Best Beaches Near Dartmouth
Dartmouth sits at the mouth of the River Dart, with some of South Devon’s finest coastline within easy reach. Whether you are after sheltered swimming, wide open shingle, rock pools at low tide, or somewhere to walk a dog without restrictions, the beaches along this stretch of the South Hams vary considerably in character and facilities.
This guide covers beaches within a 30-minute drive of Dart Marina, with practical information on parking, dog access, lifeguard cover, water quality, facilities and accessibility so you can choose the right beach for your day.
Travel Advisory:
The A379 between Torcross and Strete Gate (the Slapton Line) has been closed since January 2026 following severe storm damage.
Access to Torcross from Dartmouth currently requires an inland diversion.
During peak times, please check current road conditions before visiting Torcross or the southern end of Slapton Sands.
While the diversion adds to the journey time, Torcross and Slapton Sands are both excellent destinations and worth the visit.
Sugary Cove
A hidden gem near Dartmouth Castle, this small, peaceful cove is perfect for a quiet swim or a picnic by the water.
Distance from Dart Marina: Approximately 1 mile / 10-minute drive
Plus a 5 to 10-minute walk from the car park
Beach type: Shingle and rock
Tides: The beach largely disappears at high tide. Check tide times before visiting, as the water moves quickly. A low to mid tide visit makes a significant difference to the experience
Water quality: Excellent (rated on-site signage)
Activities: Swimming, snorkelling, rock pooling, fishing. The South West Coast Path runs above the cove and links onward to Blackpool Sands
Dogs: Welcome all year with no restrictions
Lifeguarded: No
Parking: Limited road parking on Castle Road (free) or Dartmouth Castle pay-and-display car park
Facilities: None on the beach. Dartmouth Castle has a tea room and toilets, open daily Easter to October half term, plus February half term and Christmas holidays
Accessibility: Not suitable for pushchairs or those with limited mobility. Access requires a steep path with steps
How busy: Quiet year-round. One of the most secluded spots within walking distance of the town
Blackpool Sands
A stunning Blue Flag beach just a short drive from Dartmouth, offering golden shingle, crystal-clear waters, and excellent facilities, including a beach café and seasonal lifeguards.
Despite the name, Blackpool Sands is shingle rather than sand, a crescent-shaped bay set in a sheltered bowl of pine trees with some of the clearest water on the South Devon coast. It is privately owned and well managed, with a full range of facilities and a strong track record on water quality. The beach holds a Blue Flag award and carries an Excellent rating from the Environment Agency, making it one of the most reliably clean swimming spots in the region. A new recycled-plastic boardwalk was installed in 2025 to improve access across the beach.
Distance from Dart Marina: Approximately 4 miles / 10 to 15-minute drive via the A379
Beach type:Shingle and pebble
Water quality: Blue Flag award. Excellent Environment Agency rating
Activities & Hire: Kayak and paddleboard hire, wetsuit hire, snorkelling equipment, deckchair hire, coastal kayak tours, beach sauna (Sea Kayak Devon). A bathing raft is in place during the lifeguard season
Dogs: Not permitted on the beach, in the cafe or in the car parks from 1 May to 30 September. Welcome outside these dates. Service dogs are exempt year-round
Lifeguarded: Yes. RNLI-trained lifeguards on duty July to September, 10am to 6pm
Parking: Large pay-and-display car park directly behind the beach. TQ6 0RG. Charges vary by season. No height restrictions. Overnight parking not permitted
Facilities: Licensed beach cafe and takeaway (locally sourced food, breakfast through to evening dining on selected days), beach shop, toilets, showers, baby changing, disabled facilities, sandpit, first aid point, barbecue area
Accessibility: Good. Level car park with disabled spaces. The 2025 boardwalk improves access across the beach. Disabled toilet facilities available
How busy: Busy in peak season, particularly at weekends. As a privately managed beach with a single cafe, popular times can feel crowded at the cafe. Worth arriving early in July and August
Strete Gate
Strete Gate is the northern access point to the Slapton Sands bar, reached by a turning off the A379 just below the village of Strete. It has a different vibe from the Torcross end of the same beach: quieter, with no village behind it, and with the added separation from the road that gives it a more open, exposed feel. The beach here is a wide sweep of shingle with the freshwater Slapton Ley behind the bar and Start Bay stretching out ahead. The northern section beyond the car park is an unofficial naturist area.
Access note: The A379 between Strete Gate and Torcross is currently closed (January 2026 storm damage). Strete Gate is accessible from Dartmouth via Strete village and is not affected by the closure
Distance from Dart Marina: Approximately 6 to 7 miles / 15 to 20-minute drive via Strete
Water quality: Clean bathing water
Activities: Swimming, windsurfing, canoeing, coastal walking. The South West Coast Path runs along the back of the bar. Note: the northern section of the beach beyond the car park is an unofficial naturist area
Dogs: Welcome all year with no restrictions
Lifeguarded: No
Parking: Pay-and-display car park, approximately 101 spaces. TQ6 0RR. Around 150 metres from the beach
Facilities: Toilets approximately 25 metres from car park. Seasonal cafe/snack van and ice cream van. Picnic area
Accessibility: Level access from car park to beach. Suitable for wheelchairs and buggies on the shingle path
How busy: Quieter than the Torcross end of the beach. A good option in summer when Torcross is at its busiest
Slapton Sands
A vast, scenic stretch of coastline with historic significance, calm waters, and a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for long walks and beach days.
