5 of the best beaches in the Southwest
The best beaches in Devon chosen by a local!
There are three things that the Southwest is known for: Cream teas, Pasties, and The Coast. As a lactose intolerant vegan, I cannot offer much advice about cream teas or pasties; however, I do know the coast and can pinpoint the best beach spots around Devon for a range of different activities both onshore and in the water! So today I am going to share my top 5 beaches to explore around the Southwest coastline!
Sidmouth
First up with have Sidmouth, this beach offers a classic seaside feel with a touch of modernity. As a mainly pebble beach it does not offer much in the way of sandcastles, however, it is mirrored by a lovely seaside town dating back to the Victorian era. Here you can find the best fish and chip shops (or so my sister tells me) as well as some lovely small businesses to explore. What I also like about Sidmouth is that you can take a quick trip to the beach and merge it with other activities. The town of Sidmouth is host to one of my favourite small craft businesses (Something lovely Pottery– within 2 minutes walk of the beach) which offers paint your own pottery. You choose your item, get painting, and then you have the choice to collect later in the week or if you are only visiting for the day, they can send it by mail to your home address. Furthermore, a quick drive inland gets you to the Donkey Sanctuary and I mean who doesn’t love to see donkeys? (Plus its completely free entry.) The Donkey Sanctuary is a Sidmouth based charity which rehomes, rehabilitates, and supports donkey conservation across the globe, at the sanctuary you can see a range of different donkeys from the Poitou to the miniatures, before exploring their café and gift shop! Finally, if you’d rather stick to the great outdoors, the red cliffs either side of the beach offer some great cliff side walks and views across the sea, which you can either start from the beach or drive further up the coast where there is a national trust carpark.
Dog friendly: Main beach has restrictions from May-Sept but there is always a dog friendly area open at the end of the beach
Travel time from Exeter: 45 mins
Parking: Several carparks mirroring the beach- however they do fill up quickly so arrive early on in the day to secure a spot
Wembury
Wembury is a little more off the beaten track than my other beach suggestions however, it is one of my all time favourites. This little beach offers an amazing spot for wildlife watching and exploring. In terms of coastal wildlife, it has it all from rockpool exploring to spotting the different coastal birds, if wildlife is what you want this is the beach for you! Plus, Wembury marine centre (located right next to the beach) offers awesome insight into the local wildlife with frequent rockpool safaris and education sessions throughout the summer months for children and adults alike! The only downside to Wembury perhaps is its slightly tricky location and popularity during the tourist season- which is understandable. However, if you want to visit, I suggest going earlier rather then later in the day- or go in the ‘off’ season. Even though the marine centre might not be open there is still plenty of exploring that can be done during the winter/spring months.
Dog friendly: No dogs between the months of May to end of September- although coastal path is accessible and offers a good view of the beach.
Travel time from Exeter: 1 hour
Parking: Parking is limited to a small national trust carpark only accessible via several small country lanes- easily doable in the early morning or off season, however, I wouldn’t attempt at midday in the middle of summer.
Saunton sands
Saunton sands is the kind of beach people imagine when they say they want sand, sea, and surfing. If you want the classic beachside activities this is the beach for you. There is a great surf rental business right next to the entrance to the beach that offers surfboards, bodyboards and wetsuits to suit everyone for a reasonable price. Or if (like me) you are more into the sandcastle/rock exploring activities the rocky edge of the beach offers a great hunting ground for tiny shell collecting and exploring. What also makes Saunton a little different to other beaches in the area is that it is dog-friendly all year round; so when I tell you there is something here for the whole family, I really mean it; even man’s best friend can enjoy a day at this beach! If you are looking for a little more then a day though, the Saunton Hotel mirroring the beach can provide for an excellent get-away spa break, they also offer surf lessons and other activities. I stayed there one Christmas with my family (I’m not entirely sure why my dad opted for a beach Christmas, but there we go!) And I remember the lovely facilities and great location to explore the beach from, even if the sea was a little too cold for swimming in!
Dog friendly: Dogs welcome all year round
Travel time from Exeter: 1 hour 20 minutes
Parking: Does have a large carpark close to the beach, however, get there earlier to avoid queues!
Lyme Regis
If you’ve ever fancied yourself as an archaeologist/palaeontologist, then Lyme Regis is the place to live out this dream. Located in the middle of the Jurassic coast Lyme Regis is home to a myriad of fossils in the rocks, cliff and loose along the beaches. Once home to the pioneering fossil hunter and palaeontologist Mary Anning, Lyme Regis also hosts a fossil museum on the site of her former home! The museum offers a range of activities from fossil walks, geology talks and children’s activities throughout the tourist season/year, so there is something for everyone. The best beach to find fossils is the Monmouth beach, and even better is that you don’t even need to search for fossils here- instead at low tide you can follow the ammonite pavement. If you do choose to go searching for fossils make sure you checkout the fossil code available here, this is just a quick guide on the dos and don’ts of fossil hunting to make sure you are respecting the landscape and staying safe.
Dog friendly: Dogs are not allowed on the Sandy or shingle beach from May to October and must be kept on a lead during the winter season. However, Monmouth beach is dog friendly year round!
Travel time from Exeter: 50 minutes
Parking: Lots of carparks although can be busy in the summer season
Ness Cove Shaldon
My final beach recommendation is Ness Cove in Shaldon. This little beach is not for the faint hearted as to access the beach you must first walk through an old smugglers tunnel (perfectly safe, just a little dark!). This in itself is very fun, but you then have access to a lovely sandy beach and sea view. Here you can enjoy a dip or rent a paddleboard during the summer months to enjoy the ocean. I have also heard that Shaldon is one of the best beaches to find sea-glass pieces; I cannot confirm this as I don’t know how in abundance sea glass has to be for a beach to be classed as a good place to find it? However, on my last trip I did spot a couple of pieces in between shells on the sand, so maybe there is some truth in this. Once you have finished exploring the beach you can head down into the town and grab an ice cream from one of the cafes; or enjoy Shaldon Zoo located right next to the entrance of Ness Cove this little zoo offers a fun walk around path to see all the animals.
Dog friendly: Dogs are allowed all year round on Ness Cove
Travel time from Exeter: 30 minutes
Parking: Plenty of parking available although narrow roads can cause queues.
