North Sands

The beach at North Sands sits in a proper south-facing bowl, about twenty minutes south of Kingsbridge, and it's the sort of place you could easily miss if you weren't looking for it. Sand and shingle, backed by low cliffs, it feels considerably quieter than the busier South Devon beaches you'll find further along the coast. The real draw is how sheltered it gets - even on windier days, you'll find a corner that's workable.

It's a family beach, genuinely. The slope is gentle enough for small kids, and there's enough space to sprawl without feeling packed in. Swimmers get an easy entry. The shingle bed matters if you're barefoot sensitive, but it clears to sand further out. Most people allow an afternoon here rather than a full day - three hours is plenty.

If you're staying at Karrageen or Wilton Farm Camping, both within three miles, this becomes your local rather than a destination drive. That changes the calculus entirely. You can pop down without committing to a big outing. Start Bay Campsite, five miles away, would also make North Sands a reasonable second beach option when you fancy something less exposed.

Worth knowing: parking is tight and there's no proper facilities that I could see - bring what you need. Low tide exposes more sand and makes it better for messing about. Summer weekends draw families from Kingsbridge, but it never feels rammed. It's the kind of beach that works brilliantly as part of a South Devon holiday rather than as a destination in itself.