on the river walk from totnes to Sharpham.

I walked to Sharpham from Totnes and back along different trails. One at lower level, and one at higher level. The higher level trail is mostly a clean asphalt trail and some gravel. The lower level is dirt and grass. See tips below for more info.

What about the cheese?

The cheese part of the walk didn’t quite work out. When I arrived in Sharpham, I had a walk around the area and couldn’t figure out where I needed to go for the cheese. I ended up cutting my losses and made my way back to Totnes.

When I got back home to internet, I had a look online and discovered that it is actually closed to visitors now, permanently. Their new visitors site is moving to Sandridge. I am doing a walk that way, although, they aren’t open yet. Of course they aren’t.

Despite being closed, the walk from Totnes is still great, and the views from Sharpham, looking back along the River Dart, are gorgeous.

Logistics for the Totnes to Sharpham river walk

Start/finish: Totnes bridge
How to get there: The bridge is located at the bottom of the high street. Totnes is on the Great Western Railway line. To my surprise, it takes under 3 hours by train from London.
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 2h
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: Highest point is about 110m. With the hills, you will walk up a total of about 265m
Terrain: Dirt trails, asphalt, some gravel
Amenities: Everything in Totnes, nothing along the walk (except a few benches here and there). No cheese at Sharpham. I recommend the Curator in Totnes. It’s the best coffee I have had out here.
Time of year: Early spring
Dog friendly: Some of it. There are a few stiles, all bar one have doggy gaps. Some of the fields have livestock, but you are warned before entering those fields. See tips for more details.

Map for the Totnes to Sharpham river walk

-More local walking ideas will be at the end-

Tips for the Totnes to Sharpham river walk

As I mentioned earlier, there is an upper trail and a lower trail. I walked out to Sharpham on one and back to Totnes on the other. You could however just stick to one of them based on preferences:
If you want to avoid the stiles, then just walk on the upper level trail. This one has no stiles.
The upper trail is mostly asphalt, the lower trail is dirt ground and grass, so if it’s been raining, it can get muddy. If you want to avoid that, then you should stick to the upper trail.
The upper trail has the best views as you are higher. But it’s also less rugged, if that’s the kind of thing you like. I think doing both the upper and lower trail (like I did) gives good variety.

After the walk, if you want to see the river from a different perspective, why not try this guided canoe tour. It takes you from Totnes, and either past Sharpham, or the other way (depending on the tide).

Route description for The Totnes To Sharpham River Walk

So first you want to get yourself to the river. From there, if facing the river (from the high street side), turn right. For the first bit, the walk is by the road, then a little further along you can walk along the river side briefly. You can see it was low tide in Totnes when I started the walk towards Sharpham. When I arrive back later, you will see it is high tide. It was quite nice to see the difference.

A few yachts and boast resting on the river bed in Totnes at low tide, at the start of the walk to Sharpham.

The walk at this point is only briefly by the river, then you are forced back onto the road again. Keep going, and look out for the green trail sign on the right side of the road, next to a white building.

Follow the sign up a bit more road, then there will be a trail sign pointing you left onto the trail.

Walk out of Totnes towards Sharpham

It’s a gradual walk uphill, first behind some houses, and then when you get higher up, you will get a lovely view of the river ahead, and back to Totnes behind.

Looking down the green hill to the red rooftops and the River Dart Just visible on the other side. There are green underling hills in the distance ahead, and the trees of a woodland in the distance to the right.

Looking across the grey rooftops of a uniform road of houses in Totnes. The River Dart is just visible beyond them and the stone bridge running over it. There are lost of trees near the bridge.

Go through the gate at the top, and then make you way downhill in a zigzag fashion down the steps. At the bottom, follow the trail sign to the right through the gate.

Walk though the woods

Soon the walk will take you into and through the woods, with peaks of the river to the left. Although, I couldn’t see much river. I wasn’t sure if that is because it was low tide, or because it was hidden from view.

A red coloured dirt trail lined with bushes and trees.

A person wearing a black jacket walking down some steps in the woodland on the river walk from Totnes to Sharpham.

A wooden gate surrounded by bushes and trees, and a trail running through a field on the other side.

The walk continues under tree cover for a bit, before briefly taking you out alongside the bottom of a hill, and then back into woods again.

Look out for a view to the ruins on the hill to the left.

A red colours narrow dirt trail at the bottom of a green grass hill on the walk to Sharpham from Totnes.

Looking across the tree tops to a big green hill on the other side, with a small ruin visible on top. — .

The steps, livestock field and more woods

When you reach the junction, take the left to walk over the bridge thing, and then up some steps to reach the bottom of another field. This is the first one that has livestock. I didn’t see any when I was there, but they could be another time.

A wooden trail signpost pointing ahead to a wooden bridge in the woodland on the river walk from Totnes to Sharpham.

A wooden walkway and steps leading up into the woods on the circular walk to Totnes from Sharpham.

A wooden style with a green hill field on the other side. — This is the least gappy of the stiles on the walk

Follow the trail along the bottom of this hill and back into more woodland.

Out of the woods

After a bit more wood walking, you will reach another gate with a livestock sign. Again, there weren’t any when I was there on this day. You will no be out of the woods for the rest of the walk along the river to Sharpham.

A dirt trail leading through the woodland with ivy leaves on the tree trunks.

A red coloured dirt trail curving to the right with a hill field in the distance.

When you do go through the gate out of the woods, there are a couple of trail options. I took the left one to stay at the bottom. If you look up top, there is a trail up there which is what I walk back to Totnes on later.

If you are following me, keep to the bottom trail as it takes you around the bottom of the hill to reach the road/path.

