Breakwater Beach (Devon)

Torbay lifeboat station operates from Brixham harbour and was established in 1866. The station operates inshore and all weather lifeboats. Station open daily, Brixham shop open all year round, Kiosk Easter to end of September.

The Shoalstone Outdoor Pool is located on the Berry Head peninsular on the South Devon coast. An open air 53m sea-water swimming pool. The pool has excellent views across the bay you can experience a salt water swim, or simply relax by the sea in the safety of a unique family venue.

Shoalstone beach is a small shingle and rocky beach adjacent to Brixham’s outdoor seawater swimming pool. There is easy access to the promenade surrounding the beach and pool, with a cafe and superb views across the bay. Small pay and display car park, cafe/Refreshments, toilets (summer only), deckchair/sunbed hire, Outdoor seawater swimming pool. We have no dog information for Shoalstone beach.

The Golden Hind at Brixham is a full sized replica of one of the most iconic ships from the age of exploration being a feature of this picturesque harbour since 1964. There’s so much to see and explore above and below its five decks, with many hands on exhibits giving the visitor of all ages a wonderful insight to the incredible life at sea in Tudor times.

Berry Head, designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty, is an extensive limestone headland. The near-perpendicular cliffs rise 60m and the constant action of the waves has gouged out huge caverns. The plateau is green with plants, some of which are rare: pink thrift, white sea campion, autumn squill, wild rock rose, goldilocks and honewort. The rocks and cliffs abound with jackdaws, pigeons, kestrels, kittiwakes, gulls and guillemots. Fine views are to be had and it is possible on a clear day to see Portland Bill, over thirty-five miles away. Torbay and Brixham Roads have long been sheltered anchorages, surrounded as they are by high hills and cliffs. Fortifications were erected on the headland in 1793 against threatened invasion by French armies and strengthened with limestone in 1803, when gun batteries were added to protect the anchorages. They were dismantled by 1820 and returned to civilian use, but the ramparts remain, overgrown with ivy.

Churston Cove is a small shingle beach surrounded by cliffs and woods. No facilities access along part of the coastal path from the car park area and then down a steep path to the beach.

At the end of Berry Head, beyond the coastguard station, is the lighthouse, which forms part of the chain of south coast beacons. The lighthouse, which was built in 1906, was converted to unwatched acetylene operation in 1921 and modernised and converted to mains electricity in 1994. It came to be known as the smallest, highest and deepest light in the British Isles – the tower is diminutive, requiring no further elevation than that given by the headland itself, and the optic was originally turned by the action of a weight falling down a 45m deep shaft, now made redundant by a small motor.

St Marys Bay beach is a secluded sand and shingle beach with interesting rock formations and surrounding cliffs. Operated by the Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust. Access is a little difficult down a path with steep steps but well worth the effort with a sandy stretch of beach at the bottom of the cliffs. The coastal path above the beach offers panoramic views of the area. No facilities. We have no dog information for St Marys Bay Beach.

Man Sands beach is a remote sand and pebble beach between Sharkham and Crabrock points. Swimmers should be aware of possible rip currents on the turning high tide. An area of wetland next to the beach. No facilities listed and only accessible by foot from the South West Coast Path. We have no dog information for Man Sands beach.

Greenway house and garden on the River Dart was the holiday home of the famous and much-loved author Agatha Christie. Greenway operates a traffic management system to reduce car impact on the local village. All visitors wishing to park their car at Greenway MUST pre-book a car park space. Whenever possible please travel by the ferries available from Dartmouth, Brixham and Torquay.