12 beach guides
South Hams
Sandy estuaries, sheltered swimming coves, fishing villages and wild shingle beaches along the South Devon coast.
Explore South HamsChoose a coastline
Beach regions
Start with a region, then compare locally written guides to its beaches, coves and coastal villages.
Devon, England
Explore by region
More coastlines will be added here as the site grows.
15 beach guides
South Devon
Family-friendly sand and a quieter shingle cove around Paignton and the southern edge of Tor Bay.
Explore South Devon8 beach guides
North Devon
Big Atlantic surf beaches, dunes, estuary sands and sheltered coves along the North Devon and Exmoor coast.
Explore North DevonCornwall, England
Explore Cornwall
Two Cornish coastlines, with more regions to follow.
11 beach guides
North Cornwall
Atlantic surf beaches, dune systems, sheltered family bays and rock pools between Bude and Porthtowan.
Explore North Cornwall10 beach guides
South Cornwall
Serpentine coves, sheltered sandy bays and fishing villages along the Lizard and Roseland coast, from Kynance Cove to Fowey.
Explore South CornwallEnvironment Agency annual classifications
Water quality report cards
The latest grades, with a colour-coded history back to 2019.
19 monitored beaches
Devon
Compare annual classifications across our North Devon, South Devon and South Hams beach guides.
See Devon's report card11 monitored beaches
North Cornwall
Follow the annual classifications for monitored beaches from Bude to Porthtowan.
See North Cornwall's report card8 monitored beaches
South Cornwall
See how monitored beaches along the south coast have been classified over time.
See South Cornwall's report cardThe sea through the seasons
Sea temperature yearly cycles
Smooth monthly curves from four reference points around the coast.
Newquay reference
North Cornwall
Follow the Atlantic from its late-winter low to the warmer water of August.
See the yearly cycleKynance Cove reference
South Cornwall
See how the water around the Lizard warms and cools through the year.
See the yearly cycleSalcombe reference
South Devon
Trace the gentler seasonal temperature cycle around the South Devon coast.
See the yearly cycleWoolacombe reference
North Devon
See North Devon's broader swing from cold winter water to its summer peak.
See the yearly cycle