Family Beaches in Devon
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The family beaches in Devon are Woody Bay, Blackchurch Rock, East Portlemouth Beach, Elberry Cove, Lee Bay Beach, Wild Pear Beach, Mill Bay and Peppercombe Beach.
Devon's coast is made for family exploring, though not every beach here is a bucket-and-spade resort. Along the sheltered south, the Salcombe estuary hides calm, sandy coves like East Portlemouth and Mill Bay, reached by a little passenger ferry, while clear-watered Elberry Cove sits tucked into the woods of Torbay.
Swing north and the mood turns wilder: Woody Bay and Lee Bay reward rock-poolers when the tide falls, the dark sea stack of Blackchurch Rock rises from a boulder shore near Clovelly, and Peppercombe and Wild Pear Beach lie down steep wooded valleys well off the beaten track. Some of these places have level access and sheltered water, others are all rock, steep steps and no facilities, so they suit older children and keen rockpoolers more than toddlers.
Reading each one honestly is the key to a good day out. Whether you want a gentle paddle from a ferry landing or a proper adventure down a coast path, there is something here for every kind of family.
Here are eight family beaches to seek out in Devon.
Woody Bay
Photo: Trevor Rickard via Geograph.org.uk
Woody Bay A small, sheltered rocky and shingle cove backed by steep oak woodland on the Exmoor coast, about three miles west of Lynton, Woody Bay is reached by a narrow lane to a clifftop car park and then a zig-zag path down through the woods, roughly a twenty-minute walk. At the shore there is a small cascade and a man-made tidal bathing pool cut into the rocks, still used for swimming.
Stone blocks and rusting ironwork are the remains of a Victorian pier wrecked by a storm within two years of being built. The rock pool and rocky foreshore suit families happy to explore and clamber.
Time low tide and bring sturdy shoes.
Blackchurch Rock
Photo: Chris Gorringe via Geograph.org.uk
Blackchurch Rock Two arches pierce the base of this dark stone wedge, so sea and light show clean through it, a shape caught somewhere between a stack and an arch. It stands tall and pyramid-shaped on the boulder-strewn shore of Mouth Mill, a lonely cove on the North Devon coast west of Clovelly, reached only on foot down through woods and along the coast path.
Around it the cliffs and ledges fold into sharp zigzags, layers of ancient sandstone and shale buckled by enormous earth movements long ago. Come at low tide to cross the wave-cut platform and stand right beneath it, on a wild, quiet, little-visited coast.
East Portlemouth Beach
Photo: Colin Park via Geograph.org.uk
East Portlemouth Beach Looking across the estuary to Salcombe in south Devon, East Portlemouth is a run of small sandy coves such as Mill Bay and Smalls Cove, backed by woodland. The water is calm and sheltered, with rock pools at low tide, and the sand breaks into separate coves as the tide rises.
The classic way over is the passenger ferry from Salcombe, and a National Trust car park sits near Mill Bay with level access to the sand. Calm water, rock pools and easy access make this one of the friendlier family spots on the coast.
Catch the ferry across for a gentle day by the water.
Elberry Cove
Photo: Ian S via Geograph.org.uk
Elberry Cove A quiet pebble cove near Broadsands in Torbay, backed by woods and reached only on foot along the coast path, Elberry Cove has notably clear, sheltered water used for swimming and water-skiing in summer. At one end stand the ruins of an old bathing house built for Lord Churston, and the writer Agatha Christie knew the cove and used it in her fiction.
The calm, clear bay suits families who enjoy a swim and a shady woodland walk to reach the shore. Follow the coast path round and the cove opens up ahead.
Lee Bay Beach
Photo: Gary Rogers via Geograph.org.uk
Lee Bay Beach A small, sheltered cove at the foot of a wooded valley below the village of Lee, a couple of miles west of Ilfracombe, Lee Bay is mostly rock, with patches of sand showing between the ridges as the tide falls, and it is a popular spot for rockpooling. A short slipway off the coast road gives access down narrow lanes.
The Bristol Channel here has a large tidal range, and there are no lifeguards, so it suits older children and careful paddling rather than unsupervised swimming. Time your visit for a falling tide and the rock pools open up.
Wild Pear Beach
Photo: Philip Halling via Geograph.org.uk
Wild Pear Beach A secluded cove on the east side of Combe Martin Bay, below the slopes of Little Hangman within Exmoor National Park, Wild Pear Beach mixes sand, shingle and rock, with small sea caves and slate cliffs behind. More sand shows at high water while boulders appear at low tide.
The only way in is on foot from Combe Martin along the coast path, about half a mile, then a steep, rough scramble down. There are no facilities, and it has long been used as an unofficial naturist beach.
The tough approach and rocky shore suit adventurous older families rather than young children. Pack light and mind the scramble down.
Mill Bay
Photo: jeff collins via Geograph.org.uk
Mill Bay A mostly sandy beach on the eastern shore of the Salcombe estuary in south Devon, below East Portlemouth and backed by National Trust woodland, Mill Bay is reached by the small passenger ferry from Salcombe and then a short walk to the shore. The sheltered estuary water makes it a popular spot for a swim at lower tides.
The South West Coast Path runs along the shore, north toward the ferry and south to the old lookout at Gara Rock. With soft sand and calm, sheltered water, it is an easy, friendly choice for a family day.
Come across on the ferry, as parking is very limited.
Peppercombe Beach
Photo: E Gammie via Geograph.org.uk
Peppercombe Beach As the tide draws back it uncovers fingers of rock and pools, with here and there a patch of sand, beneath reddish sandstone cliffs at the foot of a wooded valley on the North Devon coast near Bideford. No road reaches this National Trust shore; you walk in down the valley or along the coast path, and there are no facilities once you arrive.
Quiet and unspoilt, it rewards a slow afternoon of rock-pooling and coastal walking, and out beyond the shingle seals and porpoises are sometimes seen. Bring whatever you need, and keep half an eye on the water.
FAQs
Which Devon beaches are best for young families?
The sheltered south-coast coves are the gentlest, with calm water and easy access at East Portlemouth and Mill Bay, both reached by the Salcombe ferry, and clear, sheltered swimming at Elberry Cove. Wilder, rockier beaches suit older children.
Are there rock pools to explore?
Yes, many of these beaches come into their own at low tide. Lee Bay, Peppercombe and East Portlemouth all uncover rock pools as the sea draws back, so time your visit for a falling tide.
Do these beaches have lifeguards or facilities?
Most of these coves are undeveloped, with no facilities and, at spots like Lee Bay, no lifeguards. Bring everything you need, keep an eye on the tide and supervise children closely.
Conclusion
Devon offers families two very different kinds of beach day. On the sheltered south, calm coves like East Portlemouth, Mill Bay and clear-watered Elberry Cove give easy access, gentle water and rock pools, many reached by the little Salcombe ferry.
Head north and the coast turns wilder, with Woody Bay's tidal bathing pool, the rockpooling at Lee Bay and Peppercombe, and the dark stack of Blackchurch Rock rising from its boulder shore. Some of these places are all rock, steep steps and no lifeguards, so they suit older children and keen explorers more than toddlers.
Pick to match your crew, check the tides, and pack for beaches that are often short on facilities. Whether you want a gentle paddle or a proper coastal adventure, these are the family beaches to seek out in Devon.
