Exmouth
Exmouth is one of the most popular beaches on the South Devon coast.
Situated on the eastern shore of the River Exe it is the oldest tourist resort in Devon. The town grew as an holiday destination in the late 18th Century, when war and unrest in Europe forced visitors to look for resorts closer to home. A couple of high profile visitors around this time were Lady Byron and Frances Woodward, Viscountess Nelson.
Exmouth has almost 2 miles (3km.) of golden sands, stretching from the marina in the west to Maer Rocks and Rodney Point in the east. The beach has all the usual facilities close at hand including the hire of chalets, river and coastal cruises and even donkey rides in season.
The sandy beach faces southwest and beach has a number of easy access points from the Esplanade. Popular with families, the beach really does offer something for everyone.
Please be aware that some areas of the beach are NOT SAFE to swim from, so please obey lifeguards and local beach signage.
At the eastern end of the beach at Exmouth, the South West Coast Path climbs past Rodney Point to Orcombe Point. This is the western end of the Dorset and East Devon Jurassic Coast World Heritage Coast, and is marked by a 5 metre high monument known as the Geoneedle. The obelisk was unveiled by HRH the Prince of Wales in 2002 to mark the inauguration of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The 95 miles of coast famous for its geology of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous strata, stretches all the way from Orcombe Point to Studland Bay near Poole.
Geologists will note the red coloured Aylesbeare Mudstone, which dates from the Triassic period, and were deposited about 250 to 245 million years ago.
Lying just to the east of Orcombe Point lies Sandy Bay, home to Devon Cliffs Holiday Park and the village of Littleham.
Facilities
✔ Flora and Fauna
✔ Sandy beach
✔ Cafe, shop or pub
✔ Dogs permitted
✔ Easily accessible
✔ Interesting geology
✔ Lifeguard in summer
✔ Parking
✔ Toilets
OS Explorer Map 115: Exmouth and Sidmouth, Honiton
This map is part of the Ordnance Survey's Explorer series designed to replace the old Pathfinder map series. At 1:25,000 scale this detailed map shows a host of attractions including gardens which are open to the public, nature reserves and country parks as well as all official footpaths, bridleways, roads and lanes. Other facilities covered include: camping and caravan sites, picnic areas and viewpoints, selected places of interest, rights of way information for England and Wales, National Trail and Recreational Path routes, and selected tourist information. The series is aimed mainly at the experienced map user but can be used by tourists and locals alike.
Local area
Holiday Parks
Stay at a nearby Holiday Park and keep the kids amused all day! Parks in the vicinity include those at:
Hotels
Plenty of hotels are available locally. Consider those in the local towns:
Exmouth
Dawlish
Teignmouth
Caravans
In the vicinity is a choice of camping and caravan sites offering high quality, affordable holiday accommodation. Consider camps in Newton Abbot, Paignton, Brixham and Moretonhampstead.
