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???

[Cindersrellie]

Fowey is one small place and Devon has loads of small places! I'd go for Fowey over anywhere in Torbay. Do you care if it's rammed with tourists? There are quieter and busier parts..

[ILoveFlumps]

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

[roxisolerenshaw]

Salcombe is beautiful. I also like Kingsbridge

[swampytiggaa]

@ILoveFlumps

We holiday in North Devon every year as my parents have retired down there. They're in Bideford. So much to do for the children (old & young), Westward Ho beach is lovely, Clovelly is nearby and absolutely beautiful too.
Honestly can't recommend that area enough.

I live in Bideford 🙂 it’s lovely

[swampytiggaa]

@oohmamama

Abbotsham is a 40 minute drive to Woolacombe.

But westward ho is within walking distance 😉 along with lots of other beautiful beaches

[Motherofgirl]

Salcombe is lovely. Beautiful part of the world.

[ILoveFlumps]

We holiday in North Devon every year as my parents have retired down there. They're in Bideford. So much to do for the children (old & young), Westward Ho beach is lovely, Clovelly is nearby and absolutely beautiful too.
Honestly can't recommend that area enough.

[VenusClapTrap]

www.itv.com/hub/cornwall-and-devon-walks-with-julia-bradbury/10a0852a0001

Here you go. Just pick out the Devon episodes obviously.

[Gratefulrunner]

I know totnes and the area really well. That could be a good base for exploring beaches. Blackpool sands and bantham are both around 8 miles from totnes, those are my two favourites. Then you could also go to Dartmoor for more famous five type adventures such as walks to Sharrah pools for wild swimming and walking up hay tor.
It was all v busy last summer though, i would recommend getting to beaches early to make sure you get parked ok etc

[VenusClapTrap]

Salcombe is gorgeous.

There’s a nice documentary series on walks in Devon and Cornwall that’s available on catch up, that you might find useful. I’ll look it up.

[oohmamama]

Abbotsham is a 40 minute drive to Woolacombe.

[SaguaroBlossom]

We loved Noss Mayo, a bit further down the coast from Salcombe, fabulous walks and gorgeous views.

[Rainydaysandmondays2]

Ahhhh gosh you are all so helpful. So do you think Devon over fowey?

[BeastOfBODMAS]

To all the people saying Torquay and Paignton are rough as arseholes, Oi!!!

Dartmouth is beautiful, the boat/steam train trip from Paignton is really nice, you can probably ‘do’ Paignton in a day - walk the coast path towards Brixham and you will alternate big sweeping beaches with facilities and little quiet coves.

I think you would enjoy Shaldon village which is just over the river from Teignmouth, it’s very quaint and pretty, there are several pubs with beer gardens opening straight onto the beach and plenty of things to do.

Topsham near Exeter is lovely, many naice restaurants and shops but not crazy Salcombe posh. It’s on the Exe estuary but you have Exmouth nearby which has a really good beach. Turf Locks pub is a good day’s adventure, either a long river walk or a kayak to get there, there’s no road!

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.

[APurpleSquirrel]

The North Devon beaches are lovely - Saunton Sands, Croyde, Putsborough. Braunton looks a nice place to stay to access those beaches if you can't get closer.
We live in Somerset but they are our beaches of choice - plus Saunton is huge so isn't crowded (it is near the top) but carry on walking - same with Putsborough that becomes Woolacombe beach so a very long stretch.
Also the toilets at Putsborough are really nice - a huge plus when you have kids!
Croyde has a lovely craft market on Thursday's & Bank Holidays & a couple of decent pubs/cafes.

[BigSandyBalls2015]

Dartmouth is gorgeous and you can go on a boat trip to Totnes, and get the steam train. I'd avoid Torquay, was a bit run down last time I went.

[swampytiggaa]

Abbotsham is nice 🙂 near to me and very near to the beach at Westward Ho! and some countryside too 🙂

I love being able to walk to the sea 💕

[ancientgran]

@Rainydaysandmondays2

Gosh, thank you so much for all the info.

I have no kids but I am a big kid at heart and desperate to recreate some of my childhood stories and enjoy that part of the country which I never go to!

I’ve just spotted a lovely little place in abbotsham when I was looking for places to stay near woolacombe. Would that not be a bad shout, do you reckon?

I’m really looking for lovely places I can swim and eat good food and go on walks with my dog.

Sorry, I thought with the End Blyton thing you were looking for something for children.

[Greybeardy]

Ordinarily woolacombe is lovely (have a relative there & know it well) but last summer it was absolutely rammed with tourists who weren’t distancing or wearing masks. I guess everywhere will be similar this year though too. Putsborough end of the beach is usually quieter.

[Fifthtimelucky]

Sorry. 'Quite' should have been 'quieter'.

[Fifthtimelucky]

@LeSquigh

The sun sets on the north coast and that makes quite a big difference for me. I don’t know if that’s an odd thing! 🤣.

It may be odd but I absolutely agree. There's nothing better than watching the sun set over the sea on a west facing beach!

North Devon gets my vote and it's usually quite too.

[Rainydaysandmondays2]

I’ve also looked at fowey. Fowey or Devon? The drive to fowey puts me off a bit but I’m happy to be told that’s unreasonable!

[Rainydaysandmondays2]

Gosh, thank you so much for all the info.

I have no kids but I am a big kid at heart and desperate to recreate some of my childhood stories and enjoy that part of the country which I never go to!

I’ve just spotted a lovely little place in abbotsham when I was looking for places to stay near woolacombe. Would that not be a bad shout, do you reckon?

I’m really looking for lovely places I can swim and eat good food and go on walks with my dog.

[LeSquigh]

The sun sets on the north coast and that makes quite a big difference for me. I don’t know if that’s an odd thing! 🤣.

[ancientgran]

I'm amazed people are recommending Brixham. I live in Devon and I find Brixham really depressing.

Also surprised at Totnes, where's the beach in Totnes which the OP specified she wanted.

It depends what sort of things you like, our favourite places when the children were young was Torcross, between the sea and Slapton Ley there are some nice pubs/restaurants. Also the pick your own strawberry place right on the Ley was popular. My kids played for hours on the rocks. You can easily get to Blackpool sands which is a great beach with things like canoe/paddleboard hire, Dartmouth isn't far and Dartmouth is a lovely town but I wouldn't actually want to stay in the town for a holiday with children. In the other direction you could go to Plymouth for the Marine Aquarium.

Paignton and Teignmouth both have great parks on the front for kids, swings, slides, climbing frames but much busier and with the tat shops and arcades but hey some people love that sort of holiday. I find a visit to the Paignton or Teignmouth can be a very reasonable day out as the GC aren't needing money spent on attractions as the free parks are good. Paignton also has a fantastic zoo but that can be a nice day out from Torcross.

Budget also comes into it, Salcombe is lovely but very expensive.