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Devon Guide
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Bigbury Bay
Bigbury Bay
Also in this section...
- Hope Cove
- Thurlestone
Bigbury Bay is a popular holiday destination, with fine sandy beaches, a stunning coastline and good access to local towns. There are three popular resorts: Hope Cove, Thurlestone and Bigbury-on-Sea, each featured on their own pages (link below). If you prefer a quieter break, opt for the quieter villages, like Ringmore to the Western end of the bay.
Our exploration of Bigbury Bay will begin at Soar Mill Cove, a beautiful and secluded beach, with rocks and pools for young explorers. Whilst space is limited at high tide, there is usually plenty of space, as this beach seldom becomes busy due to the walk of about a half to three quarters of a mile from the car park in Soar itself. Soar is a small hamlet, from which stunning views can be obtained looking out to sea through a frame of the valley. The Soar Mill Cove Hotel boasts such views, and also has a wide range of facilities including a restaurant, swimming pool and tennis court. There is also a camp site nearby. Travelling west, the coastline rises steeply to become quite high at Bolberry Down, site of a large National Trust parking area with access to the coast path for both able bodied and disabled people or those with younger children. Much of the coastline here is owned by the National Trust, meaning it is well preserved and has good access. The views here are quite spectacular, with the option of circular walks either to Soar Mill Cove or Hope Cove just along the coast. There is also a restaurant and hotel here called the Port Light.
A short distance along the coast from Bolberry Down (which can be walked, either along the actual coast path or by a shorter footpath) is the calm and secluded village of Hope Cove. This unique fishing village, sheltered by Bolt Tail, is popular with locals and visitors alike, for its fine sandy beaches and the quaint feel of the picturesque old village centres of both inner and outer hope, and the nearby (1/2 mile inland) village of Galmpton. More information on Hope Cove can be found in the separate Hope Cove Guide
A little further along the coast, you will come to Thurlestone, again, featured in its own guide. It has a pretty village centre and stunning views to the sea, which is dominated by Thurlestone Rock, an archway of stone just off the coast. Just inland from Thurlestone can be found the picturesque village of South Milton.
Barely a mile on from Thurlestone, you will find Bantham and Buckland, where the white walls of the thatched houses glisten against the green backdrop of the land. The Sloop Inn at Bantham serves good pub food, including a wide range of local fresh fish, but advance booking is advised.
The beach at Bantham hugs the clifts of a spit of land known as Bantham Ham, bordered by the channel on one side and the River Avon on the other. This stretch of land is highly important, as it offers a sand dune habitat, seldom found in the UK. The sand is fine, and at low tide a wide expanse of sand and pools is unveiled. The bathing here is safe as long as you stay within the marked area, and there are life guards in high season. The beach is also the South Coasts' premier surfing beach.
In high season a ferry operates across the river to Bigbury-on-Sea and Burgh Island. This village, and its famous island is featured in its' own guide - on this page. Just round the corner from Bigbury-on-Sea, though a good distance by road, is Challabrough, another popular beach for surfing, with fine sand.
Continuing along Bigbury Bay, the coast starts to develop height, often climbing before a spectacular drop with sheer rock faces that seem to be defying gravity. This stretch of coastline is far less developed - indeed there are no further settlements right on the coast of Bigbury Bay. Ringmore however is a fine, unspoilt village with a good pub a short walk inland from Ayrmer Cove - a beautiful and secluded beach. There is a choice of three footpaths between the village and its' beach, making it an ideal location from which to start a circular walk.
After aymer, the next major interruption in the coastline is the mouth of the Erme, where beautiful wide expanses of fine sand line either side of the wide estuary mouth. Both Wonwell (to the East) and Mothecombe (to the West) are excellent beaches for families, with gentle waves, fine sand and plenty of shallow water. If you're visiting Wonwell, be sure to arrive early though as the only parking is on the single track road. Also, sand here is very limited for a couple of hours either side of high tide - unless you take a short walk along the coast path to the sea-ward side of the beach. Mothecombe, on the other hand has plentiful parking a short walk from the beach.
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