TRAVEL: TORQUAY

Ted Ralph

Did you know that best-selling Devon-born author Agatha Christie trained as a concert pianist? She was also a nurse, which gave her an understanding of chemicals for her murderous plots. I didn’t, until our visit to Greenway, her delightful holiday home in Torquay on the English Riviera, which she paid around £6,000 for in the 1950s – today, it’s worth over £11m!

Apparently, she was too shy to even play the piano to her family. There is a wonderful Steinway grand in the house – from her London home, which did suffer WW2 bomb damage – but Heidi (13) thoroughly enjoys the privilege of playing it. I can’t resist playing The Entertainer, but can’t remember it all.

Poirot mystery Dead Man’s Folly was set at this exclusive 30-acre riverside estate (there was a murder at the Boathouse overlooking the River Dart). Here, we are treated to a beautiful kingfisher flying by and look out to where Sir Walter Raleigh would have lived. It is claimed that Greenway sells more copies of her books than anywhere else. It goes without saying that Dead Man’s Folly is now required reading for me, and we’ll have to watch the drama too.

Agatha Christie wrote 66 crime novels, 150 short stories, 25 plays and two autobiographies, but also six books as Mary Westmacott. Over one billion copies of her books have sold in English, and it is estimated that a further billion have been sold in other languages. Greenway, which her daughter Rosalind inherited, was opened to the public in the early 2000s. It’s interesting to learn from the knowledgeable guides that it was customary for wealthy young women, otherwise known as debutantes, to “come out” in London, but that her American father had lost much of his wealth, and as a result, Agatha travelled to Cairo, where there were quite a few expats due to the Tutankhamun discovery. She didn’t meet a man there, and it was only on her return that she was invited to a do by the parents of a dashing young pilot, Archibald Christie, who Agatha ended up marrying in 1914 and having a child, Rosalind. Unfortunately, his affair ended the marriage with an acrimonious divorce in 1928. Two years later, when she was 40, she married Max, a 26-year-old archaeologist, with whom she finally found happiness. This is all very fascinating and inspiring for me, but a little challenging for my 10-year-old son, Henry. However, he perks up when walking around the beautiful gardens, where various summer games keep him occupied. Greenway, a historic Tudor mansion, dates back to the 16^th century and originally belonged to Sir Walter Raleigh’s half-brother Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and later Sir John Gilbert. There’s a chestnut tree on the estate that would have been around at the time of Sir Walter’s regular visits.

History is all around, and 30 miles away at Dartmouth is Coleton Fishacre. The D’Oyly Cartes, of Gilbert and Sullivan opera fame and owners of the Savoy and Claridge’s, discovered this piece of heaven while sailing along the coast. Hewn from stone, built from the on-site quarry, it is a magnificent love letter to the Arts and Crafts movement, with some stunning Art Deco features, not least in the saloon. With 30 acres of sumptuous gardens, here is another National Trust property full of inspiration, especially so for Harriett (15), who is studying GCSE Resistant Materials. While much of the Art Deco furniture is not original, it has been tastefully sourced to be true to the 1920s period. All the solid wood is a joy to behold. It’s very sad to learn that the couple’s son died in a car crash aged just 21 while on his way to a hospitality course in Switzerland – the plan was for him to go into the family restaurant business.

A stone’s throw away is Kirkham House in Paignton. This is a well-maintained medieval house from 1390, when there were only about 300 residents in the town – today, there are around 260,000! Only open on Sundays, tours are conducted by Paignton History Society. We learn that ‘Paign’ was an Anglo-Saxon word for people, meaning ‘of this town’. But it took until the 1800s, when the railway arrived, for the name Paignton to stick. The house was rescued by Ada Jennings, who bought it in 1939 and left it to the country with £9,000 for renovations. Again, plenty of inspiration for Harriett! Aside from being the birthplace of Agatha Christie, Torquay is also famous for being the location of cult 1970s comedy, Fawlty Towers. The inspiration for this came from Gleneagles Hotel, where the Monty Python crew stayed and were so shocked by the customer service, they left. But, fascinated, John Cleese and Connie Booth stayed to research. Today, the hotel has been replaced by retirement flats.

Henry (10) has suffered our craving for history and architecture, and is relieved and excited to visit Diggerland at Cullompton, where he can indulge in JCB driving and operating. He really is in his element at Stack Attack where, being tall enough, he is actually able to lift up tyres, move them, and pile them one on top of the other. It’s great for his dexterity and we all enjoy watching his concentration. He’s very good at it!