Slapton Sands is a three-mile shingle bar separating the open waters of Start Bay from the freshwater lake of Slapton Ley, a National Nature Reserve. The central access point, at the memorial car park approximately halfway along the bar, gives a view of the whole stretch without the road traffic that runs close to the Torcross end. The beach is wide, the water calm, and the scale of the place unusual for South Devon. The stone monument at the car park commemorates the villages of the South Hams evacuated in 1943 to allow Allied forces to rehearse the D-Day landings; the Sherman tank at Torcross village marks the same history.
Access note: The A379 between Torcross and Strete Gate is currently closed (January 2026 storm damage, no reopening date set as at May 2026). The memorial car park is accessible from the Kingsbridge direction or via Slapton village
Distance from Dart Marina: Approximately 7 to 8 miles to the memorial car park / 20 to 25-minute drive
Beach type: Shingle and pebble
Water quality: Designated bathing water. Clean rating. No storm overflows identified at the monument car park location
Activities & Hire: Swimming, surfing, windsurfing, canoeing. The Slapton Ley Nature Trail runs along the lake behind the bar, accessible from the car park. South West Coast Path access
Dogs: Welcome all year with no restrictions
Lifeguarded: Yes. RNLI lifeguards operate at the Torcross end during summer. Flag system in operation indicating safe swimming areas
Parking: Pay-and-display at the monument/memorial car park (mid-point), Strete Gate car park (northern end), and Torcross (southern end). Memorial car park postcode: TQ7 2TQ
Facilities: Toilets at the monument car park and at Strete Gate. Disabled access and toilets available. Cafe and facilities at the Torcross end of the beach
Accessibility:
Level access from the memorial car park and Strete Gate. The beach surface is shingle, which can be difficult to cross in a wheelchair, but the path along the bar is level
How busy: Spacious enough that it rarely feels crowded even on busy summer days
Torcross
Torcross village sits at the southern end of Slapton Sands, where the shingle bar meets the sea on one side and the Slapton Ley nature reserve on the other. It is the most developed access point along the beach, with a promenade, cafes and the restored Sherman tank in the car park as a memorial to Exercise Tiger. The level promenade stretches for around 300 metres and is well suited to buggies and wheelchairs, with slipway access to the beach. Under normal circumstances it is around a 20-minute drive from Dartmouth, but the A379 closure has extended journey times.
Important access note: The A379 between Torcross and Strete Gate has been closed since January 2026 following storm damage. As of May 2026 no repair funding has been committed and the road remains shut. Reaching Torcross from Dartmouth currently requires an inland diversion via Kingsbridge, adding approximately 40 minutes to the journey each way. Check current road conditions at devon.gov.uk before travelling.
Distance from Dart Marina: Approximately 7 to 8 miles via normal A379 route (currently not accessible; allow more time via diversion)
Beach type: Shingle
Water quality: Designated bathing water. Clean, European-designated standard at the Torcross end
Activities: Swimming, watersports, coastal walking, nature reserve walks via Slapton Ley. Access to the South West Coast Path
Dogs: Dog-friendly. Check locally for any seasonal restrictions in the village area, as information varies across sources
Lifeguarded: Yes. RNLI lifeguards in summer months with flag systemo
Parking: Pay-and-display car park adjacent to the beach, approximately 100 spaces. TQ7 2TQ. Note: part of the car park was damaged in the January 2026 storms
Facilities: Toilets with baby changing in the car park. Cafes and restaurants on the promenade above the beach. Ice cream van. Sherman tank war memorial in the car park
Accessibility: Good. Level promenade approximately 300 metres. Slipway/ramp access to the beach at the northern end of the village. Disabled access and toilets available
How busy: Popular with families in summer. The promenade and village give it a more social atmosphere than the quieter mid-beach and Strete Gate access points
Broadsands Beach
A beautiful sandy beach with rock pools, perfect for families and those looking for a more relaxed coastal experience.
Distance from Dart Marina: Approximately 6 miles across the river / 10-minute drive plus the ferry crossing
Beach type: Sandy with rock pools (particularly at the southern end)
Water quality: Blue Flag award. Check current EA ratings at the Environment Agency website before visiting
Activities & Hire: Swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, boat hire, rock pooling, sandcastle building, windsurfing. Large grassed area behind the beach huts suitable for games. Scenic coastal walking on the South West Coast Path
Dogs: Not permitted on the beach 1 May to 30 September. A dog exercise area on the green behind the beach is available for dogs on leads year-round
Lifeguarded: No dedicated lifeguard service. Swim with awareness of paddleboards and motorised craft
Parking: Large pay-and-display car park close to the beach. TQ4 6HL. Level walking from car park to promenade. Bus route 12 also stops nearby
Facilities: Toilets open year-round including disabled facilities. Two cafes. Beach showers. Beach hut hire. Deck chair hire. Slipway for small boats (under 4.5hp). Designated windsurfing area
How busy: Popular with families, particularly on summer weekends. The size of the beach means there is generally space even on busier days
A note on this guide:
Dog access rules, lifeguard dates, parking charges and facilities can change from season to season.
We recommend verifying details with the beach directly or via visitdevon.co.uk and rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches before travelling.
For the latest on the A379 Slapton Line closure, visit devon.gov.uk.
Photo credits: Chris, Pekka Nikrus and Ross Burton on Flickr