The dominating facades that line the waterway give an uncompromising glimpse of what any old lottery winner would want to buy into, and indeed from kingswear just across the river Dart looking back to the west side of the river you could be mistaken for thinking that perhaps on moonless nights maybe that ridiculous creature whatever his name mcleod could be found rowing back and forth and encouraging people that had sat cleanly off the property ladder for many years to shovel huge handfuls of concentrated cocaine into upturned noses and driven by an insatiable madness and chemical cocktail decided to speculate all the way to the moon and back ! However there are still signs of life here, and it is promising when you hear that a property developer ' regenerating ' social housing into million pound ' luxury ' waterside properties is affronted by the idea that the local authorities in a quant little place like this would want to name the new and unsympathetic designs ' millionaires row' because well lets be honest that is all it could ever be ! but at least it demonstrates how a local authority might stop fidgeting into its own pockets over the assumed arrogance and self appointed grandeur that the property market tend to instill in even the lowliest civil servant.
The fact that like so many of the more populated desired addresses , there wasnt enough room to begin with and so urbanisation comes from literally clawing mud and rock from the depths of a swamp and turning it into substantial foundation bearing real estate to provide housing and products and services for the people that actually put in the labour and managed through grit and determination to build something out of nothing , so that they themselves could enjoy it ,
The Historical context of this place remains marvelously intact ancient fortifications and cobbled streets mingle with the frontages from a lazier generation or two but the sense of it is far less overpowering than you will find in neighboring settlements up and down the coast.
commercial hubs move seamlessly into historical provenance cluttered ever so charmingly into period residential all flowing wonderfully out to the many walks and footpaths that cover the river and coastline.
It is unfortunate that amongst the local retailers producers and purveyors you will find a stinking whistle fish with its imitation art for imitation people and true enough the shame does start to trickle through the towns lovely little independent boutiques and galleries but it has to be said the sense of community has done well to keep some of the worst types of people confined to their ultra modern design living and left the pubs and restaurants as character filled local type places.
there are several galleries here that I don't mind saying out loud have retained some of their cultural heritage and you can easily find during a stroll around town small pop up exhibitions and stalls taking place and thriving which is wonderful to see.
I would thoroughly recommend a wander around this quaint little maze, but take the high road and steer clear of the crap that is tirelessly trying to infiltrate the comatose state of this countries middle classes, spend more time in the local museum or up at dartmouth castle than in any pretend bistro. Take a walk along the picturesque wooded valleys and rugged coastlines , pack a picnic ( so you don't
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