I have great memories of the area, right back to the age of steam...... Some fantastic walks which get you away from the crowds.
As a matter of interest, my 'ahem' best time from the harbour clock in Torquay to home - 15 minutes off the M18 J1 is 3hrs45mins non stop in the Golf TDI, and one stop in the Bv8.
On our first trip overnight before we were married, and with no M42 was 4hrs 15 mins. Dolomite 1850 with overdrive and one stop.
I don't think those times are do-able nowadays. Worst time ever was over 8 hours during some serious flooding in October one year. A journey from hell, but the hire car was very good through deep water.
A friend with a 325 beemer once did it in 3hrs 15 mins in the early hours. It's roughly 275 miles from here.

My father was a driver with Gods Wonderfull Railway & as a small boy I have often gone from Paignton to Exeter and back on the footplates of Castles & Kings. Enjoying that fanstatic stretch of coastal railway & past Brunels only failure the atmospheric railway in Starcross.

Once the Dart Valley Railway started I used to go to school by the Flying Scotsman.

These days Bristol is usually the biggest risk on the M way. M5 , M4 to Maidenhead. I prefer the A303.

What a great childhood experience John. We used to have a house in Dartmouth, and our kids used to like the trip up the Dart by boat to Totnes, then bus to Paignton, and lastly the steam engine to Dartmouth (or more accurately Kingsbridge). The train trip goes through some of the most beautiful country-side in the UK, as it is the south Hams at its very best.

We've just been down in the West Country (St. Ives) for a few days and as usual a vist to Dartmouth on the way back was obligatory.

Brian

We had some great holidays in Paignton when the kids were young. One lasting memory is nearly running over Duncan Goodhew (then in his hey-day) when we we hacking along the seafront on a 4 wheeled bike - and he still gave the kids his autograph!