Dog-friendly The South Devon Coast

Privately owned surf beach at the mouth of the Avon, run by the Bantham Estate rather than the council, with a gatekeeper on the car park. Dogs are barred from the main beach through the season but the River Beach, on the estuary side, stays open to them all year and grows to many acres at low tide. The estate asks that dogs are kept under control and away from livestock.

The wide sand flats facing Burgh Island, with the tidal causeway crossing them twice a day. The restricted stretch runs east from the lifeguard steps and is closed to dogs during the day in season; the council publishes it as a ten to seven restriction while the order itself describes a twenty-four hour ban on that part, so read the signs on the day.

A privately run crescent of coarse sand in a wooded bay between Dartmouth and Slapton, with Blue Flag status and a paid car park. The owners exclude dogs entirely for the summer, and the ban covers the cafe and the car parks as well as the beach, so there is nowhere to leave a dog while you swim. Out of season dogs have the run of the whole beach.

A sheltered crescent of sand under the Brunel viaduct between Paignton and Churston, popular with families and steam railway watchers. It is on Torbay's restricted list, closed to dogs all season; Elberry Cove, a short walk round the point, is open to dogs all year.

Two miles of sand south of Paignton, divided into North and South Sands by the Youngs Park stream and the water park. North Sands is open to dogs all year; South Sands is closed to them from May to the end of September, so the stream is effectively the boundary in summer.

A long shingle and sand beach east of Torquay harbour, split in two for dog purposes. The south-western part is closed to dogs for the summer while the north-eastern part is open all year, so the line on the ground matters here more than at any other Torbay beach; check the signs before letting a lead off.

The sandy beach at Outer Hope, sheltered by the harbour wall and the village behind. The council order here is a daytime rather than a total ban, so an early morning or evening walk on the sand is legal all summer; between ten in the morning and seven in the evening it is not.

A red shingle cove under the Babbacombe cliffs, reached by the cliff railway or a steep path. It is one of Torbay's restricted beaches, closed to dogs across the whole summer, which catches out a lot of visitors who ride the railway down with a dog in tow. Babbacombe Beach next door is open all year.

The big red-sand resort beach beside Paignton pier and green. It is closed to dogs for the whole season under Torbay Council's restrictions, in part to hold its bathing water and Blue Flag standards, and the promenade alongside requires dogs to be leaded. Goodrington North Sands, a mile south, is the year-round alternative.

The northern half of Paignton's seafront, backed by a green and a long row of beach huts. Like Paignton Sands it is on Torbay's restricted list and closed to dogs right through the summer, and the seafront path beside it is a lead-on stretch.

A rocky ledge beach east of Brixham harbour, best known for the seawater lido cut into it. Torbay Council lists Shoalstone Beach among the beaches open to dogs all year, but the pool itself is separately restricted for the season, so keep to the rocks and shingle.

The outer of Salcombe's two town beaches, with the sea tractor and ferry landing at one end. South Hams District Council operates a full twenty-four-hour dog ban here for the whole season, with one narrow exception for dogs crossing the sand on a lead to reach the ferry. This is the strictest beach order in the South Hams.

The main town beach at Torquay, a broad strip of sand below the seafront road and Torre Abbey gardens. Torbay Council closes it to dogs for the whole of the summer season, and the promenade above requires dogs to be on a lead where it runs beside a restricted beach. Out of season it is one of the easiest walks in the bay.

A small shingle beach below the Babbacombe cliffs, with beach huts, a couple of cafes and the Cary Arms at one end. Torbay Council lists it among the beaches where dogs are allowed all year round, which makes it the obvious summer choice on this stretch while Oddicombe next door is closed.

A mile of steep shingle in Start Bay, backed by a single row of cottages, the Cricket Inn and a freshwater ley. No dog exclusion applies here in the South Hams order, so it is open to dogs all year; the shelving beach and strong undertow are the reason to think twice, not the rules.

Privately owned surf beach at the mouth of the Avon, run by the Bantham Estate rather than the council, with a gatekeeper on the car park. Dogs are barred from the main beach through the season but the River Beach, on the estuary side, stays open to them all year and grows to many acres at low tide. The estate asks that dogs are kept under control and away from livestock.

The wide sand flats facing Burgh Island, with the tidal causeway crossing them twice a day. The restricted stretch runs east from the lifeguard steps and is closed to dogs during the day in season; the council publishes it as a ten to seven restriction while the order itself describes a twenty-four hour ban on that part, so read the signs on the day.

A privately run crescent of coarse sand in a wooded bay between Dartmouth and Slapton, with Blue Flag status and a paid car park. The owners exclude dogs entirely for the summer, and the ban covers the cafe and the car parks as well as the beach, so there is nowhere to leave a dog while you swim. Out of season dogs have the run of the whole beach.

A sheltered crescent of sand under the Brunel viaduct between Paignton and Churston, popular with families and steam railway watchers. It is on Torbay's restricted list, closed to dogs all season; Elberry Cove, a short walk round the point, is open to dogs all year.