Blackpool Sands
Devon's Most Beautiful Beach

The Verdict

Why Blackpool Sands is Special

The name throws people — every year visitors from Lancashire arrive expecting arcades and a pier and leave astonished. But this Blackpool, on the South Devon coast between Dartmouth and Torcross, bears no resemblance whatsoever to its northern namesake. It is, by most measures, Devon's most beautiful beach.

What makes it so? The setting, principally. The beach sits in a near-perfect horseshoe bay, enclosed on both sides by steep wooded headlands — dark green conifers and Mediterranean-feeling pines that tumble almost to the waterline and create a microclimate of shelter and warmth unusual this far north in Europe. The water, sheltered from the prevailing Atlantic swell, sits extraordinary clear and bright blue-green in sunlight. On a good day, visibility in the water runs to several metres.

Blackpool Sands is privately managed by the Blackpool Sands estate, which means the facilities are well-maintained, the beach is clean, and numbers are naturally limited by the size of the car park. It has consistently won beach awards and earned TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice status. The management has kept it tasteful — no funfair, no loud music, no jet skis. Just sea, sand, trees, and the excellent Venus Café.

The Beach

The Beach Itself

The beach is mixed shingle and sand — sandier closer to the waterline, coarser shingle above. Unlike purely pebble beaches, Blackpool Sands is comfortable to sit on with a good beach mat, and the firm sand at the water's edge is pleasant for walking and paddling.

The beach faces south-east, which gives it excellent protection from the prevailing south-westerly winds. When Atlantic beaches on the north and south Devon coasts are rough and choppy, Blackpool Sands is often calm. The water within the bay is sheltered by both headlands, which reduces swell significantly even when the broader Start Bay is lumpy.

The beach shelves into the water relatively steeply — it's noticeably deeper at the shoreline than at most sandy beaches. This means it's less suitable for very young toddlers wanting to paddle in shallow water, but it does mean the swimming is excellent just metres from the shore.

Swimming

Swimming at Blackpool Sands

The swimming at Blackpool Sands is among the best in Devon, and not just by beach standards — this is genuinely good, clear, clean water that invites you in. The bay's sheltered position means conditions are calm on most summer days, and the clarity of the water — you can clearly see the bottom at several metres depth — is remarkable for a British beach.

• Water temperature: Reaches 16–18°C July–September, warming in the sheltered bay slightly above surrounding coastal waters
• Clarity: Exceptional — visibility of 3–5 metres on calm days; rivals some Mediterranean beaches
• Conditions: Sheltered from SW swell — usually calm even when other beaches are rough
• Water quality: Consistently Excellent rating from the Environment Agency
• RNLI lifeguards: On duty in season — flag system in operation

Snorkelling

The rock faces at each end of the bay are excellent for snorkelling — clear water, varied marine life including wrasse, blennies, sea anemones and occasionally larger fish. The flat calm conditions in the sheltered bay make it one of the better snorkelling spots on the South Devon coast. Bring your own snorkel kit — no hire available on site.

Food & Drink

The Venus Café

The Venus Café at Blackpool Sands is one of the best beach cafés in England — and that's not idle praise. Venus operate a small family of beach cafés across Devon (also at Bigbury-on-Sea and Exmouth) and all share the same commitment to quality, sustainability and good cooking that sets them apart from most beach food operations.

The Blackpool Sands café has terrace seating with views directly over the bay — genuinely one of the best lunch spots in South Devon. The menu runs to proper meals: grilled fish, South Devon beef burgers, excellent salads and cheese boards, alongside the full cream tea, ice creams and good coffee you'd expect. The sustainability credentials are taken seriously — local sourcing, organic ingredients, low plastic.

Directions

Getting There & Parking

By Car

Blackpool Sands is on the B3122 coast road between Dartmouth and Strete. The postcode is TQ6 0RH.

• From Dartmouth: Follow the B3122 south for 3.5 miles — the beach is signed from the town. The coast road is scenic but narrow in places.
• From Exeter: A38 to Buckfastleigh → A384 to Totnes → A381 toward Kingsbridge → turn left toward Dartmouth on the A3122 → B3122 to the beach. Allow approximately 1h 20min.
• From Plymouth: A38 east → A384 to Totnes → A381 → Dartmouth direction. Allow about 1 hour.

Parking

The private car park is managed by Blackpool Sands Ltd. Charges apply year-round (approximately £5–8 per day in 2025 — check current charges). The car park is finite in size and fills completely on peak summer days, often by 10–10:30am in July and August.

