Beer

Beer is a picturesque ancient fishing village with stunning coastal walks. Its fascinating past includes smuggling, lacemaking, and Beer stone.

Beer nestles in a narrow valley that opens out into a natural bay sheltered by towering Beer Head. Its name is not derived from the drink, but from the old Anglo Saxon word "bearu" meaning grove which referred to the forest that surrounded the settlement.

Beer's long fishing heritage is still very much alive today, with a colourful population of fishing boats, fresh fish and Beer crab for sale, and mackerel fishing trips. In the past Beer was equally well known as a smuggling base and the home of notorious Devon smuggler, Jack Rattenbury. It was also famous for fine lace including the lace flounce for Queen Victoria's wedding dress crafted in Beer by Miss Jane Bidney and her team of 200 workers.

Although small, Beer's pleasant flint-studded buildings include interesting shops and galleries, and excellent places to eat. On the village outskirts, Pecorama is a well loved family attraction with superbly crafted model railway layouts and the award winning Beer Heights Light Railway where you can take a mile long ride through beautiful landscaped gardens.

Beer also has another unusual visitor attraction in Beer Quarry Caves where interesting guided tours tell the story of this vast complex of caverns where Beer stone has been quarried for 2000 years. This easily carved white stone has been used in some of the UK's most important buildings including Exeter Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

In Beer where life has always centred around the sea, it is not surprising that the most important date in the events calendar is the annual Beer Regatta in August where distinctive Beer luggers with striking red sails are always an imposing sight. Another popular event in Beer is the annual Beer Rhythm & Blues Festival in October.

Beer is the perfect antidote to stress. Walk the glorious South West Coast Path at Beer for sea breezes and far reaching views, or why not hire a motorboat for one of the best views from the sea of this stretch of Jurassic coast?

For more information please contact the nearby Seaton Tourist Information Centre