Small's Cove

The walk down to Small's Cove from Kingsbridge takes you through proper Devon countryside before the landscape suddenly drops away to reveal a sheltered beach that feels genuinely private. It's a narrow strip of sand backed by steep cliffs, the sort of place where you could spend an afternoon without seeing another soul on quieter days.

The cove itself is small - hence the name - so don't expect sprawling stretches of sand. What you get instead is intimate, intimate enough that families with young children appreciate the contained feel. The beach is pebbly rather than sandy in places, and the water's cold enough to demand a wetsuit outside summer months. Rock pools dot the edges when the tide's out, which keeps kids occupied while adults find a spot to read.

There's no café, no facilities, no car park right at the beach. You'll park in Kingsbridge and walk, which honestly feels like the right way to access somewhere this quiet. Allow a couple of hours for the round trip if you're not a fast walker, a bit longer if you're exploring the rocks. It's free, naturally.

If you're basing yourself at Wilton Farm Camping or Karrageen Caravan Park - both within a few miles - Small's Cove makes a proper destination rather than a quick beach fix. It rewards the effort of getting there, and that's worth something. Go when the weather's decent; a drizzly day here feels bleaker than it does elsewhere.