The friendly market town of Ivy bridge is situated in the South Hams area of Devon, and stands on the River Erme at the south westerly edge of the Dartmoor National Park. In 1280 the area was recorded by one writer as 'dowry land … by the ivy bridge', and from this somewhat obvious description came the modern name of 'Ivy bridge'. The original 'ivy bridge' carried pack-horses and riders across the Erme on their way to and from nearby Plymouth. The area later grew into a busy staging point, encompassing three separate parishes whose boundaries all met at the 'Ivy bridge'.
Only in 1977 did Ivy bridge officially become a town, after construction of the bypass and several various other civic buildings brought more prosperity to the area. The 'new' town of Ivy bridge now boasts a host of excellent local amenities, such as the impressive South Devon Leisure Centre and the pretty Glanville's Mill Shopping Precinct, making it one the most popular local places in which to live.
For the tourist, Ivy bridge is ideally situated for excursions to the nearby South Hams resorts such as Bigbury, with it's famous Burgh Island, Kingsbridge and Salcombe, or perhaps spending an exiting day at the Dartmoor Wildlife Park, or rambling the South West Coastal Path, or maybe just exploring the rugged beauty of the Dartmoor National Park.
Being to some extent a dormitory town of nearby Plymouth, Ivy bridge is a pleasant alternative to staying in the city itself, enabling visitors to take in world class shopping facilities at Drakes Circus Shopping Centre, visit to the intriguing Plymouth Dome and the superb National Marine Aquarium, and maybe even find time to take in a show at Plymouth Pavilions, before relaxing once again in one of the rather quieter local hostelries of Ivy bridge.
So, for anyone needing a place that's not too far from the bright city lights, yet not too far from vast expanses of Dartmoor's rugged moorland, Ivy bridge is well worth considering.
