Day out in Babbacombe

The main reason for us visiting Babbacombe was the Babbacombe Cliff Railway for my train-mad toddler. Every day of our holiday he constantly shouted ‘choo-choo’ and we began to worry that we would run out of train-related places to take him. The Cliff Railway was another of those places we’d been meaning to visit for a while.

The Babbacombe Cliff Railway is a 1920s jewel, transporting visitors to Oddicombe Beach. The railway and ticket office at each ends have been restored to their original glory so it really does feel like you’re stepping back in time. The railway only takes 90 seconds and the toddler loved every second. We walked to the beach and enjoyed the view out to sea over a cup of tea.

After our train ride we walked into Babbacombe for lunch at the award-winning Hanbury’s fish and chip shop. Babbacombe is a really pretty little place with it’s own parade of shops, including four charity shops, which I couldn’t resist a quick look round!

All the charity shops are located on Reddenhill Road. First up was the Mare and Foal Sanctuary which was annoyingly full of some older women who wouldn’t let me get near anything! Everything I wanted to look at came with a lady who would take an extra long time to look through the shelf or rail. I did manage to pick up some colouring books for the toddler and the shop was full of the usual toys, fabrics, books, bric a brac, and clothes.

There was also a Rowcroft Hospice Shop and Animals in Distress, both full of bric a brac which I knew my husband wouldn’t allow me to bring back to London and finally the RSPCA which was a small shop mainly full of clothes.

Babbacombe is definitely worth a visit and not just for the delicious fish and chips!