8 Pet-Friendly Beaches in Devon Your Dog Needs You to Know About
Few things get that tail wagging quite like the sounds, smells and swims your dog can look forward to when there’s a trip to the beach in store. Finding a dog-friendly beach can be tricky, though, especially when you’re away from your local area and also have to scout out dog-friendly accommodation, transport and places to eat.
Luckily, Devon has a bevy of dog-friendly beaches on both its north and south coast, so walkies and doggy paddle sessions will never be too far away. To make finding the ones you want to visit hassle-free, we’ve only included our favourite Devon beaches that welcome dogs all year round (sure to be the best of the bunch in the eyes of your four-legged friend).
North Devon’s best dog-friendly beaches (from east to west)
Lynmouth
Exmoor National Park walks and a cracking cliff railway
We’re starting in Devon’s north-eastern corner near the border with Somerset in the spectacular surrounds of Exmoor National Park. This area is excellent for dogs, as exercise in the park’s mix of hills, forests and coastal habitats is sure to get their ears pricked up and their blood pumping.
When it comes to finding a place along the Exmoor coast where you can let them run off the lead by the sea, you can't do much better than the village of Lynmouth. The village centre has several dog-friendly pubs, restaurants and cafés, and the cliff railway that connects it with the hilltop village of Lynton is pup-friendly too.
The main stretch of shingle beach here – known, rather confusingly, as Blacksands beach – runs for about 500 metres east from the harbour walls and is backed by cliffs, woodland and coastal walking trails (at low tide, there are also rockpools dogs can snuffle around). Bear in mind that there can be fairly sizeable waves here at some times of year, so you might want to look elsewhere if your dog isn't such a strong swimmer.
Browse dog-friendly campsites in Exmoor National Park.
Ilfracombe
A variety of dog-friendly beaches in a classic Victorian resort
Up next, it's Ilfracombe, a town we think has all the ingredients for a fab dog-friendly break. There's plenty of parking here and a wide range of dog-friendly restaurants and attractions to explore. With its golf courses, Victorian architecture and well-maintained promenade, the place has a laidback, genteel vibe.
From your dog's perspective, though, the biggest perk of Ilfracombe is likely to be just how many different beaches you can explore with your pet all year round. Wildersmouth beach, an old smugglers' cove near the town centre, is a peaceful pebbly spot with far-reaching views out to sea, while just around the corner there's also the likes of secluded Rapparee Cove and the small patch of sand at Cheyne beach.
Find pet-friendly plots for tents or touring pitches that allow dogs near Ilfracombe.
Saunton Sands
Let your pup run off the lead over three and a half miles of sand
Your dog won't be able to get enough of this pet-friendly beach in north Devon. Welcoming waggy tails all year round, Saunton Sands is a rural spot surrounded by countryside on the other side of the Taw Estuary from the villages of Appledore and Westward Ho!.
Saunton Sands’ nifty zoning system means that dogs are welcome to run off the lead over pretty much all of this spacious stretch of sand, which extends along the coast for roughly three and a half miles.
There are relatively few facilities here, but there is a beach shop where you can pick up sweet snacks or a bucket and spade (not that you'll need one with a burrowing pup around…). Seasonal beach hut and deck chair hire is also available.
Check out our dog-friendly accommodation in Devon that’s open all year.
Clovelly
A dog-friendly pebble beach in a fascinating fishing village
Although it's fairly remote and small in scale, the gorgeous coastal village of Clovelly is well worth a visit if you're spending any time in north Devon. There is a charge to enter the village itself, although it is generally possible to avoid this if you do not use the main Clovelly car park and enter via the South West Coast Path, a public right of way. Taking the latter route is a particularly good choice, as this section of the coast path is widely held to be among the most scenic in all of Devon.
At the bottom of the village's steep main street there's a small pebble beach surrounded by old harbour walls. Snorkelling is a particularly popular pastime here in the summer months, as the sheltered coastal waters around the beach are a real haven for marine life.
Dogs are welcome on leads throughout the village, including in the pub.
Base yourself at a dog-friendly site near Clovelly for easy access to both Devon and Cornwall’s best beaches.
South Devon’s best dog-friendly beaches (from east to west)
Dawlish Warren
A family-friendly beach within easy reach of Exeter
Dawlish Warren is a family-friendly beach that's particularly popular with locals and visitors who are based in and around Exeter. This spacious one and a half miles of sand is under half an hour's drive from the city centre, but this pet-friendly spot has plenty of appeal in its own right.
Skirted by sand dunes and a wildlife reserve that's an important haven for wading birds, Dawlish Warren is a classic sandy south Devon beach where there's plenty of scope for watersports, picnics, seafront strolls or just kicking back and lounging on the sand. Dogs are welcome here all year round on the section of the beach between groynes 4 and 9.
In terms of other practicalities, Dawlish Warren scores extra points for having a railway station just a short walk from the beach and for being so close to Powderham Castle, a dog-friendly stately home five miles up the river Exe.
Which of our south-east Devon dog-friendly sites catch your eye?
Beesands beach
An unspoiled stretch of shingle backed by a freshwater lake
Set in the spectacular South Hams and a short drive from the popular towns of Kingsbridge and Salcombe, Beesands is a small coastal village with a very dog-friendly mile-long stretch of shingle backed by a peaceful freshwater lake.
Fishing boats can often be seen pulling up to the beach, and regular seafood including freshly-caught crab and lobster are regularly sold a short walk away on the village green.
Parking is plentiful in Beesands, as the village has both free parking bays and a designated car park (great for pups who want to sprint to the sands as soon as that boot door pops open). A number of walks are available here too, as Beesands is just over a mile to the south of Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve.
Soar Mill Cove
A remote cove backed by untamed landscapes with direct access to the South West Coast Path
Next up we have an option that's likely to appeal to serious walkers. Demonstrating that south Devon can be dramatic too, Soar Mill Cove is a spectacular small sandy beach backed by the craggy black masses of Bolt Head. The surrounding countryside is very rural and sparsely populated, although there is a hotel and car park within a short distance of the beach.
To get down to this sandy inlet, you'll need to negotiate at least some of the South West Coast Path. While Soar Mill Cove isn't the most convenient of our favourite dog-friendly beaches, the trip here is more than worth it – there'll definitely be scope for making memories with your dog along the way.
Get adventurous with a dog-friendly budget/backpacker pitch near Soar Mill Cove.
Thurlestone
A simple sandy beach in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
If it's sheer simplicity you’re after, you'll want to take a look at our last pick. While some beaches have funfairs, showers and cafés on their doorstep, Thurlestone beach goes back to basics. Accessible only on foot or via a single-track road, this unspoiled stretch of coarse sand is sheltered, has several safe bathing areas (with a lifeguard service in the peak summer months) and generally doesn't get as crowded as the other dog-friendly beaches in this part of the world.
Dogs are welcome here all year round and may particularly enjoy exploring the seaweed-covered rocky outcrops that are exposed at low tide.
Book camping pitches or dog-friendly glamping deals in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Travelling without a four-legged friend? Check out our run-down of Devon's best beaches here.
Looking for the best places to stay in Devon? Check out our travel guide, or click here to explore the wider South West of England.