This charming beach lies in a secluded bay between Paignton and Torquay. It has distinctive red sand and is excellent for building sandcastles. It has large area of rocks and is backed by equally red sandstone cliffs.
There are no facilities on the beach. The nearest toilets are at Paignton Beach which is a 10-minute walk along the coastal footpath.
In early 2017 the cliffs by the beach underwent extensive rock armour protection work. However, visitors to the beach still need to be aware not go too close to the sandstone cliffs.
There are no overflows currently identified by either ourselves or the Environment Agency that have the potential to impact the bathing water. Any bacteria in the bathing water could be from other sources, for example agricultural rainwater runoff, dog or bird faeces, private sewerage or property foul waste pipes being misconnected and draining to watercourses. Bacteria levels may be higher after rainfall.
The graphs below show the significant reduction in harmful bacteria in the Environment Agency’s (EA) water samples since the 1990s. E. coli and Intestinal Enterococci exist in all open water - they are found in human and animal poo, and get into the water via sewage spills, road drainage, agricultural livestock, or wildlife and birds. The EA uses the levels of these bacteria to decide whether to award this beach bathing water status.
The beach profiles were created in line with information provided by our partners, Environment Agency, RNLI, Keep Britain Tidy, MCS - Beach Guide and British Beaches.