We recently ventured down to South-Devon for a holiday and wanted to share our favourite dog friendly spots with you!
Firstly, let us start by saying we stayed on a campsite in Brixham, close to Kingswear and 10 minutes from Dartmouth, South-Devon. We have two young children and were on the hunt for places we could maintain social distancing, whilst still enjoying all that Devon has to offer.
As a family we love going to the seaside so we wanted to discover the best child and dog friendly beaches in the area. Our favourite beach was Slapton Sands, the beach is an expansive three mile stretch of shingle. Plenty of room to socially distance, plenty of room for the dog to roam and your own private view of the vast ocean! The waves are slightly stronger than other beaches in the area, but it was beautiful. There are also toilet facilities, a nice big carpark and a small café with outside eating areas. It’s definitely not a white sandy beach, but it’s quite nice to be able to wipe the tiny stones from everything and not take the beach home with you! We took a trip over to Kingsbridge and would highly recommend The Crabshell Inn for fish and chips or scampi and chips!
In terms of socialising those pups our recommended beach would be Goodrington Sands, on the outskirts of Paignton. It’s a beautiful stretch of red sand and the last part is dog friendly. It’s hugely entertaining and noisy watching pups of all breeds, ages and abilities running about and enjoying their freedom, playing together and enjoying the waves. On a less busy day it is great for kids and there’s an arcade, food and good toilet facilities available. There are several parking opportunities depending on what your plans are for the day and views of the steam train travelling by. You can also walk along the coastal path to Oyster Cove and enjoy tranquil scenery and close up views of the steam train.
The whole family (including Daisy) got to enjoy the English Riviera Big Wheel
We would recommend a trip into Dartmouth, we were lucky enough to see the local seal and had several amazing ice creams whilst looking out at the ships. There are two ferries across the water and you can walk along the train line if you want a better view of the steam train. There are some beautiful little shops to pop into too.
We also had an amazing day at Salcombe and would recommend a visit. North Sands is a dog friendly, spacious, sandy beach, with good parking, toilet facilities and plenty of tasty food! You can walk up the very steep hill over to South Sands, but unfortunately this beach is not dog friendly. There is however a ferry available at South Sands which is dog friendly and you can take trips over to Sunny Cove Beach.
We spent a morning in Torquay exploring the harbour. The whole family got to enjoy the English Riviera Big Wheel, there are beautiful views out into the ocean and Daisy didn’t miss out on the photo opportunity! The harbour is beautiful and there is parking available all along the main road. We also have a dinosaur obsessed little one, so took a trip to Torquay’s Dinosaur World, where dogs are allowed on the lead. It is a great little experience, however, difficult to socially distance in these times.
Babbacombe beach is located in Babbacombe, further north of Torquay. It is a pebbly beach with an uneven cliff walk to Oddicombe beach, which is not dog friendly. There is a small carpark available and a little café. A difficult terrain for little feet but with beautiful views. A smaller alternative to the hustle and bustle of busier beaches.
St Mary’s Bay is another quieter alternative but with restricted access and steep steps down to the beach. There is parking available, you can also park at Sharkham Point and walk through the nature reserve, enjoying spectacular views of the bay. We didn’t spot any facilities so would advise a picnic and drinks as it’s a little walk, especially in the summer heat! We were lucky enough to have the bay to ourselves one morning and enjoy incredible views and complete tranquillity.
She loved to dig and find shells and stones to play with
We also spent a day over at Broadsands, it is a beautiful stretch of white sand, although not dog friendly. There are facilities available and plenty of parking. There is also the opportunity to walk across the coastal path to Elberry Cove, which is dog friendly. Elberry cove is a pebbly beach and popular with four-legged friends.
We visited Brixham Harbour enjoying the views of Torbay, before visiting Fishcombe Cove and Churston Cove, both of which are dog friendly. There is a walk through the battery gardens before reaching the steep steps of the cove. Fishcombe Cove is home to a lovely little café offering scones and cream or a sausage sandwich. The facilities were questionable … but you’re not too far away from the car.
We had a very brief visit to Fairy Cove, which is located in Roundham, next door to Paignton. There is parking available with a short and sweet walk down to the beach.
This was Daisy’s first holiday and trip to the seaside. She is a nervous traveller but impressed us so much with how she dealt with all the changes and quickly became accustomed to the car. She loved the beach but wasn’t too fond of the cold and noisy waves! She loved to dig and find shells and stones to play with. She was a little naughty at Slapton Sands and managed to chow down some of the smaller shingle, it was a little surprise the next morning! All in all travelling and exploring with a puppy was a great experience and helped us bond even more with her. We look forward to our next adventure!
Please remember to always be prepared when travelling with a dog, make sure you’re equipped for any eventuality. Take plenty of water, food, treats and towels, make sure shade is available on hot days and look out for any warning signs.
Jamie, Ashley and Daisy (Woof!)
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