Eye Cove

The walk down to Eye Cove from Bideford takes you through proper Devon countryside before the land drops away and suddenly there's the sea. It's a modest spot - nothing dramatic - but that's rather the point. You get a sheltered cove with golden sand, rock pools that teem with life if you're patient enough to look, and the kind of quiet you don't find near the main beaches.

The approach is the real draw here. The cliff path winds through woodland, then opens onto a small beach flanked by rocks. At low tide there's plenty of sand to explore; at high tide it shrinks considerably, so timing matters. The rock pools are brilliant for families - crabs, anemones, the occasional small fish trapped in the shallows. Kids will spend hours here without realising they're learning something.

It's a proper walk to get down, so it's not ideal if you've got very young children or anyone with mobility issues. Allow a good hour there and back. The cove itself rewards maybe 90 minutes if you're poking about, less if you just want a swim and a sit-down.

Based near Bideford - Coastal Cabins Glamping is just 2 miles away - you could easily make this part of a wider coastal route. Pair it with the longer stretches at Westward Ho! or Clovelly if you want more substantial beach time, but Eye Cove itself works best as a quiet interlude rather than a destination in itself.