Help me decide where to holiday in Devon

[Rainydaysandmondays2]

Please help me decide where to go. I’m looking to spend 5-7 days later on in the year (hopefully during summer) in Devon. Would really love an old school type Enid Blyton-esque holiday. Will be and a friend and my dog. Looking for somewhere with lots of old world charm, good food and lovely beaches.

Am completely confusing myself between Torquay, Salcombe, Woolacombe, Paignton.

Any hints or tips or advice???

[BeastOfBODMAS]

@Rainydaysandmondays2

Oh thank you for that advice! I got caught in a rip tide once abroad and it was terrifying!

Can I ask what might be a stupid question - will it be warm enough to swim in the sea mid June?

I have swam in the sea in June but wouldn’t describe it as warm, nor bitterly cold.

Maybe invest in a wetsuit, especially if you are planning to holiday much more in the UK. You will get the wear out of it!

[Rainydaysandmondays2]

So many great ideas on this thread! I may never go abroad again. I think I will try and holiday as much as I can in England and particularly in this area since so many of my childhood stories seem to be set there, silly as that may seem.

[Rainydaysandmondays2]

Oh thank you for that advice! I got caught in a rip tide once abroad and it was terrifying!


Can I ask what might be a stupid question - will it be warm enough to swim in the sea mid June?

[TheLostDiadem]

If you’re swimming at Bigbury/ Bantham please be aware of the rip tides and listen to lifeguards. It’s terrifying how many people that swim there have absolutely no idea.

[Gratefulrunner]

Blackpool sands is good for a swim, nice and sheltered.
Also bigbury bay at Burgh island
Download the magic seaweed app for tide times and conditions

[ivykaty44]

places I can swim

don't swim at Bude or Instow/Appeldore due to tide currents is my advice

Abbotsham is a pleasant village and used to be a good pub up in the village, instal is a good beach to walk or sit and couple or 3 decent places to eat, Appledore is a pretty town and great for crabbing - there is a row boat to Appledore

[user1471538283]

We went to Brixham and it was fabulous! It is quite small, beautiful and gorgeous food! We rented a cottage in the centre. There is a bus to the little ferry to go over to Dartmouth.

[costco]

North over south Devon. Salcombe gas a beautiful clifftop walk , but apart from that the town itself is just ram packed and has tiny beaches. It would be a great place if you wanted to do some sailing but is a nightmare by car. North Devon much better, woolacombe and the surrounding area. Avoid Barnstaple!!

[Persipan]

Babbacombe also has an awesome model village. I was going to say 'if you like that sort of thing, but really who doesn't like model villages?

[orangenasturtium]

If you like the idea of the beaches around Torquay and Paignton (and don't like Brixham), you could avoid the tacky town centres and the touristy beaches and have your Enid Blyton fantasy if you stayed in either of these places:

Babbacombe is a slightly more "genteel" suburb on the outskirts of Torquay, and the Cary Arms Hotel and Spa is right on the beach. The beach is reached by a funicular railway and the hotel is perched halfway down the cliffs.
www.caryarms.co.uk/

Cockington is a picture postcard village of thatched cottages and a manor house in a valley that is technically in Torquay but distanced by gardens, lakes, water meadows and woodlands . It's walking distance to the beach. It gets quite busy in the summer though.

cockingtoncottages.co.uk/

[Happyhippy99]

Hope Cove. Most beautiful place in the world.
You’ll love it & return every year.

[Rainydaysandmondays2]

Oh thank you everyone. So I’ve narrowed it down to 3 nights in beer and now I’m just looking for another 4-7 nights further along. I have to say I love the sound of salcombe and the beaches and coves. But finding it tricky to find anywhere suitable to stay. Is torcross any good? Would it be easy to get from there to salcombe? Also looking at kingsbridge too

[Tinty]

Beer has a lovely beach, it is all stones but doggies are allowed on it. The swimming is lovely it is deep as it drops down in shelves. You will be only 6 feet out, up to your neck swimming next to a happy doggo 🐶

[APurpleSquirrel]

This is Putsborough Beach taken from the car park in May half term last year, late afternoon looking towards Woolacombe - beautiful beach.

[swampytiggaa]

Westward Ho! beach last week. Bloody stunning whatever time of year 💕

[TrevorWithTheWeather]

Brixham is beautiful and there are plenty of air b&bs around there. SIL lives there and we enjoy visiting every year!

[Persipan]

Seconding that Topsham has nice places to eat. Also, a particularly nice bit of cost path to walk is the bit between Paignton and Brixham. It has lots of variety, and you can get the ferry across to/from Torquay so you can easily get back to where you started.

[ancientgran]

The Paignton-Exmouth train line is your friend to beat the traffic, it’s very scenic and you could enjoy a different seaside town every day for a week. Very true, I haven't been on it since before the first lockdown but it is a lovely journey. If you get off at Paignton you can get on the steam train and carry on to Kingswear and then cross the river to Dartmouth.

[LadyofMisrule]

I second Morthoe. Also Lynton/Lynmouth, Woody Bay, Combe Martin.

[EmmaStone]

You're actually spoilt for choice in Devon - it's a huge county with two coastlines, so lots of options.

I grew up in East Devon, our beaches of choice were Sidmouth, Beer, Branscombe, Budleigh Salterton, Lyme Regis (technically Dorset I think), Exmouth (though that's a bit rougher lol), but most of those are pebbly, and although lovely, probably wouldn't be the first place I headed to in Devon if I didn't know where to go.

I adore the S Hams (Salcombe/Dartmouth area), lovely small beaches and coves, a bit posh, quite boat-y crowd.

N Devon has some stunning large beaches, as recommended above, Braunton, Saunton, Putsborough, Croyde, Woolacombe.

Now, if you want adventurous walks as well as beaches, consider S Hams for Dartmoor, and N Devon for Exmoor.

I don't mind Torbay, but wouldn't choose it above the other areas recommended.

Devon's lovely, make sure you get to Exeter as well (although I'd skip Plymouth).

[onewhitewhisker]

I would add to the Dartmouth recommendations. The castle and Sugary Cove - can't get more enid Blyton than that!!

[Figgygal]

Aw I love Torbay we go every year it has beautiful coastline and the kids love it but yes it’s not necessarily going to meet the ops requirements.

[swampytiggaa]

@ILoveFlumps

swampytiggaa So jealous! I love it down there. The kids love visiting, and can't wait until we can come back again

We moved down 11 years ago 🙂 absolutely love it!

[passthemustard]

Torquay is alright thanks! And it's really not that bad with traffic in the summer!

I have an Airbnb in Brixham which is perfectly placed to explore South Devon. Just 20 minutes drive from Totnes, Dartmouth (via the ferry), Torquay Dartmoor etc plus Exeter and Plymouth are only like 45 minutes away and it's close enough to do a day trip to the Jurassic coast.

Torbay has 22 miles of stunning coastline and is a UNESCO global geo park.

Bantham beach is gorgeous and well worth a day trip if the weather is good. Plus Greenway (Agatha Christie's house) is just down the road from Brixham if you're looking for some story book charm.

Torbay has its down sides sure but it also has some lovely areas if you know where to look.

[Gratefulrunner]

Salcombe is nice but it’s quite yachtie, sort of the opposite of Paignton! It’s where the original Jack Wills shop was I think so that gives you an idea of what it’s like ...