Seaton
The Complete Beach Guide

The Beach

Seaton Beach

Seaton is a proper, traditional English seaside town — slightly faded, genuinely local, with fish and chips, beach huts, a long flat beach and all the trappings of a British coastal holiday from a bygone era. There is something deeply honest about Seaton that more polished, visitor-facing resorts have sacrificed: this is a place where people actually live, where the esplanade is used by residents walking dogs in the evening, and where the amusement arcades and ice cream kiosks are patronised by families who have been coming for decades rather than tourists discovering it for the first time. That authenticity is, in its own way, as much of an attraction as the cliffs and the tramway.

The beach itself is wide and open, faced in shingle and coarse sand, running along the south coast of the Axe Estuary mouth and facing due south across Lyme Bay. It is not a sandy bucket-and-spade beach in the way that many Devon beaches are — the shingle and coarse material underfoot is characteristic of this stretch of the Jurassic Coast — but the beach is spacious, clean and perfectly well suited to swimming, sunbathing and traditional seaside relaxation. At low tide the sand becomes more apparent lower down the beach, and the combination of shingle upper beach and firmer sand lower down is manageable for most families if they come prepared with good footwear for the stony sections.

To the west, the white chalk cliffs of Beer Head rise dramatically behind the small village of Beer — these are the most westerly chalk cliffs in England, a geological fact that gives them an added significance within the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site. Their colour, particularly in low afternoon light, is extraordinary: a brilliant, almost luminous white against the deep blue of Lyme Bay on a fine summer day. To the east, the cliffs continue beyond Axmouth toward Charton Bay and the Somerset border, shifting character from chalk to limestone and marl as you move east along the coast. The town of Seaton sits directly behind the esplanade, with its Victorian and Edwardian terraces, independent shops and the characteristic East Devon atmosphere of a working town that also happens to be beside the sea.

The Axe Estuary

The Axe Estuary — Wetlands & Birdwatching

The Axe Estuary behind Seaton beach is one of the most important wetland habitats in East Devon — a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) supporting significant populations of wading birds, wildfowl and some of the rarest breeding birds in the county. The estuary reed beds and mudflats extend northward from the beach for several miles, providing year-round birdwatching of the highest quality and a landscape that feels entirely removed from the busy esplanade just a hundred metres to the south. The contrast between the traditional seaside town and the profound quiet of the estuary is one of the most unexpected and rewarding aspects of a Seaton visit.

The birdlife of the Axe Estuary is exceptional across all seasons. Avocet are resident in winter in good numbers — the estuary is one of the more reliable locations for this elegant wader in East Devon. Little egret are a permanent fixture, working the shallows at the estuary margins with characteristic patience. Grey heron are everywhere. Kingfisher flash along the reed-fringed channels. In summer, the reed beds support breeding reed warbler and sedge warbler in numbers, and the Cetti's warbler — a skulking but explosively vocal resident that has spread across East Devon in recent decades — is reliably heard from the reed bed edges throughout the year, though rarely seen. On passage in spring and autumn, the estuary attracts migrant waders including little stint, curlew sandpiper, greenshank and green sandpiper, and occasional rarities turn up with enough regularity to keep serious birders checking the reserve throughout the migratory windows.

Spoonbill are occasional and genuine spectacle visitors — typically dropping in during spring migration — and the estuary has a strong track record for attracting scarce herons and egrets during warm-weather overshoots from the Continent. The reserve is listed on most serious East Devon birding resources, and the Seaton Wetlands Facebook group provides up-to-date sightings information for visitors planning a dedicated birdwatching visit.

The estuary is best accessed from the Seaton Wetlands reserve on the western bank of the Axe, which has hides, well-maintained paths and interpretation boards explaining the ecology and birdlife of the site. The reserve is managed by East Devon District Council and entry is free. The main hide on the western bank gives views across the open estuary and is particularly productive at high tide when waders are pushed off the mudflats and concentrate in front of the hide. A second access point is available from the Colyford end, to the north, for those who want to walk the full length of the reserve. Wellies or waterproof footwear are advisable in wet conditions, as the paths can be muddy in winter and spring.

