BEACHES
BANTHAM BEACH
Highly acclaimed as one of Europe’s top ten beaches, Bantham offers a huge array of experiences. This expansive and shallow water is very popular for swimming and body boarding with families. Whilst for the more adventurous there is some fantastic surfing and kiteboarding to be enjoyed in the right conditions. Paddle-boarders also join the waves or paddle gently up the estuary towards Aveton Gifford and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the wildlife and untouched surrounding countryside.
The beach not only has peak season lifeguards on duty but also a fantastic surf school, where you can book lessons and hire extensive array of boards, kayaks and equipment.
There is a beautiful thatched boat house down by the Quay where the sailing club enjoy weekly races on the estuary, in both modern and traditional Bantham built wooden boats. At dawn & sunset, a photographers dream. You can also walk to both Aveton Gifford and on the South West Coast path towards Thurlestone, alongside the golf course and beyond towards Hope Cove.
This fabulous beach has everything for everybody. Great parking facilities with charges from £3.50 per day. Toilets and a grassed seating area outside the well renowned Gastrobus collection which are based on the sand dunes and within easy walking distance from the beach where you can enjoy hot refreshments & delicious food. Just a few minutes up from the beach is The Sloop which is highly regarded with their great food and beverages and also within walking distance is the village shop which provides a good selection of local produce and a smashing little café that does one of the best breakfasts in the area. Bantham beach has everything for the family, thrill seekers and dog lovers alike, with far reaching views across to the famous Burgh Island. Dogs are only permitted on the main beach out of season (Oct – May), but they are welcome everywhere else, year round.
YARMER BEACH
Slightly further along the coast path (5 minins walk), skirting Thurlestone Golf Course is Yarmer Beach. This can also accessed by walking across the Golf Course further up should you be staying in the village. The only downside is no car park nearby, so not ideal for families with lots of kit to lug unless you have a beach trolley! One of our favourite beaches it is lovely and long, with a rocky back drop which creates some harboured spots to sit out of the wind. With a fresh water supply coming off the land, it is great for dogs, who are allowed all year round, to hyrdrate on days out. Not great for surfing (although you’ll see the odd local braving it in the right conditions), but you will see locals kayaking and paddleboarding regularly on summer days.
SOUTH MILTON SANDS
South Milton sands, is a long stretch of beach with the freshwater South Milton Ley running through the beach to the sea. It is an iconic location with views over Thurlestone rock and is a perfect location to watch the sunset over the sea. Nestled just over the dunes is the Beach Café, a perfect location to enjoy an outdoor lunch or seafood dinner, however booking is advisable at peak times.. Adjacent is a car park that National Trust members can use free of charge. The beach is popular with both wind and kite surfers, but in calmer weather is the ideal location for a family day out with glorious views and pleasant swimming. Life guards, patrol the beach in the busy summer months, early July to early September, thus helping to ensure a safe visit. South Milton is a perfect location for a lunchtime stop whilst walking the coast path, and Hope Cove, Thurlestone and Bantham are not too much of an arduous walk away. It’s a beautiful place to explore, relax and enjoy.
LEAS FOOT
Leas foot is a small sandy beach that is owned by Thurlestone golf club. Regular visitors will no doubt have noticed this ever-changing landscape due to cliff erosion, but we feel that this only adds to its charm. Access is a few hundred yards from the golf club and its car park, and dogs are welcome here all year round. Thurlestone village is not far away for a lunchtime stop at either the Village inn or Hotel. Thurlestone village stores are not far either. For the more avid walkers, the Gastro bus in Bantham, or the Beach hut in South Milton are also not a million miles away. It is one of the quieter beaches in the area, as many walk past rather than stop here for the day.
HOPE COVE
Hope Cove is split into both inner and outer hope. Outer Hope is the home of both the Hope and Anchor pub, and the award winning Cove restaurant and bar. Inner hope is a quieter residential area housing the older part of the village, the Hope Cove lifeboat and old fishing cottages. The car park charges, and is cash only, the price varies depending on the time of year. Dogs are permitted but not from 1st May to 30th September, and in Outer Hope need to be on a lead. Harbour beach bridges the two areas of Hope, nestled behind the rock and Harbour wall, this is a sheltered place to swim, but can be busy with boats and mooring in the peak season. It is an ideal location for paddle boarding or kayaking across the bay. It has spectacular views across Bigbury bay towards Burgh Island, and is a nice place to start or finish a walk to Salcombe. Bolberry down is not to far away housing the wonderful Oceans Restaurant, a great place to break up a walk or stop in for lunch. The more intrepid walkers can also use the cost path to South Milton, Thurlestone or even Bantham.
SOAR MILL COVE
Nestled by cliffs, Soar Mill cove is a hidden gem in the South Hams, and is only accessible by foot. The easiest way to access it is a walk down from the Soar Mill Cove hotel. There is a car park if you wish to make a day of it, or is a nice walk from Bolberry Down or for the more intrepid even Salcombe. The beach is both sand and shingle, and dogs are welcome all year round.
SUNNY COVE
This beach is either accessed by boat, or is a 10-minute walk through the woods from the parking at Mill Bay. Alternatively it is a short walk from the Salcombe to East Portlemouth ferry. Sunny Cove is a sandy beach that, weather permitting, catches the sun throughout the day. It is on the East Portlemouth side of Salcombe Estuary, and is opposite North Sands beach. It has a great view of the ruins of Fort Charles, built to defend the estuary from French and Spanish pirates and buccaneers. It is also a favourite stop for visiting yachts and pleasure craft, and these can often be seen moored in the deep water off the beach.
