Exmouth Beach

Exmouth Beach stretches out in a proper long curve of golden sand, backed by a peeling seafront dotted with ice cream vans and the odd amusement arcade. It's the kind of Devon beach that gets busy in summer but rewards an early morning visit with decent space and good light. The sand slopes gently, which makes it sensible for families who want to wade without drama, and at low tide you get exposed rock pools worth poking about in if the kids are into that sort of thing.

The promenade behind the beach has the usual seaside infrastructure - cafes, a putting green, somewhere to hire deckchairs. You can walk east along the shore towards Straight Point Rocks, which takes about twenty minutes and is worth doing for the view back across the bay. It's not particularly dramatic, but it's honest work and clears your head.

For a beach holiday based in one of the nearby parks - Dawlish Sands or Haven Devon Cliffs are only a couple of miles away - Exmouth works as a daily jaunt. It's busy enough to feel like a proper day out, quiet enough that you're not elbowing through crowds to find a patch of sand. Bring a windbreak if the breeze is up; even in summer this coast can get a bit sharp. A morning here, lunch in Dawlish, afternoon at another beach if you fancy the drive - that's a solid itinerary. Not spectacular enough to plan a whole trip around, but absolutely worth the short hop from your caravan.