Indulge in a spot of pampering at The Voyage Spa in Thurlestone's iconic hotel. Having recently gone under a complete refurbishment, this beautiful spa combines luxurious modern facilities with a boutique touches to celebrate the regions nautical past. There are three beauty rooms offering a range of treatments as well as a pool, sauna, hydrotherapy pool, fitness studio, steam room and a laconium.

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On the coast with spectacular views of the sea, Thurlestone Golf Club can be seen from the beach and is fortunate enough to be on a beautiful section of the South West Coast Path. The 18-hole course is a mix of links and cliff top terrain and aims to cater to all ages and abilities with a variety of tees. All visitors are welcome and will be pleased to know that there are two bars on site as well as a separate dining room. Green fees vary according to the season but start at £36 per person in the low season. As with most golf courses, there is a dress code so golf shoes must be worn and denim isn’t allowed, but a full list or restrictions are listed on their main website.

Operating from the car park at postcard perfect surfer’s paradise Bantham Beach, Bantham Surfing Academy is run by experienced SurfingGB qualified instructors who offer tuition and coaching for all levels, including beginners, as well as supervised surfing sessions and a Kids Club. In addition to surfing lessons, the team offer Stand Up Paddle Boarding lessons, hire and tours around Burgh Island and the River Avon, and lifeguard and surf instructor tuition and qualifications. 

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Enjoy 10% off group surf lesson or SUP lesson for 4 people or more. Booking code ‘TOADHALLSURFER’

Based at Bigbury-on-Sea and Challaborough Bay, Discovery Surf is a fun, friendly and professional environment where the team always have a smile and a word of encouragement to go with their expert tuition. Providing the opportunity to quite literally interact with South Devon’s primary asset - the environment - they offer lessons, courses and equipment hire, as well as Stand Up Paddleboarding and Kayaking. 

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Enjoy £10 off any booking of 4 people or more with your Toad Hall Cottages Discount Card

A friendly cliff top golf course close to Kingsbridge, Bigbury Golf Club is a links course with spectacular views of the South Devon coast. It is an 18-hole course where you can play as an individual or as part of a group. It’s 6,035 yards for men, 5,544 for ladies and par is 70 and 73 respectively. There’s a clubhouse with a restaurant and bar, but remember that dress should be smart/casual at all times, and in the clubhouse they ask that you don’t wear golf shoes, hats, untailored shorts, general beach wear, collarless tee shirts and non-golf sportswear like tracksuits and rugby shirts. The club offers rates for groups of 6-14 and society golf days for numbers over 14. Green fees are seasonal and depend on the time of day that you’re visiting so keep an eye on the website for full details.

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Enjoy 25% off 18 holes with your Toad Hall Cottages Discount Card 

A small sandy beach belonging to Thurlestone Golf Club, those who have been on regular Devon weekend breaks and holidays will have seen this beach change somewhat in recent years thanks to storm damage, but the evolving landscape merely adds to its charm. A 200-metre walk down a paved path from the golf club and its car park and you find yourself heading down a gentle slope onto the sand, with the option of enjoying the beach in its own right or walking along the coast in either direction towards Bantham or South Milton Sands. Dogs are allowed here at any time, which of course adds to the appeal for walkers, and if you fancy stopping somewhere for lunch then Thurlestone village nearby is home to a charming pub that’s cryptically named The Village Inn, which is suitable for the whole family and wonderfully cosy in the winter months. Alternatively head to the Beachhouse café at South Milton for lunches and evenings meals with a view of the sunset, or cups of tea and brownies from the Gastrobus at Bantham. It is one of the area’s quieter beaches, often acting as a place to wander past rather than one to spend the whole day on, but given its easy access and the proximity of the car park, and the golf club, it’s a delightful little spot in which to while away the afternoon.

A long stretch of sand broken only by the South Milton Ley freshwater reed bed, South Milton Sands is a dramatic beach that’s exposed to the elements, making it something of a chameleon throughout the year. Rugged in its beauty, there’s nothing quite like watching the sun set at this beach behind an iconic rock archway in the water; it really is spectacular, particularly if you do so over dinner in the summer months from The Beach Café, a small but perfectly formed restaurant and café that’s perched just above the sand. If you want a table inside then you really do have to book this one, but if the weather is fine then eating outside is a joy. The beach is sandy and popular on windy days with kite surfers and windsurfers, but in calmer weather is perfect for a summer swim. Dogs are welcome at South Milton throughout the year, there’s a National Trust car park by the beach which costs from £5 for the day, £3 after 4pm or is free for National Trust members. There are also toilets nearby. It’s also worth knowing that in the summer months lifeguards are in situ from 6th July until 8th September, keeping everyone safe in the sun, sea and sand. When the weather is less conducive to sitting and admiring the view, South Milton is perfectly placed for a stroll along the coast path either towards Hope Cove and around towards Salcombe if you fancy making a day of it, or in the opposite direction you can walk towards Bantham and Bigbury on Sea. It’s a wonderful place to explore and watch Devon’s wildlife in all its glory.