Walk to Sharpham

At the road path, turn left and walk through the gate, then at the next junction, take the left trail. When you walk back to Totnes from Sharpham, you will reach this point again from a different trail. You will see later.

A path leading down towards a wooden gate. The path is lined with grass, and some bushes on the left a some overhanging trees on the right.

The road as it curves to the right out of frame, and a dirt trail leading off it to the left. There is a wooden trail signpost on the corner of the road bend. — Go left here

A track running ahead and curbing to the right. The road is lined with overgrown grass and barbed wire fence.

Walking along this trail, you will start to get lovely views up and down the River Dart. These are the views I had been waiting for.

Looking down to the River Dart snaking through the Valley on the circular Totnes to Sharpham walk.

This trail will lead you all the way to Sharpham. How far you go is up to you. I walked all the way down the hill in search of cheese. As you know already, I didn’t find any.

A dirt trail leading down hill, lined with grass on both sides, and a wooden fence to the right.

A big turquoise sign saying 'Sharpham Dairy' next to the road. There is a grey shed behind it.

Looking towards an old grey shop towards the hills and valley on the Totnes to Sharpham River walk.

It’s a dead end at the bottom, so if you don’t fancy walking down and up again, you can stop before the trail heads down. There are nice views down there, but they are just as nice from up top.

Walk back to Totnes from Sharpham

For the way back, if you turn back as if you are going to walk back to Totnes along the trail you got here on, you should see a trail to the left with a sign to Ashprington. Walk up this trail.

A narrow trail leading under a cherry blossom tree on the circular Totnes to Sharpham walk. — This is me looking back when I walked past the sign to Ashprington

This bit is the very steep trail I mentioned at the beginning. The views are very nice from up there, so just keep thinking of that as you make your way up. If it’s the right time of year, you will also be presented with some cherry blossoms to lighten the mood of the uphill.

Near the top, the trail ends and you have to walk next to the road for a bit. It’s a very quiet road though. No cars passed when I was there. I think the road is only for the Sharpham Cheese place, which is why it’s quiet.

Walk back onto the trail

Walking along the road, I could see the top of a house at the bottom of the hill on the left which had lots of nice colourful plants and flowers, and what looks like a giant bonsai tree (I have no idea what the tree is).

A large tree in a green field, with lots of trees on the hill behind it.

Continue the walk along the road, and when you reach the gate pillars which say Sharpham, the trail back to Totnes will be on the right.

The road as it runs through the pillars which say 'Sharpham' on it. — This is looking back

Walk though woods

Now, for a while, the trail is under tree cover. I was a little bummed as it took away from the views. I did wonder wether I had made the right decision to walk back to Totnes this way. However, I started to get some peaks of the views through tree openings, and then the trees ended and I had nice almost unobstructed views up and down the River Dart.

A trail lined with green leaved bushes and some leafless trees on the walk back to Totnes from Sharpham. There is a wooden gate ahead on the trail.

A gravel trail on the left with a hedge to the left side of it and barbed wire fence and some trees to the right on the walk back to Tones from Sharpham. To the right the river is visible down in the valley with the green grass hill on the other side. — .

Walk along the top of the hill with the views

You will reach the junction I mentioned you would return to earlier. Turn left here, and this time, stick to the road path. This will take you along the top of the hill with all the views.

A wooden signpost pointing left to Totnes and Right to Sharpham house.

Looking down into the valley with the river just visible and the undulating green hills on the other side on the walk back to Totnes from Sharpham..

Somewhere along here, the is a green patch of hill with some arty looking seats and a memorial to all the extinct species. This is a gorgeous spot. Nice grass to lay on, with stunning views along the valley and River Dart.

Arty wooden seats on the green on the circular river walk from Totnes to Sharpham.

A memorial for extinct species on the grass hill top.

Looking through the valley with bits of the river dart just visible on the circular walk from Totnes to Sharpham. There are lots of trees on the hills on either side of the valley. — .

The final stretch of the walk back to Totnes from Sharpham

Back onto the trail, it will lead you through some more woods, then out again briefly, and then in again where you will remain for the rest of the walk back to Totnes. Some bits of the woods are fully enclosed, some bits have little gaps to see out to the views.

A path ahead and curving to the left, lined with bushes and trees.

A curved path leading ahead and uphill, with a steep grass hill to the left with some sheep grazing on it. There are a few tress lining the path ahead.

Looking through a gap in the trees down to the River Dart on the walk from Totnes to Sharpham. There is a sail boat on the river.

You will know you are nearing Totnes as you will start to see the views of the houses through the trees. Keep going, and the trail will take you all the way back to where you started.

Looking down to the river lined with boats and a hill on the other side and a cluster of houses.

The road lined with some of the colourful homes in Totnes at the end of the walk from Sharpham.

The river with a few boats moored along it in Totnes. — Now high tide

More walks near Totnes, Sharpham, and the River Dart

Totnes to Dittisham walk – This one takes you along the River Dart, and instead of turning back to Totnes at Sharpham, you keep going all the way to Dittisham.

Dartmouth Dittisham Circular walk – This is a fantastic walk on both sides of the River Dart. You will cross over the river twice on a boat. For the crossing at Dittisham you ring a bell and a little boat comes to get you. It’s a challenging one with some very steep long hills.

Totnes to Dartington walk – This walk follow the River Dart to Dartington Park, through woodland, and to the cider press centre. It then finishes of with a lovely view down the valley.

Little Dartmouth Walk – This one is a little further away, starting from Dartmouth and heading in the other direction along the coast path. It’s a nice circular walk with a few not too challenging hills, and lovely views along both the River Dart and out to sea.

For a more detailed comparison, you can read about the best walks from Totnes.