There are go-kart races, which we all enjoy, and a digger merry-go-round, which the girls try. It’s actually possible to drive a £52,000 JCB around a course here. Four of us can sit in the cab, and we take it in turns. The instructor’s very knowledgeable, and while it will travel at 40mph, we stick to first gear, where we’re travelling no faster than 10mph. Quite an experience, especially for the children.

The Safari in the Kawasaki dune buggy certainly focuses the mind! We’re only travelling at 20mph, but because it’s off-road with steep hills, it feels much faster. Luckily, our driver is very experienced and keeps full control throughout. We stop at images of wildlife, and he asks us to make their sounds. You’d think it would be easy, but it isn’t – what sounds do a giraffe or zebra make? Anyway, we try our best.

It’s also possible to drive a Ssangyong Rexton police off-roader in the Joyrider attraction, and Harriett and Heidi do this (it’s an automatic, and there’s an instructor). Frightening for passenger Caroline, but the girls love it. Henry tries, but unfortunately he’s just not quite tall enough to reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel. The train is a fun ride. Henry is actually able to lift both ducks out of the water in the Dippy Ducks, and is then eager to go to the Dirt Diggers. A really fun day out. There’s a little time left to visit Brixham and Torquay.

We have the pleasure of staying on a half-board, self-drive basis for four nights at Daish’s Abbey Lawn Hotel in Torquay, where there is a car park. Henry receives a golden ticket and gets some goodies, including a snack and drink, so he’s really happy. Comfortable accommodation, enjoyable food and friendly staff are all part of the package, as is the superb heated indoor swimming pool (26 degrees), which is a major selling point.

Our superior garden rooms have views out to the tennis courts, and it’s a pleasure to just sit there, watching and listening to the sound of those balls hitting the rackets. A good night’s sleep is enjoyed by all of us, and the en-suite shower rooms are really appreciated in the hot summer weather – it reaches 40 degrees during our stay. Each day starts with a 7.00am swim in the empty pool (yes, EMPTY pool, which we cannot believe). We have stayed with other holiday providers who never have empty pools and also require booking in advance, which is a real hassle. So we’re really, really happy with Daish’s terrific offering here. An early-morning swim makes us all feel healthy and works up a nice appetite for breakfast, where there’s a choice of continental or full English. We try, and enjoy both.

The days are ours to explore, which we do, and then dinner is served at 6.00pm, where we are treated to some really tasty homemade soup starters, which take a lot of beating. Our favourite has to be the cauliflower and dill. Simple but very effective. The menu makes for good reading, and I like the idea of celebrating the cuisine of different countries; there’s British, French, Italian, and more. The beef and mushroom bourguignon with mashed potato and green beans, and the beef lasagne with vegetables are tasty! Henry enjoys his three sausages and chips each night, clearing his plate. The ice creams go down well too. We have the same tables throughout our stay, and enjoy watching the other residents and indeed talking to some. One couple from Kent wax lyrical about Daish’s, about how this is their third Daish’s holiday this year and that they’ve returned to many of the hotels. “They’re really good value for money,” say the elderly travellers who use the smart Daish’s coaches, which also take them on day trips. It’s good to meet happy customers. It must be hard work to run a hotel, but when Jeanne Wilson founded the business in 1979, she understood what the holiday maker wanted and made lots of friends along the way. Entertainment is always important, and there’s a programme of performers that are, well, entertaining! Our first night sees guitarist Paul Gee take to the stage and both Henry and I, who play the guitar ourselves, do appreciate his showmanship. We all take the dance floor. On other nights, we are treated to singers, and on the last night there’s a comedian, who also sings. It’s good to have a laugh. Henry is delighted when he finds he can play snooker and darts at Daish’s. In fact, his early attempts at darts see him score a bullseye, the little monkey. Do I? Of course not! We also enjoy sitting as a family and watching a programme together. It’s a really wonderful family holiday, and we thoroughly enjoy not having to worry about catering, or anything in fact. And at the end, we really feel that we have relaxed. The mark of a splendid holiday.

So, very well done, Daish’s!

Daish’s fact box:

Tariff 2026 (as of April 2026), based on two people sharing a standard room: Price from £184 to £519 self-drive and £204 to £539 for the coach.

For more information visit:

https://www.daishs.com/torquay/abbey-lawn-hotel