Local detail
First-hand notes, practical advice and the things signs don't tell you.
43 guides across five coastlines
FIND YOUR BEACH
Straight-talking beach guides with tide tips, local knowledge and the useful details you need before setting off.
Start exploringMade by people who go there
More than a pin on a map.
From South Devon and South Hams coves to North Devon, North Cornwall and South Cornwall beaches, knowing when to go, where to park and what the tide is doing can make all the difference. These guides bring those details together in one place.
Conditions at a glance
Tide, weather and water-quality links without the noise.
Good places nearby
Independent spots to eat, stay, hire a board or book a lesson.
Compare before you travel
Two beaches. One useful view.
Pick any two guides and compare the practical details that shape a beach day - without jumping between tabs.
- Best tide and beach type
- Parking, accessibility and facilities
- Dog restrictions and lifeguard information
Choose by mood
Best beaches for...
A quick local steer when you know the kind of day you want.
Surf & space
Woolacombe and Bantham
Long Atlantic sand and a South Hams river mouth for active days in open water.
Start with Woolacombe
Sheltered swims
South Sands and Hope Cove
Calmer-feeling bays and village facilities for easier, slower days by the water.
Find sheltered water
Coves & rockpools
Combe Martin and Ilfracombe
Sheltered coves, rock ledges and smaller town beaches that reward a visit around low tide.
Explore North Devon covesSouth Hams spotlight
From the Avon to Start Bay.
The twelve South Hams guides cover surfy river mouths, sheltered estuary sand, steep coves and long shingle edges along the south coast.
Compare all South Hams beaches
Start exploring
Explore by region
Forty-three guides across two counties and five distinct coastlines.
23 beach guides
Devon
Explore twenty-three guides across South Devon, the South Hams and North Devon, from sandy resort beaches and sheltered coves to big Atlantic surf beaches.
View Devon beaches21 beach guides
Cornwall
Explore twenty-one guides across North Cornwall and South Cornwall, from Atlantic surf beaches and dune-backed sands to serpentine coves and sheltered fishing-village bays.
View Cornwall beaches