Top Beaches Day Trips from Torquay
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Beaches Day Trips from Torquay include Elberry Cove, Ness Cove Beach, Scabbacombe Sands, Landcombe Cove, Mattiscombe Sands, Lannacombe Beach, East Portlemouth Beach and Mill Bay.
Torquay makes a fine base for exploring the coves and coast paths of South Devon, with quiet beaches scattered in every direction. Close at hand in Torbay, Elberry Cove hides among woods near Broadsands, while just north, across the estuary from Teignmouth, Ness Cove sits below the red headland at Shaldon.
Head south past Brixham and secluded Scabbacombe Sands waits at the foot of a steep track, with tucked-away Landcombe Cove further on toward Dartmouth, between Blackpool Sands and Slapton. Down around Start Point lie the remote sands of Mattiscombe and Lannacombe, reached only on foot, and further west still, across the water from Salcombe, the sheltered coves at East Portlemouth and Mill Bay reward a longer drive.
Some are a few minutes from town, others a good run down the coast, but all make a rewarding outing. Whether you want clear water for a swim, rock pools or a proper walk to earn your sand, there is something here.
Here are eight beaches for a day trip from Torquay.
Elberry Cove
Photo: Ian S via Geograph.org.uk
Elberry Cove The closest beach on our list, barely seven kilometres from town, Elberry Cove is a quiet pebble cove near Broadsands in Torbay, backed by woods and reached only on foot along the coast path. The water here is notably clear and sheltered within the bay, drawing swimmers and, in summer, water-skiers.
At one end stand the ruins of an old bathing house built for Lord Churston, adding a touch of faded grandeur to the scene. The writer Agatha Christie knew the cove well and wove it into her fiction.
With its short, easy approach and calm water, it makes a gentle introduction to the South Devon coast near Torquay.
Ness Cove Beach
Photo: Alan Hunt via Geograph.org.uk
Ness Cove Beach Just north of Torquay, below the red headland of the Ness at Shaldon and across the estuary from Teignmouth, Ness Cove is a secluded shingle beach. You reach it through the Smugglers' Tunnel, a dark, winding passage cut through the cliff that opens straight onto the shore.
The shingle slopes gently to the sea, where a marked swimming zone is kept clear of boats, and it is a good spot for bathing, rock-pooling and fishing. Whether the tunnel was cut by smugglers or by the owners of a nearby house in the nineteenth century is not certain.
Steep steps make the climb hard going, and there are no facilities on the sand.
Scabbacombe Sands
Photo: Derek Harper via Geograph.org.uk
Scabbacombe Sands South of Torquay, north of Kingswear and near Brixham, Scabbacombe Sands is a small, secluded cove of sand and shingle, sheltered by cliffs and facing east. Despite the name it is more pebble than sand, though the water runs clear.
There is no road down: the way in is on foot from a small car park on Scabbacombe Lane, following a steep track and crossing a field to reach the shore. It stays quiet and undeveloped, with no facilities, and the far end has long been used by naturists.
Dogs are welcome all year round, so it suits walkers with four-legged company looking to escape the busier Torbay beaches.
Landcombe Cove
Photo: Alan Rosevear via Geograph.org.uk
Landcombe Cove Further along toward Dartmouth, between Blackpool Sands and Slapton, Landcombe Cove is a small, tucked-away beach of sand and shingle. There is no road to it: you walk in from Strete, following the South West Coast Path before dropping steeply through a field to the shore.
The shingle shifts about from tide to tide 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.
At a little under twenty kilometres from Torquay, it rewards those happy to trade comforts for a peaceful, out-of-the-way stretch of coast.
Mattiscombe Sands
Photo: Chris Andrews via Geograph.org.uk
Mattiscombe Sands A longer drive south to Start Point brings you to Mattiscombe Sands, also called Great Mattiscombe Sand, a remote sandy cove backed by cliffs, with rock flats and caves that open out at low tide. There is no direct access: you 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 wide views over Start Bay come as part of the walk, and the ruined village of Hallsands lies further along the coast. There are no facilities on the beach, so bring everything you need for the day.
Lannacombe Beach
Photo: Martin Bodman via Geograph.org.uk
Lannacombe Beach On a wild stretch of South Devon coast between Prawle Point and Start Point, Lannacombe Beach sits at the foot of a low valley, a longer drive south from Torquay. It is mostly sand, with pebbles above the tide line and rocky pools at either end, and a small stream trickles across it to the sea.
Grassy headlands shelter the beach from the wind, making it a gentle place for rock-pooling and paddling. Unusually for these remote coves, narrow lanes lead right down to a small car park by the shore, though the only structure is a slipway, with no toilets or other facilities.
It is a quiet, unspoilt spot.
East Portlemouth Beach
Photo: Colin Park via Geograph.org.uk
East Portlemouth Beach At the far end of our list, a longer drive west toward Salcombe, East Portlemouth looks across the estuary to the town from its own quiet shore. This is a run of small sandy coves, among them Mill Bay and Smalls Cove, backed by woodland, where the water is calm and sheltered and rock pools appear at low tide.
As the tide rises, the sand breaks up into separate little coves. The classic way over is the passenger ferry from Salcombe, gliding across the estuary, though there is also a National Trust car park near Mill Bay with level access to the sand.
It is a lovely, gentle spot for families.
Mill Bay
Photo: jeff collins via Geograph.org.uk
Mill Bay Just along from East Portlemouth, Mill Bay is a mostly sandy beach on the eastern shore of the Salcombe estuary, below the village and backed by National Trust woodland. Most people reach it by the small passenger ferry across from Salcombe, followed by a short walk to the shore, and the sheltered estuary water makes it a popular place for a swim at lower tides.
The South West Coast Path runs along the shore, heading north toward the ferry and south to the old lookout at Gara Rock. Parking is very limited here, so the ferry really is the easiest way over.
It rounds off a longer day trip from Torquay in fine style.
FAQs
Which beaches near Torquay are best for swimming?
For clear, sheltered water try Elberry Cove near Broadsands, a short trip from Torquay, or the calm estuary at Mill Bay and East Portlemouth across from Salcombe. Ness Cove at Shaldon also has a marked swimming zone kept clear of boats.
How do you get to Mill Bay and East Portlemouth?
The classic route to Mill Bay and East Portlemouth is the small passenger ferry across the estuary from Salcombe, a longer drive west of Torquay. Parking on the East Portlemouth side is very limited, so most visitors come over by boat.
Are there dog-friendly beaches near Torquay?
Yes. Scabbacombe Sands, north of Kingswear near Brixham, welcomes dogs all year round, and the quiet, undeveloped coves further south around Start Point, such as Lannacombe, suit a coastal walk with a dog away from Torquay's busier beaches.
Conclusion
South Devon rewards anyone willing to seek out its coves, and Torquay puts a whole run of them within reach. Close to home you have the clear water of Elberry Cove and the tunnel-approached shingle of Ness Cove, while a drive south and west opens up wilder sands at Scabbacombe, Landcombe, Mattiscombe and Lannacombe.
Right at the far end, the sheltered coves of East Portlemouth and Mill Bay make a fine excuse for a ferry ride across from Salcombe. Many of these beaches need a walk in and offer no facilities, so wear decent shoes, pack your own supplies and keep an eye on the tide as it cuts off the smaller coves.
Pick one for a quiet swim or link several into a coast-path adventure; these are the beaches for a day trip from Torquay.
