This pretty market town, with its high street bursting with boutiques, is delightful even on a rainy day
If there was any doubt that the town we’d stopped in during our long drive was more upmarket than most, it was dispelled as we walked past a shop front for ‘wealth management services’. A fancy patisserie, an antique store and a few wine merchants’ later, our suspicions were confirmed: Topsham in Devon is really posh.
That’s just the uneducated impression of a first-time visitor, but don’t just take my word for it. For years it has been hailed as home to Devon’s poshest pub crawl, while in 2023 it was reported to be home to one of the UK’s most prestigious residential streets, reports Bristol Live.
The market town on the outskirts of Exeter has an enviable position, overlooking the estuary of the River Exe. The boats bobbing along Topsham Quay looked picture-perfect as we arrived, even on a rainy Monday.
Huddled under umbrellas, we searched for somewhere to take shelter from the unexpected downpour, and shuffled into The Boathouse Café just behind the ferry landing. This cosy cafe is apparently known for its crepes, but we discovered it also does a perfect flat white coffee, which was a reasonable (by Bristol standards anyway) £3.50 and set us up for the day nicely.
A break in the clouds tempted us outside again in no time, and we even considered a boat trip as the sun made a brief appearance. You can get a ferry ride for £9 return, with hourly departures listed on the blackboard during the day we visited, although it seems frequency varies from day to day.
It goes back and forth between Topsham Quay and the Turf Hotel, which pitches itself as an “idyllic” spot in an “extraordinary waterside location”. We decided to give that a miss given another turn in the weather, setting out instead for a spot of shopping.
The high street is a short stroll from the water’s edge, though we took a scenic route past some impressive historic buildings along the way and even more jaw-dropping houses – detached homes here sell for an average of £756,042, according to Rightmove. The high street is lined with luxurious-looking boutiques, gift shops and lunch spots, including two that have made it into the Michelin guide.
That said, there are still bargains to be had if you’re shopping on a budget. I can’t resist a charity shop and found three that were open in Topsham, including Estuary League Of Friends where there was an incredible £1 sale rail. Devon Air Ambulance also has a specialist ‘vintage and variety shop’, which was a treasure trove of retro clothing, antiques and homeware.
On a Saturday there is a weekly market at Matthews Hall, described by organisers as having a “glorious mix of stalls” including food, gifts, clothes, vintage and home items. It’s an indoor market, making it another ideal spot for a rainy day.
Elsewhere we loved the look of Country Cheeses cheesemonger, but it wasn’t open on a Monday. The vibrant painted exterior of the Squid and The Kid meant I couldn’t give that a miss, where I could have spent a small fortune on adorable toys and clothing for my toddler.
I was a bit hesitant about finding somewhere family-friendly for lunch, but we had a lovely bite to eat at Route 2 cafe, where there were plenty of high chairs as well as a baby change facility. For something sweet there were bakeries, coffee shops and delis with mouth-watering displays in the window, but we ended up trying Sara’s Petite Cuisine as it has such great reviews online.
After stepping through the pastel-pink entrance I was slightly alarmed to realise there were no prices displayed on the counter, but I felt too embarrassed to check as there were a few customers already seated in the tiny cafe within earshot.
Preparing for a shock to my bank account, I decided on the delicious-looking banoffee cake and was pleasantly surprised by the £4 fee for such a generous portion – I’ve paid more for a cookie at some of Bristol’s trendy bakeries.
We did have a bit of a battle to get the pushchair back out the door past a rather impatient waiting customer who felt no obligation to step aside, but otherwise everyone we encountered was incredibly friendly and welcoming of the obvious imposters in their midst.
How to get there
Topsham is easily accessible from anywhere along the M5, as it’s just 10 minutes from Junction 30. From there it’s straight along the A376 and into the town, where there are a couple of council car parks. We opted for the Holman Way Car Park as it’s bigger than Topsham Quay and a short walk away.