Seaton Tramway

Seaton Tramway — Through the Axe Valley

The Seaton Tramway is one of Devon's most distinctive and genuinely enjoyable visitor attractions — a narrow-gauge electric tramway that runs five miles from Seaton through the Axe Valley nature reserve to the medieval wool town of Colyton, passing through the heart of the estuary SSSI and giving passengers unrivalled views of the wetlands, reed beds and birdlife that make this valley so remarkable. It is the kind of attraction that could easily be dismissed as a novelty, but the tramway earns its reputation: the journey is beautiful, the trams are characterful, and the valley through which it passes is one of the finest stretches of East Devon landscape.

The trams themselves are a collection of historic and replica open-topped vehicles that operate on two-foot gauge track, powered by electric traction from overhead wires. In summer, the open-topped trams are the obvious choice — the slow pace of the journey, the reed beds passing at eye level on either side, and the views across the wetlands to the hills beyond provide a quality of engagement with the landscape that a car journey through the valley simply cannot match. In cooler weather, enclosed trams operate alongside open-topped options. The journey takes around thirty minutes each way at a sedate and entirely appropriate pace.

The tramway operates seasonally from roughly Easter through to October, with additional special event running days at various points in the year — including popular Halloween and Christmas events. The Seaton terminus is at the western end of the esplanade, directly beside the beach, within easy walking distance of the car parks and the beach itself. Colyton terminus is in the town centre of Colyton — a genuinely attractive medieval town with a fine church, independent shops and good pubs — making the tramway a natural day-excursion route: beach in the morning, tram to Colyton for lunch, tram back in the afternoon.

The tramway is particularly popular with families with young children, for whom the tram ride is an intrinsically exciting experience quite apart from the scenery. Birdwatchers use it regularly as a way of observing the estuary habitats from a moving but quiet vantage point — the trams disturb wildlife far less than walkers on the path edges. Photographers find the elevated views from open-topped trams excellent for estuary landscapes. It is, in short, an attraction with a broader appeal than its heritage railway niche might suggest, and it is worth building into a Seaton visit as a matter of course rather than treating it as an optional extra.

Jurassic Coast

The Jurassic Coast — Cliffs & Fossils

Seaton sits within the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most significant geological landscapes in Europe and the first natural World Heritage Site in England. The designation covers 95 miles of Dorset and East Devon coastline, representing 185 million years of Earth history in a continuous coastal section of extraordinary clarity. Seaton sits at the western end of the Jurassic Coast's chalk and limestone section, and the cliffs both to the east and west of the town provide direct, accessible access to this geological record.

The chalk cliffs of Beer Head, three miles to the west of Seaton, are the most westerly chalk cliffs in England — a geological fact that gives them a singular status on the Jurassic Coast. Chalk is a relatively young rock in geological terms, formed from the accumulated skeletons of microscopic marine organisms in the warm, shallow seas that covered this part of southern England around 70–90 million years ago. The Beer Head cliffs have a particularly brilliant white quality, particularly when seen from the sea or from the coast path above, and the undercliff landscape between the cliff top and the sea has developed a rich, sheltered ecology that supports rare invertebrates and unusual plant communities.

The cliffs to the east of Seaton — around Axmouth and Charton Bay — are composed of limestone, marl and Cretaceous mudstones of a different character and geological age. After storms, the beach at Seaton and the lower sections of these eastern cliffs can yield fossils: ammonites and belemnites are the most common finds, emerging from the weathered cliff face and the storm-turned shingle. Children love searching the beach after rough weather, and the occasional find of a well-preserved ammonite — occasionally quite large — is the kind of tangible, direct connection with geological deep time that the Jurassic Coast does better than any museum exhibit.

The South West Coast Path walk from Seaton west to Beer — approximately three miles along the cliff top — is one of the finest short coastal walks on the Jurassic Coast. The route climbs from the esplanade, gains the cliff top above Beer Head with sweeping views back across Lyme Bay toward Portland Bill in the east, and drops into the sheltered combe of Beer village with its beach, boats and fresh fish. The views from the Beer Head cliff top, with the white chalk falling almost vertically to the sea below and the coast stretching in both directions, constitute one of the genuinely great coastal viewpoints of East Devon. The return can be made along the same route or by inland lanes and paths via Branscombe for a longer circular walk.

Dogs

Dogs at Seaton Beach

Dogs are subject to seasonal restrictions on the main beach at Seaton, as is standard across the majority of East Devon's family beaches during the summer months. The restrictions are clearly signposted on the esplanade and worth understanding before you arrive with a dog in tow — particularly in peak season when enforcement and social expectations are highest.

