Help please Paignton for a 5 days

AdrianW1963

AdrianW1963

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I have just been given the chance to travel to Paignton next week and will be stopping in a hotel from Monday to Friday with the possible extension to the following Monday.
I know I could do both Paignton zoo and Living Coast from here but are there any others I could do instead please?
 
  • Like
Reactions: TNT
I'm assuming your using public transport? You could try Tropiquaria, a train from Paignton to Taunton is apparently just over an hour, then take a bus. Winter opening is only weekends and Mondays.
Would Dartmoor Zoo be possible?
 
Ned said:
I'm assuming your using public transport? You could try Tropiquaria, a train from Paignton to Taunton is apparently just over an hour, then take a bus. Winter opening is only weekends and Mondays.
Would Dartmoor Zoo be possible?
Click to expand...
Not that I've ever tried it, but I doubt that Dartmoor is easily do-able on public transport from Paignton (or even worth the effort).
 
Getting to Dartmoor would require a bus or train over to Plymouth, then getting the bus from Plymouth Royal Parade to Sparkwell village. Not impossible, but quite a long round trip. Probably easier to do than Newquay though.

The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth is another option to visit.
 
Gigit said:
Not that I've ever tried it, but I doubt that Dartmoor is easily do-able on public transport from Paignton (or even worth the effort).
Click to expand...

Never done it myself, but it is doable - as Rajang21 notes it requires a train and then a bus, so no trickier than Exmoor is :)

Rajang21 said:
Probably easier to do than Newquay though.
Click to expand...

Direct train to Newquay, then a pleasant walk to zoo - not hard at all.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
Direct train to Newquay, then a pleasant walk to zoo - not hard at all.
Click to expand...

Unless the train routes have changed significantly and *very* recently, if travelling from Paignton you'd definitely need to change at Newton Abbot and Par, and possibly at Plymouth too.
 
Rajang21 said:
if travelling from Paignton you'd definitely need to change at Newton Abbot and Par, and possibly at Plymouth too.
Click to expand...

Newton Abbot yes, the others no - I forgot I was staying in Newton Abbot when I did it (5 years ago today, as it happens).
 
TeaLovingDave said:
Never done it myself, but it is doable - as Rajang21 notes it requires a train and then a bus, so no trickier than Exmoor is :)



Direct train to Newquay, then a pleasant walk to zoo - not hard at all.
Click to expand...
Newquay is well worth the trip.
 
Rajang21 said:
I think the only direct trains from NA to Newquay are in the peak season - at this time of year there's definitely no direct journey.
Click to expand...

Looking at the National Rail website you seem to be correct now - but as noted, there were definitely direct trains 5 years ago today ;) :p a pity, as it was quite a nice journey.

Nonetheless, I reckon it is still worth the journey, and the changes of train are probably rather easier than having to change between train and bus and then work out when and where the correct bus stop to get off at is.

- edit -

Correction, looking at the gallery it was 7 years ago today - bloody hell, the time has flown.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
Looking at the National Rail website you seem to be correct now - but as noted, there were definitely direct trains 5 years ago today ;) :p a pity, as it was quite a nice journey.

Nonetheless, I reckon it is still worth the journey, and the changes of train are probably rather easier than having to change between train and bus and then work out when and where the correct bus stop to get off at is.
Click to expand...
That far pre-dates my time spent in Devon (the last 2 years, give or take); there was a point in late 2018 I was doing Plymouth to Newquay almost daily for a fortnight, so I know the current version of the route well!
clear.png
:p

Agree with you and @FBBird that it's a worthwhile trip to make, and I'd fully recommend it to @AdrianW1963. An excellent little collection, with some star small mammals and a really nice bird collection.
 
I will update here shortly after I have done my Blog and added the info to other sites unfortunately I can't put the links on here as a moderator told me I couldn't do it a couple of years ago.
I would like to thank everyone for there help all I can say at the moment (before battery runs out) is I visited -
Paignton
Living coast &
Newquay so far.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top