Best East Devon Beaches

The East Devon coast is renowned for its spectacular beaches and dramatic cliffscapes. One of the UK’s most cherished Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the prehistoric rock formations that tower along the coastline hold 185 million years of the Earth’s history, providing an awe-inspiring backdrop to the sparkling bays and sandy sweeps below. Here’s our beach guide with a roundup of our favourite stretches of shoreline…

East Devon’s best beaches

Spanning twenty-six miles, from Exmouth to Lyme Regis, the East Devon Coast also forms part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, a treasured geology of global importance.

Shaldon

We begin our tour at the pretty fishing village of Shaldon, perhaps best known for its annual water carnival and regatta, and its striking blush red sand peppered by seashells. A lovely beach for families, there is always plenty happening on the estuary – sailing, canoeing and rowing are all very popular pastimes here, and its clear, blue waters are also enjoyed by bathers. Shaldon Beach has been awarded five stars for its water quality and has plenty of space for beach games and sandcastle building (the annual sandcastle building competition is one of the village’s most coveted calendar events, along with the duck race). Dogs are permitted from 1st April to 30th September between Clipper Quay and the slipway steps.

Ness Cove

There’s also Ness Cove to explore, with its distinctive ruddy-coloured sand set beneath towering sandstone cliffs, found along a sloping path once believed to be a secret smugglers’ tunnel. Nuzzled into the headland, this sheltered bay has lots of rockpools for budding naturalists to discover and is also a popular castoff for sea anglers. On a balmy summer’s day, it’s a wonderful place to sit and watch the sailing boats trim the horizon. Dogs are allowed on the beach all the year round and there are shops, pubs, cafés and bistros all within easy walking distance of the beach.

Back Beach

You don’t have to travel far to find our next popular East Devon beach, in fact, all you need do is hop aboard the Teignmouth to Shaldon ferry and cross the mouth of the estuary. Star attraction remains the Victorian Grand Pier set in the middle of the seafront, a classic seaside scene full of traditional attractions with lovely views of Teignmouth’s Georgian rooftop crescent and the sparkling bay beyond. Teignmouth can boast two beaches, the sheltered harbour sands of Back Beach (also known as River Beach) where many of the town’s small fishing fleet and day trip boats are moored, known for its dreamy sunsets.

Town Beach, Teignmouth

Often drenched in summer sunshine, Town Beach is a long, golden sweep ideal for beach games and sandcastle building, its gently shelved shores and clear waters inviting for sea swimmers. If you’re lucky, you might spot dolphins breaching the deeper waters. There’s lots of fun to be had along the seafront. The bright lights of the amusement arcades and an award-winning play area a constant source of entertainment, while the town’s food venders serve up all the old favourites from fish ‘n’ chips to knickerbocker glories.

Coryton Cove

An hour’s walk from Teignmouth, following the South West Coast Path as it weaves along the clifftop, lies Coryton Cove. This secluded shore is one of the quieter beaches of the East Devon coast. The cheerfully coloured beach huts paint a nostalgic seaside scene, and the gentle ripples that lap this scallop-shaped bay are sure to relax you. Sometimes referred to as “Gentleman’s Cove” due to a chapter in its history exclusive to male bathers, these characterful Devon-red sands catch the morning sun. Ideal for sunbathing or whiling away the hours with a good book, the beach also offers you the cooling shade of the cliffs. Kids love to explore the rockpools and secret beachy pockets, you can even hire one the beach huts if you feel you’d like some extra privacy. There is parking nearby, and you’ll find yourselves a short walk from the seaside resort of Dawlish. There’s a beachside kiosk for snacks and refreshments, and also toilet facilities available at neighbouring Boat Cove.

