Best Places to Visit in Devon
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best places to visit in Devon are Long Quarry Point, Staverton Weir, Hollowbrook Waterfall, Valley of Rocks, Mattiscombe Sands, Baggy Point, Sugary Cove and Haytor Quarry.
Devon offers two coastlines, two national parks and a wealth of quiet corners that many visitors never reach, and this selection gathers eight of its best for a day out. On the south coast you can scramble around the old quarry cliffs of Long Quarry Point, swim in the calm pool above Staverton Weir or pick your way down to the tiny sands of Sugary Cove.
The north coast brings the goat-roamed Valley of Rocks, the long headland walk out to Baggy Point and the tumbling cascades of Hollowbrook Waterfall on the Exmoor cliffs. For a taste of wilder ground, Mattiscombe Sands rewards a mile-long coast path walk, while Haytor Quarry sits in open moorland on Dartmoor.
Some are easy strolls with a car park close by, others ask for a steady walk and an eye on the tide. Whether you want beaches, waterfalls, headlands or moorland, there is plenty here to seek out.
Here are eight places to visit across Devon.
Long Quarry Point
Photo: N Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Long Quarry Point is a headland at Babbacombe near Torquay, formed by a large disused limestone quarry cut into the coast. Steep cliffs rise at the back of the quarry floor, with rock pinnacles and old iron mooring posts left from the days when stone was loaded onto boats and shipped away.
The rock is a well-studied Devonian limestone, holding the fossil remains of an ancient reef, and the point lies within a protected coast and a UNESCO geopark. A zig-zag path drops down to it from Walls Hill, and it is a busy spot for climbers and coasteering.
Seek it out for its geology and dramatic quarried cliffs.
Staverton Weir
Photo: Christine Johnstone via Geograph.org.uk
Staverton Weir is a weir on the River Dart at the village of Staverton, a few miles up the river from Totnes, and a well-known wild swimming spot. Swimmers use the deeper, calmer pool above the weir rather than the weir face itself, on a quiet, wooded stretch of river with meadows along the bank.
The old medieval Staverton Bridge stands close by, and the South Devon heritage steam railway runs alongside the Dart here, with a station in the village. There is parking near the bridge, and the water is cold and clear.
Seek it out on a warm day for a bracing dip in the Dart.
Hollowbrook Waterfall
Photo: Roger Cornfoot via Geograph.org.uk
Hollowbrook Waterfall is a coastal waterfall on the Exmoor coast of north Devon, between Woody Bay and Heddon's Mouth, where a stream drops toward the sea in a run of cascades down a steep combe. It falls a long way in stages, said to be one of the highest coastal waterfalls in the country, though it is best seen from the water and hard to view well from land.
The South West Coast Path runs across the top of the combe. This is a little-visited fall on a wild, cliff-bound coast.
Seek it out from the coast path, or from a boat for the fullest view.
Valley of Rocks
Photo: Ian Capper via Geograph.org.uk
Valley of Rocks is a dry valley that runs parallel to the sea just west of Lynton on the north Devon coast, inside Exmoor National Park. Weathered crags stand along its sides, and a herd of feral goats lives on the rocks.
A level path, part of the South West Coast Path, runs through it, with a car park, toilets and a cafe at the Lynton end. The cliff railway down to Lynmouth is close by.
Seek it out for an easy walk with sea views and the chance to spot the goats.
Mattiscombe Sands
Photo: Chris Andrews via Geograph.org.uk
Mattiscombe Sands, also called Great Mattiscombe Sand, is a remote sandy cove near Start Point on the South Devon coast, backed by cliffs with rock flats and caves that spread out at low tide. There is no direct access: visitors park at Start Point and walk about a mile along the South West Coast Path, with a steep drop down to the sand at the end.
The lighthouse at Start Point and views over Start Bay come with the walk, and the ruined village of Hallsands lies further along the coast. There are no facilities on the beach.
Seek it out if you want a quiet cove well away from the crowds.
Baggy Point
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
Baggy Point is a long sandstone headland on the North Devon coast, reaching out into the sea between Croyde Bay and the wide sands of Woolacombe. A fairly level track runs out along its southern side to the tip, easy walking with the sea on your left and grazed fields on your right.
The crags draw rock climbers, while seals and seabirds work the water below. On the grassy plateau you can still find concrete dummy pillboxes, put up when American troops trained here for the D-Day landings.
The headland belongs to the National Trust, given to it in the 1930s. Seek it out for a breezy, easygoing coast walk.
Sugary Cove
Photo: Derek Harper via Geograph.org.uk
Sugary Cove is a tiny, secluded beach of mixed sand and pebble below wooded cliffs about a mile south of Dartmouth in south Devon, overlooked by Dartmouth Castle. It is reached on foot from the castle car park down a steep path with steps, and there are no facilities on the beach itself.
The beach all but disappears at high tide. It is a quiet spot used for swimming when the tide allows.
Seek it out at lower water for a peaceful dip, and keep a careful eye on the returning tide.
Haytor Quarry
Photo: Gareth James via Geograph.org.uk
Haytor Quarry is a disused granite quarry near Haytor on Dartmoor, its main pit now flooded to make a pool below worked rock faces. Around the water lie the remains of an old crane, its stone bases and iron parts left where they stood, and the pool now draws dragonflies and other wildlife.
Granite was cut here until the mid-1800s and carried away on a tramway with rails cut from granite itself. The quarry sits in open moorland below the tor.
Seek it out on a moorland walk for a quiet, water-filled corner of Dartmoor.
FAQs
Which Devon beaches in this list are the most remote?
Mattiscombe Sands and Sugary Cove are among the most remote, both reached only on foot with a steep final drop and no facilities on the beach. Hollowbrook Waterfall is also little-visited and best seen from the water rather than from land.
Can you swim at Staverton Weir?
Yes. Swimmers use the deeper, calmer pool above the weir rather than the weir face itself, on a quiet, wooded stretch of the River Dart. The water is cold and clear, so take care and go prepared.
Are there facilities at these Devon spots?
It varies a lot. The Valley of Rocks has a car park, toilets and a cafe at the Lynton end, while coves like Sugary Cove and Mattiscombe Sands have none, so bring what you need.
Conclusion
Devon's real character often lies away from the busy resorts, in the quiet coves, cliff paths and moorland corners gathered here. On the south coast you can quarry-hop at Long Quarry Point, dip in the Dart above Staverton Weir and scramble down to Sugary Cove.
Head north and the Valley of Rocks, Baggy Point and the tumbling Hollowbrook Waterfall show off the Exmoor coast at its wildest. Inland, Haytor Quarry brings a flooded pit and open moor on Dartmoor, while remote Mattiscombe Sands rewards a proper walk.
Some need only a short stroll, others a mile of coast path and a careful watch on the tide, so plan around the conditions and your group. Pack sturdy shoes and take your time, because these are the best places to visit in Devon.
