Near beaches… the best places to stay in Devon are near lots of beaches.
Pebblebed Cottages provide the best location for access to many beaches. We could argue that Pebblebed Cottages are the best places to stay in Devon. Boasting the close proximity to England’s first Natural World Heritage site. The Jurassic Coast, the coastline from Exmouth wrapping all the way round to Swanage in Dorset.
The best bit is that all of these beaches are south-facing, you can choose from Pebbles at Budleigh Beach, 2 miles of golden sand at Exmouth, beautiful red cliffs at Sidmouth, white cliffs at Beer or an adventure at Lyme Regis hunting for prehistoric fossils. Pebblebed Cottages in Venn Ottery are very well located for access to many of these beaches seaside towns; therefore these large expanses and collections of beaches make East Devon the Best Place to stay in Devon. Below I have outlined a brief overview of the beaches closeby, there is a beach or two to suit all ages and tastes.
Sidmouth, Jacob’s Ladder Beach (3.8 miles away)
The sheltered bay is approx one mile long. Can be accessed from town via a stretch of beach and cliffside walkway. Best approached from clifftop access about half a mile out of town. The backdrop of red sandstone cliffs. Popular for families. Sand/pebbles, large expanses of sand and rock pools when the tide recedes. Voluntary inshore rescue service operates weekends/Bank Holidays. Parking at Manor Road car park two minutes from clifftop gardens. Eating facilities on side of cliff and clifftop gardens. Beach hut and deckchair hire. There is also Disabled access. Dogs banned from the beach opposite the promenade area from May 1 to Sept 30. Public toilets in clifftop gardens. Sidmouth is the closest beach to Apple Mill and Burrows in Venn Ottery.
Sidmouth, Town Beach (4.0 miles away)
Approximately a mile long, fairly sheltered. Mainly pebbles, occasionally sandy when the tide recedes. Zoned from craft. Voluntary inshore rescue service at weekends/Bank Holidays. Car parking at Ham Lane behind Sailing Club at the eastern end of town, and Bedford Lawn (bottom of Station Road). Eating facilities on Esplanade and in the nearby town. Angling/sailing clubs, pleasure boat trips, deckchair hire. There is also Disabled access. Dog ban May 1 to Sept 30. Public toilets nearby.
Paddleboards and kayaks can be hired from Jurrasic Paddlesports
Budleigh Salterton (5.9 miles away)
Two-mile-long bay, large pebbled flat beach flanked by red sandstone cliffs. Quiet and uncrowded. Zoned from powered craft. Parking at Lime Kiln car park at the eastern end of the promenade and in the nearby town. Eating facilities by the beach and in the town. Beach hut hire. Disabled access. Dog ban between the Outfall opposite South Parade and Lime Kiln car park from May 1 to September 30 (except dogs in the charge of a registered blind person). There are public toilets nearby. Wide esplanade with generous seating provision.
Otterton, Ladram Bay
Small sheltered cove, approached through the caravan park, shingle beach. Car parking at the caravan park. Eating facilities nearby, pub/café at top of slipway. Rowing boats, motorboats, canoes, deckchairs for hire. Disabled access. Dog ban April 1 to September 30. Public toilets nearby.
Salcombe Regis, Salcombe Mouth
Partly owned by National Trust. Very quiet ‘away-from-it-all’ sloping pebbly beach. Approached by footpath through fields from Salcombe Regis village (one mile), or along the beach from Sidmouth. Parking in the church car park at Salcombe Regis. No facilities. There is no disabled access. No dog restrictions.
Weston Mouth
Very quiet, sloping pebbly beach, cliff back-drop. Pebbles can shelve underwater. Partly owned by the National Trust. Access by footpath down the steep hillside from the hamlet of Weston (approx. 1 mile). The small car park at Weston. No facilities. No dog restrictions.
Branscombe (8.3 miles away) – this one is our go-to for Boxing Day.
Owned by the National Trust. About two miles of long, gently sloping pebble beach. Uncommercialized and uncrowded, popular with families. Car parking adjacent to the beach. Eating facilities in beachside restaurant/café and village (tearoom and two pubs). Motorboat hire, fishing trips for parties. There is also Disabled access. Dog ban on the beach in front of the café from May 1 to September 30. Public toilets nearby.
Beer 9.7 miles away)
Sheltered cove backed by limestone cliffs. Sloping pebbly beach. Take care of bathing, beach shelves underwater. Working fishermen activity. Parking in the village behind the Dolphin or at Beer Head, at the top of Common Lane. Eating facilities in the nearby town and on the beach. Boat trips, deckchair hire, fishing trips, beach hut hire, boat hire. There is also Disabled access. Dog ban on the western part of beach May 1 to September 30. Public toilets nearby.
Exmouth (10 miles away) – Another big hit for the Christmas Day Sea Swim
Two miles of flat sandy beach, overlooking the estuary. Very popular with families. No bathing between red flags – dangerous currents. Zoned swimming area. Voluntary beach rescue service on duty on weekends and Bank Holidays. Car parking at Foxholes and along the seafront. Eating facilities nearby. Windsurfing, model railway, sea angling, boat trips, sailing, children’s swings and roundabout, family amusement park, beach hut hire, telescopes, refreshments, deckchair and windbreak hire. Disabled access. Dog ban between Maer Rocks and Octagon kiosk, May 1 to September 30 (except dogs in the charge of a registered blind person). Public toilets nearby.
Exmouth, Sandy Bay
Half-mile sheltered cove, sandy beach. Car parking above the beach. Eating facilities nearby, also Devon Cliffs holiday park with licensed bar and lots of entertainment facilities. No disabled access. There is a dog ban mid-June to mid-September. Public toilets nearby.
Seaton (11 miles away)
Approximately one-mile-long bay. Spacious, gently sloping pebbly beach. Zoned from powered craft. Car parking in Harbour Road. Eating facilities and pubs along the seafront and in the nearby town. Children’s amusements. Beach huts, deckchair hire. There is also Disabled access. Dog ban between Castle Hill and River Axe, May 1 to Sept 30.
I hope that this brief overview has helped you find the Best Places to Stay in Devon. All of the beaches above are in a designated An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Find out more.
These glorious beaches all contributed to making Pebbledbed Cottages the best places to stay in Devon. They are not the only reason, East Devon is full of both coastal and country walking and cycling routes, attractions, and shopping. Keep tuned to find out more reasons why East Devon is the best place to stay. Additionally, view our Things to do in East Devon page.