Wembury Beach

Wembury is a rockpooling beach first and a swimming beach second. The sand is fine at low tide, with coarse sand and shingle at the top and rocky reefs running out into the bay, and it is renowned for rockpooling. Out to sea you can see the Great Mewstone, a rocky island that the Trust owns and that is closed to visitors as a bird sanctuary. It suits families who want to spend a morning turning over rocks. If your cottage is in Wembury, the beach is the obvious first morning.

Rockpools and the water

Go just before low tide and check tide tables. Wembury Marine Centre, run by Devon Wildlife Trust, has displays about local sealife, and its rock pool rambles for children run in the school holidays.

Wembury is not a lifeguarded beach. Take extra care when swimming, snorkelling, kayaking or paddleboarding, and watch for tides, currents, offshore winds and slippery rocks. Surfing, kayaking and snorkelling are all possible here, but the surf breaks over rocks, which suits intermediate to advanced surfers rather than beginners.

Dogs

Dogs are allowed on the beach from 1 October to 30 April. From 1 May to 30 September they are not allowed on it. Dogs are welcome on other walks around Wembury, but livestock may be grazing the cliff land and Wembury Point, so keep them on a lead there.

Parking and facilities

The National Trust runs the car park, which works through the JustPark app or the car park machines. The Wembury Beach code is 80704. Members and Blue Badge holders park free. Others pay £3 for 2 hours or £6 from February to October, and £3 all day from November to January.

Toilets are reached by steps at present, and the Trust aims to open them from 8am to 6pm. There is an outdoor shower, and the Marine Centre has an accessible toilet when it is open Wednesday to Monday, 10am to 4pm. The Old Mill Cafe serves hot drinks and light meals. Expect steps down to the beach.

Nearby

A moderate circular walk leads from the beach to Heybrook Bay, with views back to the Mewstone, and a seasonal passenger ferry crosses to Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers, running from April to 30 September. For another South Hams beach near Plymouth, see Bovisand.