Wembury Beach

Wembury Beach - Devon
© Martin Bodman and licensed for reuse under this Licence

The delightful beach at Wembury is set in a cove, backed by low rise cliffs and has lots to offer beachgoers.  Behind the beach, the gently rolling Devon hills and pretty Wembury Church provide a picturesque backdrop whilst the beach itself is mainly sand, although there are some areas of rocks and shingle.  At low tide a good-sized expanse of clean sand is revealed. 

Apart from the picturesque setting, what makes this beach stand out is the spectacular shore life to be found here.  This is one of the best rockpooling destinations in the country. Explorers have a good chance of finding crabs, sea anemones, limpets, starfish, pipe fish, sea scorpions and green sea-urchins among the rockpools. The best time to come here to explore the rockpools is just before low tide, so check tidal tables to get the most out of your visit. There are organized rock pool rambles run by the National Trust, who manage the area, and also by Wembury Marine Centre. 

Apart from rockpooling, the beach is also a popular surf spot attracting weekend crowds from nearby Plymouth. Snorkeling and diving are good here too as there are some good reefs around the cove.  Wembury Sailing Club has its base on the beach. 

The water quality here is excellent and the relatively shallow waters of the cove make it a popular place to paddle and play in the waves.  Children will need to be properly supervised as there is no lifeguard though. 

From the beach there are views over the Mewstone, a rocky island with a distinctive triangular shape.  In past time the island was used as a refuge for smugglers and even as a prison.  The island is now owned by the National Trust and used as a bird sanctuary.  Visitors are not permitted.  During the summer months, basking sharks are sometimes spotted in the waters around the rock.

East of the beach (on your left as you face the sea), the South West Coastal Path leads to a ferry point, from which it is possible to cross over to Noss Mayo.

Type of beach

Sandy

Lifeguard service

No

Dogs friendly beach?

Dogs are banned between May and September.

Devon dog friendly beaches »

Activities

  • Swimming/bathing

Facilities

  • Cafe/restaurant
  • Toilets

Nearest town

Plymouth

Postcode

PL9 0HR

OS grid ref.

SX 5168 4843

Parking

There are approximately 150 car spaces available for a charge.

Water quality

Water quality star rating

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Wembury Beach Reviews

Wembury Beach

Margaret Porter
Sep 27th 2019

A beautiful beach with rock pools to explore and get close to the sea creatures that call it home, with beautiful costal walks that I tock has a child when I used to live there with my parents and growing up playing on the beach in the summer with my brother and sisters after school longing for the summer holidays to begin.