Local beaches 43
BLACKPOOL SANDS
Hailed a ‘must visit’ beach by national newspapers, magazines and celebrities. This shingle beach is sheltered from the wind thanks to its forest backdrop of evergreens and pines. It is Blue Flag designated and is just a few miles from Dartmouth by car (TQ6 0RG - there is ample parking) or a pleasant hour and a half walk along the South West Coast Path. The privately owned Blackpool Sands is widely regarded as one of the most idyllic in the UK, once voted the UK’s best beach by Condé Nast Traveller. The care of the local environment has always spearheaded activities by its owners. The waters at Blackpool Sands are unusually clear and are tested regularly by the Environment Agency to confirm their cleanliness. Its crescent shape is made up of small pebbles, approximately 650 metres wide, set in a sheltered bay amongst evergreens and pines giving it an almost Mediterranean feel. It is surrounded by steeply rising fields and woods, and a stream enters the sea at the southern end of the beach. It is also on the South West Coast Path and is the ideal place to start or finish a walk along this beautiful stretch of South Devon coastline. During the warmer months, RNLI lifeguards are on hand to oversee a range of watersports activities
from kayaking and paddle boarding to good old-fashioned swimming. Sea Kayak Devon (see advert on back cover) are on site to offer stand up paddleboarding, sit on top kayaking, guided tours looking at the coast and marine environment and other water-based activities. There are also sandpits and rock pools to give the young ones plenty to explore. A beach café, restaurant and shop are also on site. Nearby, you can also visit Blackpool Gardens, an amazing, hidden sub-tropical paradise! These gardens were established in 1896 and have rare and colourful plants from South Africa, Chile, New Zealand and Australia - open to the public daily from April to September, weather permitting. Garden entry tickets are available from the attendant at the beach.
As a Blue Flag awarded beach, dogs are not permitted from 1st April until the end of October.
To find Blackpool Sands, from Dartmouth follow the brown tourist signs on the A379. Blackpool Sands lies between the villages of Stoke Fleming and Strete.
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