Beaches Near Plymouth

If you’re a new student living in Plymouth you will no doubt be aware that we are a city that is synonymous with the sea, as such we have a plethora of fantastic beaches within very easy reach.

Here are two of our favourites which we recommend all students visit:

Bovisands

Bovisands beach is located in Wembury in Plymouth, this area is surrounded by fabulous views across the Plymouth Sound and enables you to see the famous Drakes Island and the Hoe Seafront from the Wembury landscape.

Bovisands beach is perfect for a stroll or summer picnic, with vast amount of beach, surrounded by lovely walks up the hill tops, where lots of open grass space is available all year round. Also if a picnic is not for you there is a shop and two cafes (read our article if you want to know what the best Plymouth cafes are) to cater for all refreshments.

The beach itself can be accessed via Plymstock and Staddiscombe via bus or car, then a short walk down a pathway from both sides of the beach, no matter which way you arrive from the walk is made easier by the fantastic views of the rock face and vast tide that Bovisands has to offer.

The place has a touch of New Zealand feel in the air and is extremely picturesque, due to the variety of open spaces at each side of the beach, this means even in the height of summer it’s never too manic and allows everyone to enjoy their own space and not feel too busy.

This is what the locals had to say………….

“Love this beach. People are always friendly, great place to take the children. It is always clean with bins provided. The car park is at the top with a cafe that is open during summertime”

“Spent my childhood playing in the sand and looking for fish here”

Jennycliff

Jennycliff again has fantastic views across Plymouth and is extremely popular when watching one of Plymouths fireworks displays, as the view over to Plymouth hoe is breath-taking.

Again a lovely café open all year round, catering with anything from ice creams to sandwiches.

If you like Dogs it’s another of Plymouths dog friendly beaches, therefore families and friends gather all the time to have a relaxing walk and take in the view.

Just be sure to get the right dog carrier that fits with your dog to keep them feel comfortable, and then you can enjoy taking your pocket pooch with you during outings.

At Jennycliff there is a small pebble beach with rock pools.

Above the beach there is a pleasant grass area suitable for picnics and games and there are fine views to enjoy across Plymouth Sound.

The beach itself has the odd pebble, but you are not stuck for options to play skimming with the stones across the beautiful shallow waters.

Jenny Cliff is also known for a prime fishing spot, so if fishing is your activity go give it a tackle, even if you haven’t fished before why not give it a try, beginners luck and all that!

This is what the locals had to say:

“Gorgeous part of Devon always a winner if you have a dog and an amazing cafe at the top of the cliff”

“Nice views across Plymouth. Nice cafe with reasonable prices and outdoor seating”

In summary both beaches are within 5 miles of each other and only a 15 minute drive from Plymouth City centre, located on the outskirts of the city. Most cities are lucky to see the beach at all let alone on their doorstep. Plymouth is in the heart of Devon with some fine places to visit and this makes summer so much more special.