• Main beach: Dogs are restricted from 10am to 6pm between 1 May and 30 September. Outside these hours and dates, dogs are welcome on the full beach without restriction.
• Western end — near the Axe mouth: The western section of the beach, near where the River Axe meets the sea, typically has year-round access for dogs outside the core restriction area. Check local signage for the precise boundary, as this can vary.
• Seaton Wetlands reserve: The estuary paths and reserve are open to dogs year-round — a genuinely excellent dog walk through wetland scenery with no seasonal restriction.
• South West Coast Path: The coastal path in both directions from Seaton — west toward Beer and east toward Axmouth and Charton Bay — is open to dogs year-round with no restrictions.

In practice, dog owners visiting Seaton in summer have excellent options even during beach restriction hours. The estuary wetlands walk, which begins effectively from the western end of the esplanade, provides a mile or more of excellent walking through reed beds and along the riverbank with views of the estuary birds — a far more interesting dog walk than the beach esplanade for many dogs, and genuinely memorable for owners with any interest in birdlife or wetland landscapes. The coastal path to Beer is another outstanding option, with dramatic cliff scenery, no restriction and the reward of Beer beach and village at the end.

Early morning visits outside restriction hours allow dogs on the full beach, and Seaton's esplanade in the early morning — before the amusements open and the crowds arrive — has a particular quiet charm. The wide promenade and flat beach at low tide, with the chalk cliffs of Beer Head catching the eastern light, is a genuinely pleasant start to a Devon day with a dog. Evening walks after 6pm similarly give full beach access and the low-angle light on the cliffs and sea is typically at its best in the late afternoon and early evening.

Getting There

Parking & Getting to Seaton

By Car

Seaton is located in East Devon on the A3052 Exeter to Lyme Regis coastal road. The postcode for the seafront car parks is EX12 2NJ. The town is well signed from the A3052 and the approach is straightforward — Seaton has a proper town centre with a wide esplanade and seafront car parks that are significantly less fraught than the narrow-lane approaches to many Devon beaches.

• From Exeter: Follow the A3052 east through Sidmouth and Sidford, then continue east through Beer Road junction to Seaton. Allow approximately 45–55 minutes from Exeter city centre.
• From Axminster: The A358 south from Axminster connects with Seaton in approximately 5 miles — around 12–15 minutes through the Axe Valley. This is the main inland route from the GWR rail line.
• From Lyme Regis: Seaton is 8 miles west along the A3052. Allow approximately 20–25 minutes.
• From Honiton: Follow the A375 south to Sidbury, then the B3174 east to Seaton — approximately 12 miles and 25–30 minutes.

Parking

Seaton has several seafront pay-and-display car parks along the esplanade and immediately behind it. By the standards of comparable East Devon coastal towns, parking in Seaton is relatively straightforward — the town has a larger parking stock than smaller villages like Beer or Branscombe, and it is usually possible to find a space even on busy summer days, though this cannot be guaranteed in July and August at peak times. Arriving before 10am on summer weekends is recommended to secure a space close to the beach. The car parks are signed from the town centre approach roads.

By Public Transport

Seaton is well served by public transport by East Devon standards. The Jurassic Coaster X53 bus service runs along the East Devon coast between Exeter and Weymouth, connecting Seaton with Sidmouth, Beer, Lyme Regis and Axminster. This service runs year-round with enhanced frequency in summer and is an excellent way to visit Seaton without a car, or to link Seaton with neighbouring coastal destinations on a single day trip. Check Traveline South West for current timetables and stopping patterns, as services vary by season. Axminster station on the GWR London Waterloo line is approximately 5 miles north of Seaton, with connecting local buses to the town.

Families

Seaton for Families

Seaton works well for families precisely because it offers multiple distinct activities within easy walking distance of each other, meaning a full day in Seaton can be constructed without a car once you have arrived. The combination of beach, tramway, visitor centre, estuary and traditional seaside town gives families with children of different ages and interests something to focus on throughout the day.

