World War II Heritage Tour

8 hours (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: English

"Probably the most militarised county in WWII", some 1.5 million GI's were stationed in the county of Devon. The north and south coasts of Devon were used extensively to both house the GI's and enable them to practice amphibious landings before the Normandy landings. This includes the notorious Slapton sands, one of the US military's darkest secrets of WWII. Focussing on the south coast, in addition to Slapton we'll visit Plymouth, where some 36,000 GI's departed. Plymouth is said to be the most bombed city in WWII (per sq mile) more than London and Coventry and is still the largest naval dockyard in Western Europe. Down the coast the picturesque coastal town of Dartmouth is home to two stunningly preserved castles at the mouth of the River Dart as well as Britannia Naval College, home to US naval command and where Queen Elizabeth first set eyes on the Duke of Edinburgh. Finally Brixham, now Englands' biggest fishing port with some of the best preserved naval gun batteries of WWII.

What's Included

Chilled water
Private transportation
All Fees and Taxes
Air-conditioned vehicle
driver/guide
A table is booked for lunch, however choice of food and the cost is guest responsibility

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
Pickup details:

Included in your fee is collection and drop off at your accommodation within a 30 mile radius of Brixham. Additional premium travel charge is agreed at £1.50 a mile. This fee is agreed before the tour and paid separately securely over the phone, cash on the day or by secure mobile device on the day. If the travel premium charge cannot be agreed, then you are entitled to cancel the tour with a full refund. Your tour vehicle is a luxury 7 x seater Mercedes V220 and recognisable by its colour (pebble grey) and the decals on the side of the vehicle. I will send you a photo of the vehicle before the tour. I will be recognisable as I will be dressed in smart chinos and top with company logo on. Please note, the locations above are only samples, we will pick up in most places in Devon

Itinerary

Duration: 8 hours (approximately)
  • 1

    Devons' biggest city and still home to Western Europes' biggest naval dockyard.

    1 hour 15 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 2

    Perched majestically on the mouth of the River Dart, Dartmouth Castle was conceived in Medieval times and continued its development right up to WWII when howitzers were introduced to help defend the mouth of this strategic entity. For castle lovers, you can go on tour around the castle and we can re-model the rest of the day

    15 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 3

    A unique experience awaits you with the fresh water ley on one side (largest example in the UK) and the stunning Slapton sands (beach) on the other. The sea (on the beach side) and the ley are separated by a thin beachy causeway which provides the base for the tarmac road. With its future under threat from the winter storms, this beautiful location is a must see.

    45 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 4

    Home to one of the most famous war memorials of WWII, Torcross village at the western end of Slapton Sands is the resting place for the Sherman tank that took local hero Ken Small 20 years to extract form the sea bed of Start Bay and now pays homage to the hundreds of Americans that died out in the bay. Wether you have an interest in World War II or not its difficult not to be moved by this tragic story and one mans' quest to ensure it was never forgotton.

    30 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 5

    This beautiful coastal town is without one of Devons' gems.

    30 minutes Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Service animals allowed
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Reasonable fitness levels and the desire to walk short distances will ensure you get the most out of this tour
Supplied by DEVON&MOOR walking and driving tours

Tags

Day Trips
Full-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private Sightseeing Tours
Historical Tours
Ports of Call Tours
Luxury Car Tours
Shore Excursions
Zombie
New Product
Port Pickup
Short term availability

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

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