Torcross Beach

Torcross stands at the southern end of Slapton Sands, where the long shingle bar separating the sea from Slapton Ley comes to an end at the village. The beach here has a working, lived-in quality that the more remote stretches of the bar lack: a pub, cafes and a small car park are all within a few steps of the shingle, and the A379 coast road runs along behind the beach, making it one of the easiest dog walking beaches to reach in South Devon. A Sherman tank, recovered from the seabed in the 1980s as a memorial to the Exercise Tiger D-Day rehearsal tragedy, stands at the edge of the car park and adds a sombre historical dimension to what is otherwise a straightforwardly pleasant place to spend time. The nature reserve at Slapton Ley, directly behind the bar, has walking trails and hides for birdwatching.

Dogs are welcome at Torcross year round with no seasonal restrictions, and the long flat shingle walk in either direction along the bar gives a good leg stretch whatever the weather. The shingle is accessible at all tide states and the beach never truly disappears, even at the highest tides. Lifeguards patrol the broader Slapton Sands stretch in summer season with a flag system indicating the best places for swimming. The pubs and cafes in Torcross village provide reliable refreshment options after a walk, and several are dog friendly.