• RNLI lifeguards: On duty throughout the main season from May to September, providing supervised swimming between the flags and the reassurance of a professional presence on the beach for parents with young swimmers
• Wide flat beach: The broad, flat esplanade beach is safe and accessible for families with buggies and young children — no steep dune climbs or difficult access points
• Traditional seaside town: Fish and chips, amusements, ice cream, beach huts and all the apparatus of the classic British seaside holiday — Seaton does this without apology and children love it
• Seaton Tramway: A half-day excursion on the tramway to Colyton and back provides an experience that children find genuinely exciting — the combination of historic vehicles, open-topped summer running and the wetland scenery is hard to beat as a family activity
• Seaton Jurassic visitor centre: Excellent interactive displays on the Jurassic Coast aimed directly at families — fossil exhibitions, touchable specimens and guided activities that contextualise what children see on the beach and cliffs
• Seaton Wetlands: The estuary paths and hides provide a birdwatching experience accessible to children — spotting avocet, egret and kingfisher from a hide is the kind of encounter with wildlife that makes a lasting impression
• Fossil hunting: After any significant weather, the beach at the eastern end of the esplanade yields fossil finds that children find thrilling — ammonites and belemnites are common enough to make success likely

The combination of the RNLI-lifeguarded beach, the tramway excursion, the visitor centre and the estuary birdwatching means Seaton can comfortably fill a full two days for a family without repetition — which is a genuine asset for families staying in East Devon for a holiday rather than making a single day trip. It is, in the best sense, a complete family seaside base rather than a single-attraction destination.

Seaton Jurassic

Seaton Jurassic Visitor Centre

The Seaton Jurassic visitor centre, located near the tramway terminus at the western end of the esplanade, provides an excellent and professionally curated introduction to the Jurassic Coast for families and visitors of all ages. It was designed specifically to interpret the geology and natural history of the World Heritage Site in an accessible, engaging way, and it succeeds at this better than most comparable visitor centres on the Jurassic Coast.

The displays are built around interactive engagement rather than passive reading — a deliberate design choice that makes the centre significantly more child-friendly than a conventional museum. A large central floor map allows visitors to walk along the geological timeline of the Jurassic Coast in a literal sense, stepping through millions of years of Earth history from Triassic through Jurassic to Cretaceous. Fossil specimens are displayed with touchable examples alongside interpretive panels explaining their origin and significance. The prehistoric sea recreated within the centre — a three-dimensional display of life in the warm Jurassic seas — is a particular highlight for younger visitors.

Guided fossil activities are available for families, typically on a booked basis, and range from fossil identification workshops to guided beach walks along the cliff sections near Seaton where the geology can be explained in situ. These activities vary by season and should be booked in advance through the centre's own booking system. The visitor centre also has a good gift shop with geological and natural history books, fossil casts and children's activity packs — worth browsing before or after a beach visit.

Worth combining with a tramway journey and a beach visit for a full day in Seaton: arrive at the visitor centre when it opens, spend an hour learning about the geology, take the morning tram to Colyton for lunch, return in the afternoon and finish with a beach swim and fossil hunt along the esplanade before fish and chips in the town. This is, genuinely, as good a structured family day in East Devon as exists.

Food & Drink

Food & Drink in Seaton

Fish & Chips on the Esplanade

Seaton's esplanade has multiple fish and chip options — this is, unapologetically, a traditional seaside town and the fish and chip offer reflects that. The seafront chippies serve the full range of fried fish, with local species from the South West fishing ports appearing alongside the standard cod and haddock. Eating fish and chips on the esplanade benches looking out across Lyme Bay toward the chalk cliffs of Beer Head is, in its uncomplicated way, one of the genuine pleasures of an East Devon seaside visit. Quality varies between establishments — local recommendation is worth seeking out on arrival.

Cafés & Tearooms

Several cafés and tearooms operate along the esplanade and in Seaton town centre. The seafront options are straightforwardly targeted at beach visitors — ice cream, hot drinks, sandwiches, cakes — while the town centre options are more varied and include proper café-restaurant operations that provide a good option for lunch or early dinner away from the immediate beach atmosphere. Seaton's town centre has a reasonable range of independent shops and food outlets that reflect the genuine local character of the place rather than being entirely given over to tourist trade.

The Harbour Inn

The Harbour Inn is Seaton's main pub and the natural choice for an evening meal or a pint after a day on the beach or the tramway. It serves real ales and a standard pub food menu in a setting that is appropriately unpretentious for a working East Devon seaside town. The atmosphere is genuinely local — this is a pub used by residents as well as visitors — and it provides the kind of relaxed, unfussy evening meal option that suits a family seaside holiday well. Worth checking opening times out of season as they can be restricted.

Beer Village — Fresh Fish

Beer village, three miles west along the coast path or the A3052, is worth a visit for food in its own right. Beer is a working fishing village with boats still operating from the shingle beach, and fresh fish — crab, lobster, mackerel, bass — is available directly from fishermen on the beach or from the village shop and cafés. The quality is exceptional by any standard, and the short cliff walk from Seaton to Beer builds a genuine appetite for the fresh crab sandwiches available in the village. Beer also has good village pubs and a traditional café culture that complements Seaton's more esplanade-focused food offer.

