Teignmouth Back Beach

Teignmouth Back Beach sits on the sheltered estuary side of the town rather than the open sea, facing across the River Teign towards Shaldon and offering a quieter and more characterful alternative to the long seafront town beach on the other side of the headland. Working fishing boats are drawn up on the beach, and the view across the estuary to the red cliffs and wooded hillsides of Shaldon gives a sense of a working coastal community rather than a resort. The town's Arts Quarter is a short walk away, and the Victorian Grand Pier with its amusement arcade and estuary views is accessible along the seafront. Cafes, shops, toilets and car parking are all within easy reach of the back beach.

The Back Beach is dog friendly year round with no restrictions, which distinguishes it from the main Town Beach where a seasonal ban applies between 1 April and 30 September on the stretch between the Eastcliff slipway and the lighthouse. For dog owners visiting Teignmouth in summer, the Back Beach is the reliable option, and the estuary setting with its fishing boats, tidal channels and views makes it genuinely interesting rather than a substitute for the main attraction. Sunset from the back beach, looking west up the Teign valley as the light catches the cliffs at Shaldon, is one of the better views in the area.