Chapter 1:
Greenway, The loveliest place in the World
“The loveliest place in the world” is how Agatha described Greenway House – her holiday home on the banks of the River Dart, which she treasured as a retreat for herself and her family. Our favourite way to visit starts in Paignton, it is here you will board the vintage steam train for the wonderful journey to Kingswear on this beautiful heritage railway.
Travel options can include a steam train & ferry
7 Days a Week: 9am to 5pm
Full Day Excursion
From £345 for two guests
David Smith16 September 2024Absolutely brilliant day out with Maria to Greenway. very friendly and knowledgeable with loads of facts and factoids not only about Agatha but the other places we visited. mini tour of Dartmouth while we waited for the ferry was a bonus. nice pace not rushed in any way so we got a chance to see everything. she even managed to swing the weather 😃. would definitely recommend this tour would award 6 stars if i couldmiriam struck13 September 2024Marie, Julie, and our driver Stewart were excellent guides! They were friendly, knowledgeable, and shared their deep breadth of local knowledge. Knowing we were here for the Agatha Christie Festival they not only shared interesting facts about Christie’s connections to the area but also included other experiences and history of Dartmoor. We got to see plenty of wildlife on the moors and great views. They showed us a real variety of towns and villages as well as the national park. We even stumbled on a wedding party! We had a fabulous time and would recommend this tour to anyone else. Thank you Maria and Julie!Cheery Mitford19 August 2024Absolutely flawless planning and amazing local knowledge from Maria and Julie made our two days with them so special. My best friend and I are huge Agatha Christie fans and we learnt so much from Maria on our tours, and greatly enjoyed discussing the local areas and how they inspired Christie’s novels. We visited Greenway, Burgh Island, Dartmoor and lovely villages with a Christie connection. Amazing attention to detail and such charming company made this a holiday to remember. All the lovely photos, souvenirs and memories we now have are already making friends jealous! We can’t recommend Miss Lemon highly enough, as long as Maria and Julie have availability for us when we tour with them again!Janet Muir21 July 2024Absolutely fabulous tour of Greenway with the two Miss Lemons Julie and Maria who couldn't do enough for us. A lovely leisurely day which was truly the icing on the cake of our holiday. I cannot fault them and if we are back in Torquay will not hesitate to book with them again.MUTI ANDREA18 July 2024Accoglienza stupenda, le signorine Lemon sono state gentili, disponibili e professionali!joy unterlander11 July 2024We can't say enough wonderful things about our tour to beautiful Burgh Island. We had an absolutely fantastic time driving through Devon's beautiful country side to wonderful Burgh Island. We enjoyed a scrumptious afternoon tea at the hotel, visited the centuries old Pilchard Inn dating back to the 1300s, rode the sea tractor during the high tide, all thanks to the delightful and very efficient Miss Lemon, can't wait to return next year. Thank you so very much Miss Lemon 🍋 ♥️Sandra Gittins6 July 2024We were so lucky to travel to Burgh Island with Miss Lemon x 2. Maria & Julie ensured that we had a day to remember. The Island itself was magical with a delicious tea at the hotel. It was like we had stepped into the pages of a book ourselves. The ladies were great company and had lots of fun information for us. It was a very special experience.Akiko Goda30 June 2024I am from Tokyo Japan visited Engliand for the first time in June 2024. Miss Lemon's tour guide was extraordinally superb. I usually travel by myself, but I truly recommend their guided tour when you visit Torquay or you come for Agatha Christie. I guarantee you a wonderful time with these two efficient and thoughtful ladies!Jeanne Mailhot13 June 2024I did a custom day tour of the Moors and Burgh Island (including the lovely tea). I absolutely adore my day and the great company. The day was organized around my wishes and corresponded perfectly to what I had imagined. A splendid day exploring the sceneries my favorite author wrote in. The communication was very clear and helpful from the first email to the trip day. Thank you very much Julie and Maria.Helen Lanzrein13 May 2024Miss Lemon, not Hercule Poirot's secretary, but at least as clever, efficient and supportive as her. They provided us with loads of valuable nd cool tips, and we had great fun visiting Greenway House together ❤️ Would definitely recommend!
Details & Itinerary
“The loveliest place in the world” is how Agatha described Greenway House – her holiday home on the banks of the River Dart, which she treasured as a retreat for herself and her family. It is a fine Georgian building now owned by the National Trust and sits in exquisite gardens. Travel by car can be arranged, however our absolute favourite is to board the vintage steam train for the wonderful journey to Kingswear on a beautiful heritage railway.
