Beaches

With two coastlines to choose from, you are spoilt for choice of Devon beaches –some of the best and cleanest in Devon holding the prestigious Blue Flag award, guaranteeing the highest of standards. For swimming in the summer and water-sports, sandcastle-building, dog walking and fish & chip eating at any time of the year.

The North Devon coast offers contrasting sheer cliffs and sandy beaches –here surfing is the in thing,especially on the western side facing as it does the Atlantic. 

At Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe a large tidal swimming pool offers safe swimming and inflatables use. Woolacombe Sands is ideal for swimming and water sports and as with many beaches in Devon is manned by lifeguards in high season. Part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Westward Ho! Beach stretched along two miles and is perfect for bathing and water sports.

The South Devon coast is also one of contrasts –the red sandstone cliffs and pebble beaches of parts of the Heritage and Jurassic coasts and the small secluded bays of parts of the South Hams. Here also water-sports such as diving and windsurfing are popular and family friendly beaches abound.

Torre Abbey Sands in Torquay was found to have the best sand in the UK for making sand castles according to research by Bournemouth University. Dawlish Warren beach in East Devon, with its sand dunes and nature reserve, also allows dogs on certain areas of the beach. The pebbled beach of Budleigh Salterton, East Devon has clear water and safe bathing and is also an ideal spot for fish and chips. Bigbury on Sea, South Devon has golden sands popular with kite-surfers and looks out to Burgh Island which is accessible across a sand spit at low tide and via a sea-tractor at high tide.

For live bathing water quality information, weather & surf forecasts and general beach information for Devon with an interactive map, see www.beachlive.co.uk.