Dawlish Beach

The traditional seaside town of Dawlish is a popular holiday spot – Victorian and Georgian townhouses create an air of classic regency, and its seafront add to its picture-postcard charm. The advent of the Great Western Mainline helped establish the town as a seaside resort, first enjoyed by the aristocracy of the 19th century and now a popular filming location for period dramas. Dawlish Beach is a sand and shingle crescent flanked by Lea Mount and Langstone Rock. This sheltered stretch follows the sea wall which provides a lovely stroll for all those looking to escape the hustle ‘n’ bustle of the town. Bathers love to swim while the occasional train rolls by along the embankment. Lifeguards patrol the beach during the holiday season and the town’s shops, eateries and amenities are only a stone’s throw away.

Dawlish Warren

By far the most popular beach along this sandy shelf is Dawlish Warren, a mile-long shore running to the mouth of the River Exe, backed by sand dunes. It’s also the recipient of a Blue Flag award, an accolade it has held for more than 20 years. Championed by the Marine Conservation Society, the beach forms part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, providing a habitat for a myriad of precious plant and animal species and winter refuge for migratory waterfowl. Around 180 varieties of birds are recorded every year along this vast sandy spit and birdwatchers are able to take advantage of a number of bird hides.

Aside from its natural beauty, Dawlish Warren is also packed with family attractions and amusement rides, while children’s entertainers perform along the seafront and fireworks dazzle the night skies during the summer months. Dogs are allowed on the beach throughout the year between groynes 4 and 9. Toilet facilities can be found near the railway station.

Exmouth Beach

It’s reputedly the most historic seaside resort in Britain, also boasting the longest seafront in Devon and Cornwall, with two miles of sugar-soft sand. Exmouth Beach is a mecca for water sports enthusiasts, where kite surfers and windsurfers catch the off-shore winds, kayakers and paddleboarders cruise the bay and sea swimmers love to take a dip.

Unsurprisingly, the beach can get very busy during the summer months, but there is plenty of space for beach games, sandcastle building and all the old family favourites. Exmouth promenade provides safe and easy walking and bike rides. The town’s shops and bistros are within easy reach, and just like neighbouring Dawlish, there are also plenty of family attractions to keep your tribe entertained; dino safari trails, crazy golf and swing boats to name but a few. Exmouth Festival takes place in the last week of July and celebrates all things arts and entertainment, embracing the seafront’s iconic location. Dogs are welcome to scamper around certain sections of the beach throughout the year and RNLI lifeguards are on patrol.

Sandy Bay

Further round the headland, walkable at low tide, Sandy Bay is a gorgeous beach sheltered by iron-red cliffs and backed by woodland. It’s a lovely stop along the South West Coast Path, the quiet, lapping shores of Littleham Cove tucked away further along the foreshore. This privately-owned bay stretches for half-a-mile and at low tide has loads of space for family games and buckets and spades, plus there are plenty of rockpools to explore. Lifeguards are stationed here during the high season and it’s a popular choice for swimming and watersports. This section of the coast path provides walkers with spectacular panoramic views, which on a clear day reach as far as the Isle of Portland and the West Dorset Heritage Coast.

Budleigh Salterton

Forming a striking, pale band along the coastline is the characterful pebble beach of Budleigh Salterton. Known for its gentle, gin-clear waters, Budleigh attracts a regular crowd of quick dippers and seasoned deep-sea swimmers and is a much-loved destination on the wild swimming map. Budleigh’s famous pebble beds are visible in the cliff face, believed to have been washed here from Brittany along rushing riverbeds 400 million years ago, a staggering stage of “The Red Coast” that also signals the beginning of the Jurassic Coast.

The eastern fringe of the beach meets the mouth of the Otter Estuary, a site of national importance and protected as an SSSI. This precious eco-system is built on salt marches and mud flats and supports a host of plant life and migrating wildfowl. The site also benefits from a visitor’s centre and viewing platforms.

Once a fashionable Victorian resort, beachgoers can enjoy all the local amenities of the town, as well as beach hut hire and shoreside cafés. Nearby attractions include Bicton Park Botanical Gardens and the sixteen-sided A La Ronde house. Among Budleigh Salterton’s former residents is Sir Walter Raleigh, whose pew still stands in the local church where his father served as warden.