Walks

Walks from Seaton

SWCP West to Beer — 3 Miles Along the Jurassic Cliffs

The South West Coast Path walk from Seaton west to Beer is one of the finest short coastal walks on the entire Jurassic Coast — and that is a significant statement given the competition. The route leaves Seaton's esplanade at the western end, climbs quickly onto the cliff top above the town, and then follows a spectacular ridge walk along the top of the chalk and limestone cliffs with sweeping views across Lyme Bay in both directions. The chalk cliffs of Beer Head, the most westerly chalk cliffs in England, appear to the west as you walk — a dramatic, almost architectural presence above the sea. The descent into Beer is steep but well-maintained, arriving in the village above the beach with views down to the fishing boats and the chalk cliffs behind.

The return to Seaton can be made along the same cliff path, or by taking the inland lane route through Bovey Lane and across the fields above the coast — a slightly less dramatic but pleasant alternative that avoids retracing the exact same clifftop route. Allow two to three hours for the round trip at a comfortable pace, including time in Beer for refreshments. This is one of the walks that visitors to Seaton who miss it tend to regret — it should be treated as a near-essential element of any Seaton visit rather than an optional extra.

SWCP East Toward Axmouth & Charton Bay

The coast path heading east from Seaton is quieter and less visited than the Beer direction, which makes it a rewarding choice for walkers wanting solitude on the Jurassic Coast. The route crosses the Axe at Axmouth by a footbridge, then climbs onto the cliff top above the Axmouth and Lyme Regis Undercliff National Nature Reserve — a remarkable area of landslipped coastal woodland and scrub that is one of the wildest habitats on the entire south coast of England. The undercliff is not easily accessible from the main path (the terrain is deliberately left wild and the reserve has no internal paths for most of its length), but the views from the cliff top path above it are extraordinary. Continue east and the path eventually reaches Charton Bay and the approach to Lyme Regis. The full walk from Seaton to Lyme Regis (8 miles) is a serious commitment but one of the best full-day coastal walks in Devon.

Seaton Wetlands Reserve — Estuary Walk

The Seaton Wetlands reserve walk through the estuary SSSI begins from the western end of the esplanade, effectively from the tramway terminus and visitor centre, and extends northward along the western bank of the Axe through reed beds, scrub margins and open water habitats. The paths are well maintained, the hides are strategically positioned for the most productive views, and the walk can be extended as far north as the Colyford end of the reserve for a longer outing. In all seasons this is excellent walking — in winter for the concentrations of wildfowl and wading birds, in spring for breeding bird activity and the dramatic emergence of the reed beds, in summer for the flower-rich scrub margins and butterfly populations, in autumn for migrant bird movement through the reedbeds. A pair of binoculars transforms this walk from pleasant to outstanding.

Seaton Tramway to Colyton — One-Way Walk Return

Take the tramway north to Colyton and walk back along the Axe Valley for a different perspective on the landscape the tram passes through. The valley floor path from Colyton follows the river through water meadows and past the upper estuary reed beds, arriving back at Seaton after approximately three to four miles of gentle, flat walking. This one-way route — tram north, walk south — avoids doubling back on yourself and gives you both the elevated tramway view of the wetlands and the ground-level perspective of the valley floor. Colyton itself, at the northern end of the tramway, is a genuinely attractive medieval town with good pubs and independent shops — worth allowing time for lunch before the walk south.

Tides & Safety

Tides & Safety at Seaton

Seaton is a safe and well-managed beach by the standards of the East Devon coast, with RNLI lifeguard cover throughout the main season providing a professional safety presence that significantly reduces risk for swimmers and families in the water. That said, the beach has specific characteristics that are worth understanding before you arrive, particularly if you are visiting with children or planning to swim outside lifeguarded hours.

The beach is wide and flat with a gentle gradient — the tide goes out a long way at low water, exposing a substantial expanse of lower beach sand and leaving shingle upper beach in place. This means the swimming distance from the upper beach to the sea's edge can be considerable at low tide — not dangerous, but worth noting if you are walking in bare feet across shingle. The lower beach sand, exposed at low tide, is firmer and more comfortable underfoot than the upper shingle and is where most family beach activity concentrates in summer.

