A Guide to 36 Hours in Chillington

27th March 2025

A slip of a village just inland from the sweeping blues of Start Bay, Chillington is a place that for long walks at golden hour, impromptu (then inevitably extended…) pub stops, farm shops and food that goes from land or sea to plate in no time at all.

Even here in the remarkable South Hams, few villages can claim to offer quite so much on their doorsteps. Here are some of its very best bits, from springtime walks through green fields to the sea, to live music and local ales in country pubs, and storage containers hiding everything from craft breweries to antiques within their walls.

Things to do in and around Chillington

Chillington is a village for walkers. Not in the obvious, signposted, take-a-picture-of-the-map-at-the-car-park kind of way, but in a rambling “let’s see where this lane takes us” kind. Footpaths peel off from the village in all directions, some winding along lanes and through fields, others dipping down towards the water - whether that may be the sea or where the creeks of the Kingsbridge Estuary snake their way inland.

One of the best routes is the Chillington to Torcross loop, an easy two-hour wander that takes you through lush Devon countryside before spilling you out at Slapton Ley, where a freshwater lagoon meets the sea. From there, you can push on along the shingle of Slapton Sands, or divert into Torcross for a pint before looping back.

Another, wilder, walk will take you along the South West Coast Path to Hallsands, a village all but lost to the waves in a ravenous 1917 storm. Drive from Chillington to Beesands to begin a walk along a stretch of coast that is all high cliffs and secret coves. It’s an exhilarating, salty-air and big-view type of walk, and it’ll leave you feeling like you have truly earned your post-hike fish and chips.

If all of this sounds a little too strenuous for your liking, leave your hiking boots by the door and make for some of the best farm shops in the South Hams instead.

Stokely Farm Shop usually sees you arrive intending to grab a loaf of sourdough and leave with an armful of local cheese, a still-warm pasty, a couple of bottles of good Devon cider and, somehow, a new houseplant or two. A constellation of independent businesses are housed in repurposed shipping containers outside the main farm shop, including Relish, one of our favourites for antique furniture and artisan homewares sourced from around the globe. A little green shed welcomes a rotation of indie pop-ups too, all well worth a browse.

Smaller than Stokely but no less charming, Springfield Farm Shop in East Charleton is impeccably curated. Fruit and veg is proper farm-fresh and the meat counter is a carnivore’s dream. If a good jar of locally made chutney is the type of thing that gets you going, you’ll be in heaven.

Of course, this close to the coast, it would be madness not to spend at least some of your time barefoot in the sand. The best beaches in Chillington depend on your mood. For long walks, crashing waves and that bracing feeling of open skies, head to Slapton Sands. We should probably point out that a section of the beach here is a long-established naturist spot - worth keeping in mind if the only thing you want to see bobbing around is a seal beyond the breakers!

For something smaller and gorgeous, try Lannacombe Beach. It’s tiny, hard to get to along lanes barely big enough for a car, utterly unspoilt and very special.

Places to eat in and around Chillington

The Bear & Blacksmith in Chillington is everything a good country pub should be. Local as they come, rustic in the very best way and run by lovely people who really know their food. A large chunk of what you find on the menu here has been grown, reared or caught locally, which means the steaks are deliciously tender, the veg is properly seasonal and the flavours dance together in a way that notches things well above the usual pub grub standard. Pints of local beer are pulled just right, and with a roaring fire taking the chill off those early spring nights - and a tired dog curled up beneath the table - there’s nowhere better to be.

Another coastal country pub that gets our vote is the Church House Inn at Stokeham, one of those picture-perfect thatched affairs that could have come straight from a Devon postcard. Inside, it’s all low beams and warm welcomes, but in summer, it’s the garden that steals the show. The barbecue smokes in the sun, the cider flows freely, and decisions start and end at whether to have another round of monkfish tacos (the answer is yes)

If fish and chips were a religion, the Start Bay Inn at Torcross would be considered the high temple around these parts. The 14th-century thatched inn perched by the shingle beach does the classics flawlessly: battered cod crackling under lashings of vinegar, proper chunky chips and the kind of tartare sauce that makes your face screw up a little at its tartness. The vegan version is excellent too. Eat outside with a sea view, licking the salt from your fingers as the waves roll in.

Sitting somewhere between a deli, a café, and a very well-curated wine shop, Keyon’s in Frogmore is all about snacking of the more refined kind. Construct a picnic around local charcuterie and cheese from just down the road, with the kind of pasty that makes you “oof!” and pause mid-bite for the main event. Finish with a slice of their signature Basque cheesecake and a bottle of something interesting, recommended by staff who really know their stuff.

Places to drink in and around Chillington

If you need local veg, homemade chutney or a proper slab of cake, Stokely Farm Shop has you covered, but it’s also where you can find a really great beer. Tucked inside a storage container, South Hams Brewery is an award-winner many times over, serving up golden ales and easy-drinking IPAs in a taphouse that regularly rings out with the sound of local bands.

The Bear & Blacksmith has Chillington itself covered when it comes to village pubs, but a couple of other low-key locals are worth the 20-minute stroll in either direction.

The Tradesman’s Arms in Stokenham is one of those pubs that doesn’t need to try too hard. Just well-poured pints, good chat with friendly folk, and an atmosphere that tends to see you stay a bit longer than planned.

For live music, head to The Globe Inn in Frogmore. Live jazz or folk plays out each Wednesday, solo performers and bands make appearances most Fridays, and regular open mic nights complete the line-up.

Fancy making a life of your own Chillington?

If the allure of the sea and tumbling green hill has you considering making Chillington a place you can call home, check out the latest homes for sale in Chillington with our Marchand Petit Kingsbridge office here. From charming cottages, to brand new, eco-friendly homes, there's a home to suit all in this charming locale.