Fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie will know that, once upon a time, you could catch a train to the most obscure corners of the UK. How else did Sherlock Holmes travel to Dartmoor in pursuit of the Hound of the Baskervilles? And how did Hercule Poirot make his way to his secluded Devon hotel in Evil Under The Sun?
From the 1960s onwards, however, many miles of train track and thousands of train stations were closed across the country. Devon lost its direct train route between Okehampton and Exeter in 1972.
In late 2021, (which marked the 100th birthday of Okehampton station) Devonians celebrated the return of passenger train services to Dartmoor when the trainline between Okehampton and Exeter reopened. The trains are now running once every hour.
The 40 minute trip into Exeter (St David’s or Central) costs just £8 return while a return ticket to Crediton costs just £4. And it only costs £2 to park a car for a full day.
Full credit to Crediton
There’s a café at Crediton Station and you could simply stay on the station with a cup of tea to await the return train to Okehampton. However, a short walk into this historic market town is well worth your while.
Crediton Church has a history dating back over 1000 years. Crediton was the birthplace of Saint Boniface (the ‘apostle’ of Germany) and Crediton Church serves as the starting point of the new 14-mile St Boniface Way Pilgrimage, which finishes at Exeter Cathedral.
Crediton’s museum is based in the old town hall and is open during the Summer months. Run by volunteers, it’s a great place for people to learn about, and share memories of, the history of the town and surrounding villages. (It also has a small shop.)
Crediton also has some wonderful independent shops and great cafes. There’s a farmer’s market on the first Saturday of every month. It’s well worth a visit.