It won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has visited that Bigbury on Sea is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Perfect for sand castles and rock pooling as well as tucking into lengthy summer picnics, it is an unusual beach to visit because the tide comes in from both sides. As a result, it is an endless source of fascination for children, not least for its sea tractor which provides transport from one end of the beach to the other in order to reach Burgh Island. Burgh Island is connected to mainland England by the beach alone, it’s home to the famous art deco Burgh Island Hotel which has hosted Agatha Christie and Noel Coward since its incarnation in 1929, and has even made an appearance in the TV adaptation of Christie’s Poirot. On a practical note there is on-site parking available close to the beach with daily charges from £3.50. Toilets and shower facilities with disabled access are also nearby, and lifeguards are present from May to September. The Venus café offers teas, coffees and other refreshments including the ice creams that are of such fundamental importance for a day at the beach. Meanwhile, dog lovers will be pleased to know that four legged friends are welcome at Bigbury on Sea, but restrictions apply from 1st May until 30th September. Ultimately, Bigbury on Sea is a supremely beautiful location and fun family day out with abundant wildlife to enjoy and coastal footpaths to explore as well, making it a wonderful destination to visit on holiday in Devon, no matter what time of the year it is.

Hope Cove is the perfect name for this inspiringly beautiful little corner of the South Hams. Divided into two areas, Inner Hope and Outer Hope, both linked by a footpath and road, and each with their own respective beaches, Outer Hope is also home to the Hope and Anchor Pub and a collection of shops and cafes, while Inner Hope is a quieter more residential area. At Outer Hope you will find Mouthwell Sands, a sandy cove scattered with pebbles and backed by rocky cliffs with a slipway and steps from the road down to the beach. It’s a popular spot with surfers, despite being a fairly small beach, and watching the sunset from here is a beautiful way to spend the evening. There is a car park by the beach where charges apply so make sure you have cash on you as you arrive, and dogs are permitted out of season with restrictions applying from 1st May until 30th September. Meanwhile, Harbour Beach is a short stroll away and bridges the two villages of Inner and Outer Hope. It is a wide sandy beach that’s perfect for rock pooling and sand castle building, and there is a harbour wall that makes for spectacular crashing waves in the winter as well as a tempting spot from which to jump into the water in the summer at high tide. Just make sure you don’t jump in when the water is low as it’s too shallow. Harbour Beach is also an ideal spot from which to paddle board or kayak across the bay, with the really intrepid amongst us pottering all the way along the coast to Thurlestone and Burgh Island. Finally, at Inner Hope itself there is a small sandy beach that’s accessible down a slipway. This is home to the old lifeboat station and is a quiet spot that marks a juncture along the coast path from Bolberry. Speaking of which, you can walk either way along the coast from Hope Cove, either towards South Milton Sands, Thurlestone and Bantham, or towards Salcombe. If you are making a day of it then why not start at the Winking Prawn at North Sands and stop at Hope Cove for lunch?

At the mouth of the Avon River, Bantham beach is easy to reach from Salcombe, Kingsbridge and our other favourite holiday home locations, as well as being a beautiful area to stay in its own right. The beach looks out over Bigbury Bay and offers a wonderful view of Burgh Island, which is famous for its art deco hotel of the same name that has hosted Agatha Christie and Noel Coward amongst its illustrious guests an can reach by sea tractor. Bantham beach has a popular reputation amongst both novice and advanced surfers, and as such there are lessons available from the Bantham Surfing Academy, which operates from the beach. They also offer other water sports including paddle boarding, and a day pottering up the Avon River on one of those when the tide is right, is a day well spent. When the tide is out at Bantham the sandy beach reveals rock pools and great swathes of space so you can happily set up a picnic and stay there for the whole day. If the mood strikes, why not walk along the coast path towards Thurlestone around the corner, and South Milton Sands beyond that, particularly as it’s also a popular beach for dog owners? Just keep in mind that from 1st May until 30th September restrictions apply, so look out for signposts with more information. If you’re spending the whole day on the beach it’s worth popping to the Gastrobus which is open seasonally in the car park, offering everything from freshly made baps to coffees, teas and cakes, or for a larger meal head the short walking distance to The Sloop Inn gastropub. There is plenty of parking available by Bantham, with charges from £3.50 per day, so make sure you have change on you as it’s a bit tricky to find parking otherwise. There are toilets in the car park, and from May to October from 10am until 6pm there is also lifeguard cover on the beach. All in, Bantham has something to offer everyone throughout the year and is one of many beautiful locations to spend time while you’re in South Devon.