Blackpool Sands

Blackpool Sands is a privately owned and managed beach in Start Bay, four miles south of Dartmouth on the A379. The bay faces east and is enclosed by sweeping evergreen-covered headlands on either side, giving it a sheltered, almost Mediterranean quality when the sun is on the water. The shingle is fine and satisfying to walk on, the water is consistently clear, and the facilities are genuinely good: Venus Cafe serves food and drinks, Sea Kayak Devon operates hire and lessons from the beach, lifeguards are on duty in season, and the ANPR car park is large and well managed. It has held Blue Flag status for a number of years, which reflects the quality of both the water and the operation.

The Blue Flag designation comes with a condition: dogs are banned from the beach and from the car parks entirely between 1 May and 30 September. This is one of the longer seasonal bans in Devon and extends into the car parks themselves, so there is no option to leave a dog in the car while you visit the beach during restricted months. From October to April the restriction is fully lifted and the beach is open to dogs, making it a genuinely excellent autumn and winter destination with all the main facilities still available. The South West Coast Path passes through the site and the views south towards Torcross and Start Point on a clear winter day are among the best on this stretch of coast.