South Milton Sands, Kingsbridge, Devon
Like most of the beaches along this part of the South Devon coast, South Milton Sands (also known as Thurlestone) has a sandy beach and clear turquoise waters that are popular for watersports and snorkelling. The backdrop is the cliffs and wide open fields of the South Hams, off the shore stands Thurlestone Rock, a natural arch caused by the erosion of the waves; more seasoned paddleboarders like to take on the challenge of negotiating their way through it – paddle boards, kayaks and windsurfers can be hired from the shop by the car park.
Despite the long stretch of beach, it never seems to get crowded at South Milton Sands, so the ambience is laid back and it’s a nice place to spend a day with the family, bathing, making sandcastles, playing beach games and when the tide goes out, heading to the rock pools with your nets and buckets to see what you can find. Keep your eyes peeled because seals and dolphins are often spotted in these waters and are a wonderful sight to see. Behind the beach there’s an area of wetland that’s a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest attracting rare butterflies and migrant birds, so you might want to pack your binoculars and spotters guides. If walking is your thing you might like to pack your boots and set off for a hearty walk along the South West Coast Path to Hope Cove.
It's always a good idea to take a picnic with you and be self-sufficient but if you’re not that organised you can get something to eat from the beach café. For your convenience (‘scuse the pun) there are loos at the beach.
Dogs are allowed all year but must be kept under control and it goes without saying that you must clean up after them.
All information correct at the time of writing