By Bus

The Stagecoach 93 Dartmouth–Kingsbridge service stops at the Blackpool Sands entrance in summer (check current timetables — seasonal service). This is genuinely the best option on a fine summer day to avoid parking stress — the bus from Dartmouth takes about 12 minutes.

On Foot / by Bicycle

The South West Coast Path passes above the beach and connects to Dartmouth (3.5 miles) and Stoke Fleming (1.5 miles) — excellent walking approaches. The coast road is narrow and not ideal for cycling, though technically possible.

Dog Rules

Dogs at Blackpool Sands — What You Need to Know

Dogs are not permitted on the main beach between 1st May and 30th September. This is a private beach and the restriction is enforced by the estate.

• October 1st to April 30th: Dogs welcome everywhere on the beach
• May 1st to September 30th: No dogs on the main beach area
• Dogs are welcome year-round on the access paths, cliff walks and the woodland areas around the beach

If you're visiting with a dog in summer, the Slapton Sands beach (5 miles south) has dogs year-round and is a magnificent wild alternative. Hope Cove (20 minutes drive) also welcomes dogs all year.

Families

Blackpool Sands for Families

Blackpool Sands is an excellent family beach with one important caveat: the beach shelves steeply into deep water, which means very young children who want to wade in shallow water for long distances are better served at a sandier, shallower beach (Paignton or Goodrington are ideal for that). But for families with children old enough to swim properly, Blackpool Sands is magnificent.

• RNLI lifeguards in season — peace of mind for parents
• Clear water — you can see your children swimming
• Rock pools at the far ends of the bay — excellent for children's exploration
• Venus Café — proper food for everyone, not just chips
• Beach shop — inflatables, sunscreen, beach gear
• Clean toilets and showers — well-maintained by the private management
• No arcades or funfair — deliberately low-key and natural

Walking

The Woodland Walk Above the Beach

One of Blackpool Sands' lesser-known pleasures is the coastal woodland that covers the headlands and hillsides above the bay. The South West Coast Path runs through these woods, and a short circular walk from the beach takes you through maritime pine and oak woodland with striking views back down over the bay.

The path north connects to Stoke Fleming village in about 1.5 miles — a pleasant 40-minute walk through the woods with sea glimpses, returning via the road (or arrange a taxi). The path south connects to Torcross and Slapton Sands along one of the most dramatic sections of the Start Bay coast.

The woodland itself has a slightly unusual, Mediterranean-feeling character — a mix of Scots pine, stone pine and maritime species planted in Victorian times that have given the headland its distinctive dark green silhouette. In spring, the woodland floor has wildflowers and the bird life is good.

Accommodation

Where to Stay Near Blackpool Sands

Dartmouth — The Perfect Base

Dartmouth is one of the most beautiful towns in Devon — a medieval port town in the mouth of the Dart Estuary, with an outstanding castle, excellent restaurants, independent shops, and a foot ferry to Kingswear across the river. Staying in Dartmouth gives you Blackpool Sands 10 minutes away, Slapton Sands and the Start Bay coast to the south, and Dartmouth Castle and the Dart Estuary on the doorstep. It's an excellent base for a South Devon holiday.

Stoke Fleming Village

The small village of Stoke Fleming, a mile or two north of the beach, offers holiday cottages within easy walking distance of Blackpool Sands via the coast path — a genuinely lovely arrangement for a walking/beach holiday.

When to Visit

Seasonal Guide — Blackpool Sands

Nearby

Nearby Attractions

• Dartmouth Castle (NT, 3.5 miles): One of England's finest coastal fortifications, guarding the mouth of the Dart Estuary since the 14th century. Essential.
• Dartmouth–Kingswear Ferry: The passenger ferry across the Dart is an experience in itself — connects Dartmouth with Kingswear and the Paignton & Dartmouth steam railway.
• Slapton Sands (5 miles south): Three miles of wild shingle barrier beach with Slapton Ley freshwater lake behind — completely different in character from Blackpool Sands but magnificent in its own way.
• Start Point Lighthouse (11 miles): The dramatic southern tip of the Devon coast — an exceptional clifftop walk and views across Start Bay. National Trust car park at Hallsands.
• Salcombe (20 miles west): South Devon's glamorous estuary town — turquoise water, superb North and South Sands beaches, excellent restaurants.
• Totnes: The most interesting market town in South Devon — independent shops, excellent food, Totnes Castle, and the Dart Valley steam railway.