Well, the sun has been shining down on us for weeks now and that can only mean one thing – it’s time to go to the beach! We’re very lucky to have part of the Jurassic coastline in East Devon; it means people who live here and those who come to the area for holidays can enjoy long lazy days by the sea. Summer is just around the corner so join us on a round up of our top 10 beaches.
Part of what summer holidays are all about is that relaxed vibe of days by the sea; the beautiful views, the fresh coastal air, the warmth of the sun on your skin. The varied beaches along the Jurassic Coast each have their charm, there are places to eat close by and usually, loos and car parks within a few minutes’ walk of the beach. Some have dog restrictions in place during the summer months, others have certain areas where pets are allowed, and one or two are dog friendly all year round. Well worth remembering is that the Jurassic coastline shelves steeply so some parts of it aren’t great for inexperienced swimmers.
Read on for a quick look at the best of our local beaches!
Beer Beach
Spend a day in the charming fishing village of Beer, pottering about the shops and galleries, sunning yourselves down on the beach. The main street slopes steeply down to a curved pebble bay, sheltered by the white chalk cliffs of Beer Head. Come early in the morning and you might see fishermen landing their catch; later on you can hire self-drive boats for trips around Lyme Bay. In the summer months Ducky’s Beach Café sets up close to the shore, with its colourful red umbrellas; find a bench and tuck into a freshly made crab sandwich – most likely the crab was landed on the shore that very morning. Pop back up the jetty to pick up your dinner from the wet fish shop, lace up your boots and head over the cliffs to Branscombe, watch the sun slip below the horizon while sipping a nice cold pint of the local brew in the clifftop garden of The Anchor Inn.
Sidmouth Town Beach
Sidmouth has all the feels of a traditional seaside town; the promenade is lined with elegant Regency buildings, the rooftops slowly give way to wooded hillsides. The Blue Flag shingle beach has rich red sands and rockpools at low tide and is backed on both sides by matching cliffs. One end has a slipway giving easy access to the water for boats; if you prefer to get out on the sea in canoes and kayaks, you can hire them from Jurassic Paddle Sports. If that sea air whips up your appetite, go to Dukes or The Anchor Inn.
Exmouth Beach
The gateway to the UNESCO Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Exmouth is rocking it big time when it comes to fun-filled days by the sea. This is the longest sea front in Devon and Cornwall, with 2 miles of goldens sands, and rockpools when the tide goes out. There’s so much going on here in the main season, with swing boats, a big wheel and crazy golf; head to Edge Watersports for equipment hire and go kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing and kite surfing, with tuition available. Go for a bimble along the promenade where you’ll find plenty of places to eat or grab a takeaway, or limber up for a walk on the South West Coast Path. If you’re ravenous when you get back go to The Grove, or for something different, catch the water taxi out to the River Exe Café sited on a purpose-built floating barge in the estuary.
Axmouth Harbour Beach
This is a quieter beach in the pretty little village of Axmouth, right where the sea flows into the Axe estuary. Stroll out along the harbour where you can see fishing boats come in with their catch, or grab a table at Chris’s Café for a bacon butty before popping into the tackle shop for lines and bait to go crabbing over the wall. The beach is a pebbly one backed by striated cliffs, rockpools are exposed when the tide rolls out, and a viewing platform gives amazing views across to Beer Head. Walkers can head up over the golf course on the South West Coast Path and through the Undercliff Nature Reserve to Lyme Regis on the Dorset border.
Branscombe Beach
This beach is half a mile from the picturesque village of Branscombe where the main street runs down the hill past pretty cottages with roses scrambling up the walls and smoke curling from the chimneys in the colder months. The shingle and sand beach has rocks to scramble over, rockpools when the tide’s out, and a very good beach café and shop. There are good walks to be had on the South West Coast Path - one of the best is up over the cliffs to Beer, diverting to Littlecombe Shoot if you’re brave enough. Go for a pub lunch in the Masons Arms or amble up the hill to The Fountain Head. When it’s not so busy Branscombe feels like a step back in time, and the perfect place to be.
Jacob’s Ladder Beach
Just around the corner from Sidmouth Town Beach, this tends to be where families head to idle away the hours playing on the sand and shingle beach. The high cliffs provide shelter from the prevailing winds, so it’s a good spot to be on warmer days; at the back of the beach a row of pastel coloured beach huts add to the charm. White painted steps, known as Jacob’s Ladder climb up the cliff face to Connaught Gardens which have a very peaceful air and the rather lovely Clock Tower Café.
Littlecombe Shoot
It’s not easy to find Littlecombe Shoot as it’s tucked away just around the corner from Branscombe Beach and is only reached via the South West Coast Path. If you know where it is and you prefer quieter secluded beaches, you’ll like this a lot. Look out for a little gate – you might think it’s the entrance to someone’s garden, but it isn’t – it leads to a narrow path that zigzags down the cliff, with occasional rope banisters to hang on to if you feel the need. The beach is small and pebbly, backed by overgrown cliffs dotted with colourful cabins. Have a paddle or a swim, take a picnic (there are no facilities) then muster up the enthusiasm to climb slowly back up the cliff. The effort is well worth it for the peace and quiet, though you need to be reasonably fit.
Budleigh Salterton Beach
Budleigh Salterton has such a relaxed air, much as it did back in the days when it was a fashionable Victorian seaside resort. To either side of the long pebble beach there are towering red sandstone cliffs, the waters are clean and safe for bathing, there are beach huts to hire and cafes and loos close by. At the eastern end of the beach the River Otter flows into the sea where a nature reserve is set around salt marshes that are a haven for migratory birds. If you fancy a bite to eat, go to The Salterton Arms in the town for good pub food.
Sandy Bay
Just along the coast from Exmouth beach, this privately owned secluded bay has Blue Flag status, with more of those dramatic red sandstone cliffs. It’s a lovely spot for watersports, paddling, rockpooling and building sandcastles, and there are lifeguards in the summer months. You can walk here from Exmouth beach at low tide, or walk over the cliffs on the South West Coast Path.
Seaton Beach
The mile long pebble beach at Seaton always has such a quiet air. People come here for kayaking, paddleboarding, mackerel fishing, and just to pass the time by the shore. At the western end of the beach The Hideaway café is tucked between the cliffs, with rockpools close by and steps leading up to Seaton Hole where you can amble through the woods and back down the hill to town. There are cafes, pubs and food kiosks along the seafront, but what’s really nice is to get fish and chips and eat them by the estuary as the sets over the River Axe.
