A SEASIDE town in the UK has been compared to a Greek holiday island, and labelled the “closest thing” to a Mamma Mia experience the country has to offer.
The Abba-based jukebox romcom has inspired Brits to visit places like Skopelos, where it was filmed, for more than a decade now, but some say there’s no need to leave the UK to have a similar holiday.
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Dartmouth in Devon has been put forward as a possible substitute for an expensive trip to Greece, with its clear waters, great seafood and colourful buildings a British equivalent to the surroundings in which Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep danced and sang in the popular films.
Tiktoker Lotte (@lotteboo3) explained exactly why people might like to visit the seaside town, instead of forking out for a trip to a Greek island.
In her video, she said: “Would you like to know how to have the closest thing to a Mamma Mia summer in the UK?
“And before you say, ‘it’s nothing like it,’ I said the closest thing. Some people can’t travel abroad, so this video is for them.
“This is Dartmouth, one of my most favourite UK seaside locations.”
Lotte showed the harbour, with its turquoise waters, and a bar called Platform One – a grade two Great Western Railway station that’s been converted into a champagne bistro on the embankment.
Lotte said: “This particular bar probably has the most prime position on the River Dart.”
Next, she showed Blackpool Sands beach, which is a blue flag beach and has crystal clear waters to swim in.
The Blackpool Sands website describes the beach as, “Nature’s golden beach, set in an unspoilt, sheltered bay, lapped by clear blue water and surrounded by magnificent evergreens and pines”.
Lotte continued her Greek comparison at Blackpool Sands, saying there was “definitely a hint of the old Mamma Mia here”.
She added: “If the beach is your thing and especially going in the water then you have to head to Blackpool sands because it has some of the cleanest and clearest water in the whole of the UK.”
Other places to get a good view of the water are the harbour and Dartmouth Castle, which overlooks the Dart estuary.
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It can be seen from the hill on which it is perched, overlooking the water, or for the more adventurous, it can be viewed from a different angle.
Lotte continued: “If you want to see the castle from a different perspective, then you should book one of the guided kayaking trips that will take you out there.”
Tourists aren’t the only visitors to the area either, with a big pod of dolphins spotted swimming up the river just two years ago, giving those out on boat trips an amazing display.
The porpoises are not uncommon in the surrounding waters.
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One TripAdvisor review of Blackpool Sands beach recalls another sighting.
It reads: “Cycled to this beach from our B&B in Dartmouth. It is picture perfect as you come down the hill towards it.
“The sea is so clear and inviting, even the pebbly beach was ok on the feet. The highlight of our trip though was seeing a dolphin swimming and diving in and out of the water.”
There’s much more to Dartmouth than nice waters, however.
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The town is wonderfully quaint, with Lotte praising the “area around Dart Harbour” which she says has got “brightly coloured buildings and excellent shops”.
Her video has been seen more than 20,000 times since it was shared, with lots of people excited about it as a potential place to visit.
One wrote: “OMG that’s looks like a great day out in the summer holidays.”
Another said: “How beautiful!”
A third added: “Wow, such an amazing staycation idea.”
A night in Dartmouth can be found from £32.50pp per night.
Camping pitches nearby are also available from £11.
Meanwhile, this seaside town in the UK is also home to dolphins, whales and puffins, as well as amazing castles.
And these are some of the most tranquil staycation spots in the country.
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