Jacob’s Ladder

Named after the white, wooden steps that lead down from Connaught Cottage Gardens, Jacob’s Ladder Beach is the first of Sidmouth’s broad beaches set below the iconic cliffs of the Jurassic Coast. Not far from Peak Hill and its spellbinding views of the “red cliffs”, the beach can also be found by way of the level path that runs along from the western end of Sidmouth seafront. Low tide reveals rock pools and the slowly shelving pebble strand.

Sidmouth Beach

Beyond Jacob’s Ladder Beach and the esplanade lies the instantly recognisable pebbled shoreline of Sidmouth Beach. This former market town and fishing port quickly rose to prominence as one of East Devon’s most fashionable Victorian seaside resorts. Queen in waiting, princess Alexandrina Victoria lived here during her infancy, one of the town’s several royal connections.

The ebbing tide reveals the coast’s signature red sand and rocky gullies, following the contour from a sea wall down a sequence of groynes. The beach is flanked by red-baked cliffs and backed by Georgian rooftops and wooded hillsides. Swimmers should stick to the marker buoys to avoid tricky offshore currents, while Jurassic Paddle Sports hire company can be found at the western end of the esplanade for saltwater adventures. Sidmouth is a Blue Flag beach and has an exercise area for well-behaved dogs to run off their leads.

Branscombe

Next up is the idyllic village of Branscombe, with its adorable thatched cottages and beautiful valley views. Five miles further up the coast from Sidmouth, the village lies behind a roaming shingle beach where you can enjoy mesmerising views of the chalk cliffs of Beer Head. This quieter East Devon beach is a pocket of tranquillity. There is danger and romance in this region too, old tales of daring smuggling escapades and stormy seas whipped up to the size of houses. After walks along the beach, expect a warm and friendly welcome at The Old Bakery tearooms and working forge.

Beer Beach

Sheltered by the chalk-white cliffs of Beer Head, Beer Beach is another of the coastline’s famous shingle beaches. The local fishing fleet still launch from the deep crescent shores bringing in their catches of mackerel, lobster and crab before sundown, selling their hauls locally. If you fancy putting on your sea legs, boat trips are also available. The shore below the strandline falls away quite acutely, so this is not a suitable beach for inexperienced swimmers. There is ample parking close-by and toilet facilities at the village, along with homely cafés, bistros and pubs all along the Fore Street at the top of Sea Hill. This historic village takes its name from the Old English word “bearu”, which means “grove”, nothing to do with the malt flavoured drink, although you’ll find a very decent pint on tap at the local hostelries.

The village was once a hotbed for smugglers and illicit goods, the nearby caves once a network of hidey-holes and cellar doors creaking open in the dead of the night. These days, the closest thing you’ll get to contraband is a flake in your whipped ice-cream, but the colourful stories of these coastal rogues live on in sea shanties and local legends. Voted “Best Picnic Spot in the UK” by BBC Countryfile, the Jubilee Gardens is well worth a visit where you can sit among the blooms and savour some of the most spectacular views in the county. Dogs are allowed onto the beach from 1st October to 30th April.

Seaton

We complete our tour of East Devon’s best beaches at Seaton, a mile-long stretch laden with pebbles, the sheer, chalky cliffs behind forming a stunning natural arena. This sheltered bay lends itself to watersports and remains ever popular with swimmers, kayakers, paddleboarders and anglers. Among the local attractions are Seaton Tramway and Seaton Wetlands Nature Reserve, while the South West Coast Path provides breathtaking clifftop walks along the Lyme Bay peninsula. The town is brimming with cafés and food outlets, and has a busy calendar of community events. There is a second beach zone where dogs can play off their leads.

Ready for an East Devon adventure sampling all the best beaches? Search our holiday cottages in East Devon here.