The run-up to Christmas is one of our favourite times of year. The lights go up along Fore Street, the lobster pot tree appears on Customs Quay, and on a frosty morning the estuary is as still as glass. There's a warmth to the town in December that's hard to find anywhere else.

Here’s a calm, family-friendly guide to Salcombe with kids when it rains. Nothing frantic, nothing overly scheduled — just a handful of ideas that work properly, even when the weather doesn’t. Whether you’re escaping for a much-needed weekend together, celebrating a birthday, or planning something a little more meaningful, Salcombe has a way of making time slow down.