Best Beaches Near Torquay
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best beaches near Torquay are Elberry Cove, Ness Cove Beach, Scabbacombe Sands, Landcombe Cove, Mattiscombe Sands, Lannacombe Beach, East Portlemouth Beach and Mill Bay.
Torquay anchors the sweep of Torbay on the south Devon coast, and the shore on either side of it hides far more than the resort beaches. Just south, near Broadsands, the clear water of Elberry Cove sits below the woods, while north across the estuary the Smugglers' Tunnel drops you onto Ness Cove at Shaldon.
Beyond Brixham the coast turns wilder, with the secluded sand and shingle of Scabbacombe Sands facing east below its cliffs. From there the going gets longer: it is a fair drive south-west toward Dartmouth and Start Point for Landcombe Cove, then the remote coves of Mattiscombe Sands and Lannacombe Beach out near the lighthouse.
Further still, around the mouth of the Salcombe estuary, East Portlemouth and Mill Bay reward the trip with sheltered sand reached by the little passenger ferry. Some lie minutes from the harbour; others are a proper day out along the coast.
Whether you fancy a quick dip or a long cliff walk, this coast delivers. Here are eight beaches to seek out near Torquay.
Elberry Cove
Photo: Ian S via Geograph.org.uk
Elberry Cove is a quiet pebble cove near Broadsands in Torbay, just south of Torquay, backed by woods and reached only on foot along the coast path. The water here is notably clear and sheltered in the bay, used for swimming and water-skiing in summer.
At one end stand the ruins of an old bathing house built for Lord Churston. The writer Agatha Christie knew the cove and wove it into her fiction, which adds a little intrigue to an already lovely spot.
Ness Cove Beach
Photo: Alan Hunt via Geograph.org.uk
Ness Cove Beach The only way down is the Smugglers' Tunnel, a dark, winding passage bored through the cliff that spills you out onto the shingle. Whether smugglers really cut it, or the owners of a nearby house did in the nineteenth century, no one is quite sure.
The beach lies under the red headland of the Ness at Shaldon, across the estuary from Teignmouth in South Devon, its shingle sloping gently into a marked swimming zone kept clear of boats. It suits bathing, rock-pooling and fishing, though the steep steps make hard work of the climb and there are no facilities down on the sand.
Scabbacombe Sands
Photo: Derek Harper via Geograph.org.uk
Scabbacombe Sands is a small, secluded cove of sand and shingle on the South Devon coast, lying north of Kingswear near Brixham and facing east under sheltering cliffs. For all its name it is more pebble than sand, though the water runs clear, and no road comes down to it: the way in is on foot from a small car park on Scabbacombe Lane, along a steep track and across a field.
Quiet and undeveloped, it has no facilities, and its far end has long been used by naturists. Dogs are welcome the year round.
It makes a rewarding walk to a peaceful shore.
Landcombe Cove
Photo: Alan Rosevear via Geograph.org.uk
Landcombe Cove is a small, tucked-away beach of sand and shingle on the South Devon coast between Blackpool Sands and Slapton, near Dartmouth. There is no road to it: the way in is on foot from Strete, following the South West Coast Path and then dropping steeply through a field to the shore.
The shingle shifts about and can uncover small caves at the back of the cove. Grassy headlands rise on either side, and the beach stays quiet and undeveloped, with no facilities of any kind.
Mattiscombe Sands
Photo: Chris Andrews via Geograph.org.uk
Mattiscombe Sands is a remote sandy cove near Start Point on the South Devon coast, also known as Great Mattiscombe Sand, sheltered by cliffs with rock flats and caves that open out when the tide falls. You cannot drive to it: instead you park at Start Point and walk roughly a mile along the South West Coast Path, with a steep descent to the sand at the end.
The walk brings the Start Point lighthouse and long views over Start Bay, and the ruined village of Hallsands lies further along the shore. There are no facilities at the beach.
Pack what you need and enjoy the solitude.
Lannacombe Beach
Photo: Martin Bodman via Geograph.org.uk
Lannacombe Beach lies at the foot of a low valley on a wild stretch of South Devon coast between Prawle Point and Start Point, a good drive south-west of Torquay. It is mostly sand, with pebbles above the tide line and rocky pools at either end, and a small stream runs across it to the sea.
Grassy headlands shelter it from the wind, and it is good for rock-pooling and paddling. Narrow lanes lead down to a small car park by the shore, and the only structure is a slipway, with no toilets or other facilities.
East Portlemouth Beach
Photo: Colin Park via Geograph.org.uk
East Portlemouth Beach looks across the estuary to Salcombe in south Devon, a longer trip south-west along the coast from Torquay. Its shore 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.
Mill Bay
Photo: jeff collins via Geograph.org.uk
Mill Bay is a mostly sandy beach on the eastern shore of the Salcombe estuary in South Devon, below East Portlemouth and backed by National Trust woodland, a good way south-west along the coast from Torquay. It is reached by the small passenger ferry across from Salcombe, then a short walk to the shore, and 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. Parking is very limited, so most people come across on the ferry.
FAQs
Which beaches near Torquay are the easiest to reach?
Elberry Cove near Broadsands, just south of Torquay, is a short walk along the coast path, and Ness Cove at Shaldon is reached through the Smugglers' Tunnel across the estuary from Teignmouth. Both make an easy outing from the town.
How far are the Salcombe estuary beaches from Torquay?
They are a fair way off. East Portlemouth and Mill Bay sit around thirty kilometres south-west of Torquay on the Salcombe estuary, so they are more of a day out, usually reached by the little passenger ferry across from Salcombe.
Are dogs allowed on any of these beaches?
Yes. Scabbacombe Sands, north of Kingswear near Brixham, allows dogs all year, and its quiet, undeveloped shingle makes it a good choice for a walk from Torquay with a four-legged companion.
Conclusion
The coast around Torquay runs from easy Torbay coves to wild, walk-in sands the far side of the Salcombe estuary. Close at hand, Elberry Cove and the tunnel-reached Ness Cove make a simple half-day, while Scabbacombe Sands rewards a steeper track down to quiet shingle.
The longer trips pay off too: Landcombe Cove near Dartmouth, the remote Mattiscombe Sands and Lannacombe Beach out by Start Point, and the sheltered ferry beaches of East Portlemouth and Mill Bay across from Salcombe. Most have few facilities and some have strong currents, so check the tides and take what you need.
Whether you have an hour or a whole day, and whether you want a gentle dip or a proper cliff walk, these are the beaches to seek out near Torquay.