• Low tide: Maximum beach area, long walk across shingle to the sea edge, lower sand exposed and comfortable, good for fossil hunting and exploring the cliff base to the east
• Mid-tide: Best swimming conditions on the main beach — the sea is closer to the esplanade, the waves are of consistent size, and the lifeguard flags define a clear swimming zone
• High tide: Beach narrows significantly — the sea comes close to the esplanade wall at high spring tides. Swimming is good but space on the upper beach reduces considerably

The Axe Mouth — Do Not Swim Here

The western end of the beach where the River Axe meets the sea has tidal currents that are significantly stronger than those on the main beach. The Axe is a substantial river draining a large catchment, and on a falling tide the outflow creates a notable current at the river mouth. This is not a safe swimming location and should be avoided, particularly by children. The RNLI flags define the safe swimming zone on the main beach — always swim within them and keep clear of the river mouth to the west.

Shingle Beach Safety for Families

Seaton's shingle upper beach is comfortable for sitting and relaxing but less comfortable for bare-footed walking than a sandy beach. Families with young children should bring beach shoes or flip-flops to make the crossing from the esplanade to the sea edge comfortable — the combination of angular shingle and the longer distance to the sea at low tide makes footwear a practical necessity rather than a nice-to-have. The lower beach sand at low tide is far more comfortable, but the shingle crossing to reach it is unavoidable. This is not a significant problem but it is worth noting for those expecting a sandy beach from the esplanade edge down to the sea.

When to Visit

Seasonal Guide to Seaton Beach

September is the best month to visit Seaton for most visitors. The water retains the warmth accumulated over summer — typically reaching 17–19°C — and swimming without a wetsuit is entirely comfortable for most people. The school-holiday crowds have largely dispersed by the second week of September, the tramway is still running on its full summer schedule, and the autumn migration on the Axe Estuary is building toward its October peak with migrant waders and the first winter wildfowl arriving from the north. The birdwatching in September can be exceptional, combining resident species, breeding birds still present, and the first significant influx of autumn migrants.

The shoulder seasons — May and early June — are also excellent: the tramway is running from Easter, the Seaton Jurassic centre is open, the estuary birdwatching is outstanding with spring migration under way, and the cliffs and coast path are in their finest condition before the summer foot traffic takes its toll on the vegetation. Water temperatures are cool in May but wetsuits make swimming perfectly possible, and the beach is essentially quiet. For visitors with flexibility, avoiding July and August entirely in favour of these shoulder months gives a significantly better experience at Seaton — quieter, more beautiful, and with the natural highlights of the estuary and cliffs at their most vivid.

Winter visits reward those willing to come in colder conditions. Between November and February Seaton is genuinely quiet — the beach largely empty, the esplanade peaceful, and the estuary at its most productive for birdwatching with large concentrations of wildfowl, wintering waders and regular sightings of avocet in the hundreds. The chalk cliffs of Beer Head in winter light, when the low sun picks out every texture and fold in the cliff face, are as dramatic as anything on the Jurassic Coast. Fish and chips from the esplanade eaten on a cold, clear January morning with the beach to yourself is an underrated East Devon experience.

Nearby

Nearby Beaches & Attractions

• Beer (3 miles west): A sheltered shingle cove in a working fishing village with chalk cliffs, fresh seafood from the boats and a genuinely unspoilt character. The cliff walk from Seaton is outstanding.
• Branscombe (5 miles west): A wild National Trust shingle beach at the foot of the Branscombe Valley — dogs year-round, no crowds and a beautiful valley walk to the old bakery and forge. One of the most unspoilt beaches in East Devon.
• Axminster (5 miles north): The main market town of the Axe Valley — good independent shops, the famous Axminster carpets factory, a fine parish church and GWR rail connections. A useful practical base for an East Devon holiday.
• Lyme Regis (8 miles east): The most famous Jurassic Coast town — Mary Anning's fossil hunting ground, the Cobb harbour wall, excellent fossil shops and the Lyme Regis Museum. Worth a full day visit from Seaton.
• Colyton (via tramway): The medieval wool town at the northern end of the Seaton Tramway — fine church, independent shops, good pubs and a genuinely attractive town centre. The tramway journey through the estuary is the journey, not just the transport.
• Seaton Wetlands SSSI: The estuary nature reserve immediately behind the town — free entry, well-maintained paths and hides, outstanding birdwatching year-round and one of the most accessible wildlife reserves in East Devon.