From Kingswear it is a short ferry hop to Dartmouth where you can enjoy a visit to the Royal Castle Hotel. The hotel featured in the Parker Pyne story The Regatta Mystery. Next we enjoy a leisurely cruise along the majestic river aboard the Christie Belle, before walking in the footsteps of Poirot himself who landed at Greenway Quay – the film location and inspiration for “Dead Man’s Folly”.
The house and garden are just as it was when Agatha left, indeed it is almost as though the family have stepped outside for a walk in the garden. It is a gorgeous Georgian house with a garden that extends to woodland, greenhouses and of course the infamous boathouse – the scene of a murder in Dead Man’s Folly! Agatha and her husband Max were great collectors and built up an extraordinary array of ceramics and archaeological artefacts, which can be seen here, along with first editions of her novels.
Miss Lemon would be delighted to accompany you to this peaceful and inspiring setting.
Pricing
- From £345 for the day up to two people – please enquire for further guests
- Includes railway and ferry tickets when choosing this option – see our price list page
- Includes entrance to Greenway House
- Chauffeur service to and from the station price on application
- Miss Lemon as travel companion
- Refreshments and meals not included
Schedule
What You Should Bring
Best Times for This Excursion
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you collect me from an airport or railway station?
Yes absolutely, in fact we would love to do so, as it gives us chance to get to know each other before our wonderful custom days out.
Do you mix groups of travellers?
No, this is very much a private tour, custom made and tailored for single or duo travellers. We want you to write your own travel story and so exclusivity is really important to us.
Can I bring a dog?
Well behaved dogs are welcome on walks, but unfortunately, we can’t transport them in our own vehicle. Some venues and attractions also do not allow dogs (other than guide dogs), so please do chat to us before booking with English Riviera Custom Tours.
Can you arrange my accommodation?
While we ask you to book directly, we are very happy to offer guidance and suggestions using our extensive local knowledge. We also work closely with some providers and ask you mention English Riviera Custom Tours at the time of booking, to ensure you receive any preferential rates.
Can I book all year round?
Absolutely! The English Riviera has a mild climate and benefits from some of the best weather anywhere in the UK. There are some attractions and venues that operate with more opening times through the high season, but we are an all year round destination and welcome guests throughout the year.
I am thinking of hiring a car, can you help me with that?
We can certainly provide information for local car hire.
Do I need special walking clothes and equipment?
While we say no, obviously we ask you to consider your footwear for our lovely walks. The English Riviera coastline is stunning and every opportunity to see crystal clear waters and our rich geological landscape cannot be missed. So comfortable and appropriate clothing is essential. We can provide walking poles if needed. The Dartmoor chapter is probably the most important to consider layers of clothing, as it can change so quickly on the rugged moors.
Do I need to be a very good walker?
For most of our walks, no. We consider all the practical elements (including toilet stops) and terrain and so will assess your booked tours in advance for you. Some of the coastal walks have some undulating terrain and so a reasonable level of walking ability is needed. If you are unsure before choosing your custom tour, please ask.
I am driving to the area, what are the roads like and the parking?
Devon has more roads than any other UK county ( fun fact!) and while we have plenty of great major roads, some of our country roads can be a little challenging for first time users. Reversing skills need to be honed! Greenway House only allows prebooked parking – but all other attractions here on the English Riviera have good parking facilities. But do not worry, Miss Lemon will ensure you have all the info you require for each adventure.
What’s the weather like?
Well everyone knows we British are obsessed with the weather, so Miss Lemon will keep you updated on whether you need your suncream or your winter woollies, so do not fear! After all, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing!
I’ve heard of wild swimming, what is it?
Really it is just a posh name for sea swimming, but we do take it very seriously here on the English Riviera. Both Miss Lemons are seasoned all year round swimmers and so are very safety conscious and aware of the power of the sea. But if you’d like to give it a go, we suggest a sunrise swim for the most perfect start to the day. Let us custom make your day and maybe add a swim every morning – you might just love it!
I would love to find some great eateries, can you help me with this?
Definitely! We are happy to make bookings and recommendations and have some really great places to eat on the English Riviera. There really is something for everyone and we might even share some of our best kept secrets!
Have you got a question we haven’t thought of? Please drop us a note and ask us, Miss Lemon is here to take care of your every need.