Adventures around Exeterwith PlusBus
Lovely Exeter, Devon’s ancient capital by the mighty River Exe, has plenty to see in its eighteen square miles. A network of buses can help you reach these sights and a bargain PlusBus ticket makes it easy to hop on and off the buses all day. See Roman walls and a medieval cathedral, a huge collection of movie memorabilia, and bird-haunted marshes by the wide Exe estuary. These are just a few of the adventures you can have by bus in Exeter.
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1. Visit the world’s longest vaulted ceiling
Nearly 96 metres (315 feet) of fine medieval vaulting arches high above Exeter Cathedral. The cathedral is a short bus ride from Exeter St Davids station, where most trains arrive. To make the most of a day out in Exeter, just ask for Exeter PlusBus at the ticket office when you arrive by train or buy it when you get your train tickets online.
- Besides the longest continuous medieval stone vault in the world, the cathedral boasts a fifteenth-century astronomical clock, all kinds of carvings in wood and stone, towering stained-glass windows and the world’s oldest cat flap (look for it in the door under the clock).
- How do I get to Exeter Cathedral by bus? Bus H runs every half an hour (Mon-Sat) from Stop A outside Exeter St Davids railway station along shop-lined Queens Street to Stop 7 outside Marks and Spencer. From here, it’s an easy three-minute walk along Martin’s Lane and right across Cathedral Green.
- Before you head to the cathedral, take a minute to stroll left along cobbled Cathedral Close and admire Devon’s finest row of medieval town houses. In particular, look out for the studded and ornately-carved Devon oak door of number 10. Today this doorway belongs to the cathedral’s Deacon. Some say that JK Rowling, who was a student here at Exeter, was inspired by this sight when she described the doorway of the mysterious secret “Room of Requirement” in the Harry Potter books.
- Where can I have lunch near Exeter Cathedral? Peckish? Fear not! This one of the best corners of the city for fabulous places to eat. Besides the cathedral’s own Refectory, the intricately-decorated Al Farid restaurant opens at noon and serves up moreish Morrocan mezze with a view across cobbled Cathedral Yard. The Namaste, round the corner on Guinea Street, has hearty South Indian food. For a super-quirky brunch spot with delicious maple-syrup-soaked granola, check out the Cosy Club in a former hospital in Southernhay Gardens.
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2. Stroll through a history of cinema
The University of Exeter is set on a leafy hill overlooking the city and has plenty to see including a sculpture walk, well-kept gardens and one of Britain’s biggest collections of movie-related stuff. With shadow puppets, magic lanterns, optical toys, stereo viewers, old film posters, animation stills, dioramas, mutoscopes, screenplays, video games and lots more, the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum is a hidden gem. It’s open nearly every day and it’s free to visit!
- Look out for the camera that was used to film the Battle of the Somme, with its chipped camouflage paint, and one of Lumiere’s original Cinematograph machines. There’s a bright green “What the Butler saw” machine and adverts with 3D effects. Film critic Mark Kermode says a visit to the museum is “like walking through a history of cinema”.
- Upstairs there are equally compendious collections of cinematic memorabilia, where you might see a Bart Simpson soft toy, an Aragorn action figure or an R2D2 made of soap.
- How do I get to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum by bus? Catch bus 4 from Stop B outside Exeter St Davids Station (or from Paris Street near the cathedral). The bus runs every 15 minutes to the University of Exeter Monday to Saturdays with more limited journeys on Sundays. The bus stops at Queen’s Drive. From here, walk a shot way downhill, past the Queen’s Building and turn left through the car park and right past the chapel to find the Old Library, containing the Cinema Museum.
- On the way back, you need to catch the bus from the stop called Poole Gate on Prince of Wales Road. If you need refreshments nearby, Camper Coffee in the Queen’s building is open on weekdays.
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3. Take a trip to Topsham
Exeter’s PlusBus area takes in the pretty waterside town of Topsham, a couple of miles south of Exeter. It’s a great place for a pub lunch with a view of the Exe and a paradise for birdwatchers. You can amble past elegant black-and-white avocets, spot numerous ducks, geese and waders on the marshes, and still be a short stroll from the town’s inviting cafés when it’s time for a cup of tea.
- How do I get to Topsham by bus? Bus 57 from Exeter bus station heads to Topsham every 20 minutes (every 30 mins on Sunday). Most buses go via Exeter bus station. After about 15 minutes, bus 57 stops outside the Nelson pub, which is a good place to hop off and explore the town. For a gentle two-mile walk along the waterfront, past the museum and through the bird reserve, follow the directions below. You can find a map here.
- Cross the road from the bus stop to Topsham Wines. Walk down picturesque Follett Road and turn left along Ferry Road. As the name hints, you could get a seasonal ferry from here to Topsham Lock on the far side of the river. Continue along Ferry Road, past the Passage House Inn, onto a pedestrian-only walkway by the water and along the Strand, past Topsham Museum.
- At the far end of this road, you can follow the path known as the Goat Walk with great views of wild birds on the estuary. Look out for avocets as well as oystercatchers, godwits, lapwings and more. Follow the lane left, past Bowling Green Marsh RSPB reserve. You will reach a hide on your right, which looks out onto the marshes with a great chance to see widgeon, teal and pintail in winter.
- Keep on along the lane, following it uphill and turn left down Monmouth Street back into town. Fork right up Fore Street, with its choice of cafés, for the quickest way back to the Nelson.
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And more...
For more car-free adventures nearby, check out our guides to exploring the Exeter area by train and adventures around Plymouth by bus. Not far from Exeter, you can also visit Killerton and get a free book from the second hand shop when you arrive without a car.