NORTH SANDS
This is the first beach as you walk along the cliff road out of Salcombe. It has lovely views out to sea, and at low water is quite expansive. It is very popular indeed during the summer due to its location, and is the perfect place for the kids to build sandcastles, or explore to see what little creatures live in the sea. The beach has a fresh water stream running over it, so the sand is wet most of the time, so if planning an extended stay, make sure you take something waterproof to sit on. It is a great place to kayak or paddle board from if you have them. There is a car park that charges all year round on the other side of the road from the beach. The famous Winking Prawn café and restaurant is adjacent to this, and serves all major meals, and also tea coffee and ices. In the summer they do a BBQ in the garden that is both tasty and good value.
SOUTH SANDS
The furthest beach in Salcombe, but by no means the least, it is one of the most unspoilt beaches in South Devon. It’s located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the mouth of the estuary and tucked next to the South Sands Hotel. Being part of a cove you’re sheltered from the sea winds, and it provides a neat little sun trap if you just want to lie back and soak up the rays. It has a great little café beachside which is perfect for snacks after a swim and if you like your downtime to be a little more active, there are a variety of water sports on offer. You’ll find hire facilities are available for canoeing, catamaran sailing, wind surfing and dinghy sailing close to the beach, and you can even hire equipment to go scuba diving and explore the local shipwrecks. South Sands is also home to a colourful passenger ferry that operates a shuttle service between the beach and Whitestrand Quay in Salcombe
BIGBURY ON SEA
This is an unusual beach due to the tides arriving from both sides. It is wide and shallow allowing families to enjoy it safely with their children but also has, as Bantham has, great opportunities to surf. The iconic Sea Tractor chugs along the tidal causeway from the mainland over to Burgh Island and its world famous Art Deco 1920’s hotel, which has hosted many a celebrity including Agatha Christie and Noel Coward to name but a few. You can enjoy its historic atmosphere as a non-resident at it’s black tie evenings with three course dinner or amazing Sunday lunches. Alternatively you can enjoy a pint in the 700 year old Pilchard Inn with home cooked fayre.
You can see that this part of Devon is truly inspirational with its unspoilt beauty and you can get a real sense of time standing still, which now days is very refreshing. The beach has a on-site parking area which is from £3.50 per day and has a small café and public toilets, this is a perfect location to grab a picnic and feel the sand between your toes, dogs are welcome on the beach out of season, but are allowed at the far east of Sedgewell all year round, and on the west side of the slipway, where if you walk all the way down will take you to the head of the estuary and to Cockleridge Bay which is a charming spot opposite Bantham Quay. You also have the excellent Discovery Surf School, where you can hire wetsuits & equipment, which will keep budding surfers busy for hours with the security of lifeguards in peak season.
CHALLABOROUGH BAY
Within a short drive from Kingsbridge, Challaborough Bay has an abundance of Natural Beauty with its sandy beaches and plenty of seaside activities to keep the whole family amused. Perfect for children to play safely, building sandcastles and exploring the rock pools, new discoveries at every turn. This is also a perfect place to watch the world go by with many surfers, kite surfers and body-boarders to keep you entertained in the distance. There are some stunning walks along the coastal path towards Bigbury and north towards Ayrmer Cove and beyond. This popular beauty spot has many amenities including beach shop, café, parking and toilets. However the access is via a set of steps to the beach, therefore making it unsuitable for wheelchair users. A great place for walking your dogs in the winter months, but there are restrictions during the Summer months from May to September. This little hidden gem is well worth a visit.
AYRMER COVE
This is just under a mile away from the National Trust car park at Ringmore, and has a selection of different footpaths going to it. It is a quiet secluded shingle beach situated on the South Devon coast path. It is a lovely place to visit if walking from Ringmore towards Bigbury bay. Historically due to its seclusion it was a centre for Smuggling, however due to this access with young children or wheelchairs is tricky. It is dog friendly all year round, and as it is looked after by the national Trust, it is bursting with natural beauty and wildlife.
WONWELL
This beach is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, and is located on the east side of the river Erme. It offers a huge area for visitors to explore, and at low tide joins with Mothercombe. It is accessed by a woodland path from the main road, and takes about 10 minutes by foot. Alternatively at low tide, there is a slipway from the road to the shore, and you can walk along the edge of the beach itself. Make sure you are aware of the tides if you go this way, as the tide can come in quickly.
There is parking on the road for 15-20 cars, and there are toilets nearby. If you are making a day of it ensure you have all you need as other facilities are scarce in the area. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round. A beautiful beach to visit, just be very aware of the tide to avoid getting wet on your way home.
MOTHERCOMBE
If you want a beach holiday without the crowds, Mothecombe beach is one of the quieter beaches in South Devon. Large and unspoilt and at low tide Mothecombe comes into its own with fine sand and plenty of opportunity for shallow, sheltered bathing.
There’s a car park which gives you easy access down a narrow path to the sands (not suitable for wheelchairs). If you’re in need of refreshments then there’s the fantastic Schoolhouse restaurant in the car park offering drinks and delicious array of meals, with toilets nearby.If you’ve ever fancied a crack at windsurfing or bodyboarding then conditions at Mothecombe are ideal for beginners. If you prefer to stay dry but still want to get a little exercise, you can access the South West Coast Path from Mothercombe beach and get some spectacular views of the surrounding coast and countryside.A little further to the south there is a small, circular stone wall that used to be used as a swimming pool as it fills with water as the tide comes in. Mothecombe has its own, laid-back charm and is great for families who love simple beach holidays. Dog are not allowed on the beach from 1st May to the 30th September.
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