Bigbury on Sea Beach, Devon

[Thross]

We are in Devon at the moment - lovely and hot! - but getting to the beaches in our motorhome is proving very difficult! It’s the lanes!! Narrow, high hedges and few passing places. So, does anyone know if you can get to Bigbury beach in a 7.3m long motorhome? It’s been recommended to us but no-one seems to know how easy it is to get to. Thanks!

 

[tacr2man]

Folly hill gets a bit narrow in places but there is a big carpark at bottom that is as far as you can go other than drive on the beach HTSH

 

[Thross]

Folly hill gets a bit narrow in places but there is a big carpark at bottom that is as far as you can go other than drive on the beach HTSH

Thanks!

 

[Crazylegs]

It’s a single track road with passing places, high hedges too in places, your length is not an issue, we have done it in a Hymer, not entirely stress free but doable as I’m sure the local bus drivers would confirm.

 

[Thross]

It’s a single track road with passing places, high hedges too in places, your length is not an issue, we have done it in a Hymer, not entirely stress free but doable as I’m sure the local bus drivers would confirm.

Thanks - hopefully give it a go tomorrow!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DBK]

I use to live in Bigbury on Sea. Timing is everything and avoid weekends, especially if it is sunny. If you want to be extra sure avoid driving towards the beach as high tide approaches as the rising tide pushes people off the beach and they leave. It was a local publican who told me about this. I mentioned there seemed to be no logic to when his pub was busy at mid-day. He said it was all down to the tides. If high tide coincided with mid-day then they were busy. If the tide was low folk stayed on the beach.

 

[Bessy765]

Last time we went you had to fit with a parking slot and a weight limit of 1.5 tons?

 

[cliffanger]

We went there a few years ago - didn’t enjoy it at all. Confusing rules everywhere about where you could take a dog on the beach - we’re we OK to the left of the slipway or the right? We never did work it out!

No dogs allowed on the filthy transport that took you to Burgh Island at high tide, so we waited for the tide to go out and walked across the Causeway.

Got to the island, all excited about looking round the hotel made famous by Agatha Christie. The guidebooks gushed about the Art Deco design. Unfortunately, it was only open to hotel guests.

To pour salt into the wound, the pub had a sign outside - hotel residents only in the front bar (with the sea view), plebs got to sit in the back lounge overlooking the car park.

Needless to say they didn’t get our money.

Sorry to be negative, but sometimes its helpful when planning a trip!

 

[Thross]

I use to live in Bigbury on Sea. Timing is everything and avoid weekends, especially if it is sunny. If you want to be extra sure avoid driving towards the beach as high tide approaches as the rising tide pushes people off the beach and they leave. It was a local publican who told me about this. I mentioned there seemed to be no logic to when his pub was busy at mid-day. He said it was all down to the tides. If high tide coincided with mid-day then they were busy. If the tide was low folk stayed on the beach.

What a place to live! Thanks for that - makes sense. Have downloaded a tides app to check times.

 

[Bailey 15]

No please don’t attempt.
Of course it’s possible bigger lorries get down with beer but it’s not their lorry
Park somewhere and get a taxi down or like suggested go in middle of nite

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pelican]

There last month, Bus makes journey to village, Road very narrow in some places but has passing places 2 motorhomes in main car park (I didnt read parking TCs)
Dogs on Beach to west side of beach and across to Island when tide out.
Pub has plenty of outside seating.

 

[CRD]

You could try Bantham beach, which is just a few miles away instead. There is a long narrow road to it so everything that DBK suggested about timing applies. There is a big car park with no issues, other than paying for it, near the beach.

Dogs are allowed at the far right of the beach, along the sand where the river Avon joins the sea. Be careful of strong currents here, though.

 

[Crazylegs]

We went there a few years ago - didn’t enjoy it at all. Confusing rules everywhere about where you could take a dog on the beach - we’re we OK to the left of the slipway or the right? We never did work it out!

No dogs allowed on the filthy transport that took you to Burgh Island at high tide, so we waited for the tide to go out and walked across the Causeway.

Got to the island, all excited about looking round the hotel made famous by Agatha Christie. The guidebooks gushed about the Art Deco design. Unfortunately, it was only open to hotel guests.

To pour salt into the wound, the pub had a sign outside - hotel residents only in the front bar (with the sea view), plebs got to sit in the back lounge overlooking the car park.

Needless to say they didn’t get our money.

Sorry to be negative, but sometimes its helpful when planning a trip!

Negative it certainly is, our experience was the polar opposite. Dogs are fine to the right where our lab played in the sea for hours. We paddled over to the Pilchard pub and had lunch, The Burgh Island hotel is open to visitors, but you are expected to dress appropriately for dinner.
We were there out of season, September I think, we loved it and stopped two nights on the lower car park against the t’s and c’s of the parking rules. If we had got fined I would have been happy to pay as the location is special.

 

[loutalucat]

There’s usually a field open for parking in the summer on the right off the main road not too far back from the beach. Much cheaper than the car park and lots of space. Nice path off the road leads to the beach

 

[cliffanger]

Negative it certainly is, our experience was the polar opposite. Dogs are fine to the right where our lab played in the sea for hours. We paddled over to the Pilchard pub and had lunch, The Burgh Island hotel is open to visitors, but you are expected to dress appropriately for dinner.
We were there out of season, September I think, we loved it and stopped two nights on the lower car park against the t’s and c’s of the parking rules. If we had got fined I would have been happy to pay as the location is special. View attachment 507069View attachment 507070

Glad your experience was better than ours. The photos are beautiful. We were there in July, so maybe that’s why our experience was different

I admitted my post was negative, but it’s no less worthy than a positive one. We speak as we find, and our experience wasn’t good, for all the reasons mentioned.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Thross]

Update - went there today, but bottled it and hired a very small car! It certainly is a beautiful spot; dog friendly on half the beach, clean, plenty of parking - but, the parking machines only take COINS (£12 all day) and there is no mobile signal for the Ringo parking app. Interesting!
Not too busy today but must be rammed in July / August. Had a great time though kayaking around Burgh Island. Can understand why so many people rave about Bigbury-On-Sea.
Thanks to everyone who responded - really helpful!

 

[Dorwyn]

One of our favourite places, we go up the top rather than the beach, can't think of the name of the farm. Fantastic views from up there, cheap too. But as I found, don't go there when the beach is emptying at the weekend. And don't follow the sat nav, go via Modbury.