Several of my friends rave about Salcombe, a small, picturesque town in the South Hams of Devon, whose streets are quiet and sleepy in the winter but throng with tourists in the summer, and where property prices are the most expensive of any coastal town in the UK.
With a reputation as being a honey pot for the rich and famous, it is one of the most sought after seaside towns in the country, with visitors seduced by its pristine sands, picture postcard colour-washed houses which tumble down to a buzzing harbour and myriad of well-heeled shops and eateries, where tables groan with fresh Devon seafood.
I’m almost ashamed to say I’ve never been, but everyone I know who has waxes lyrically about it. So, what’s so special about Salcombe? That’s what I asked Jo Elms, who has a holiday home there.
Mum to three grown up children, Jo lives in a small village on the Northamptonshire/Rutland border with her husband and two dogs. She works full time, but says she trying to find her mojo after many years of being mum and is now at a life point where it’s less about them and more about her! This is what she said:
Salcombe is a small town in the South Hams in south Devon. Historically a fishing port, in the winter its very quiet and sleepy with a population of around 2,000. The main industry these days is tourism and during the summer the population swells to around 20,000.
My husband had holidayed in the South Hams as a child and so when our children were small we did the same thing. We love the beaches, the beautiful scenery (it’s an area of outstanding natural beauty) the clear water, the stunning walks along the coastal paths and, of course, the shopping and pubs.
My husband has been going to Salcombe for over 50 years and me around 30, but the fact that we have been going for so long and still keep wanting to go back says it all. As we have been going for so long, we have lots of friends who have second homes there or who are just regular visitors and there’s always someone to meet up with for coffee or a drink.
We were lucky enough to buy a place in the centre of town almost 15 years ago. It’s easy to pop out for coffee or to the bakery, to get on the water or to stagger home from the pub! We rarely use the car when we are there, which is very different to our home life, where living in a rural location always means getting in the car to go anywhere.
We’ve travelled to lots of places in the UK and further afield, but I think Salcombe is the most beautiful seaside location in the country. The water is always clear, it’s an incredibly safe and it’s also super relaxed. Nobody bats an eyelid if you want to walk the streets barefoot or roll off the beach covered in sand, wearing scruffy shorts and go to the pub or a restaurant still wearing a life jacket.
Best time of the year to visit Salcombe
The summer is great for obvious reasons – the weather’s usually good and there are lots of activities, but my personal favourite time to visit is probably over Easter. Everything is really starting to come alive after the winter and the scenery is beautiful. A late Easter means you can probably squeeze an odd sunny warm day on the beach and lots of people come to open up their homes and put their boats on the water for the season, so it means you get to see lots of old friends. Plus, the Rugby 7’s festival is always good fun, with lots of touring teams coming for the long weekend.
There is no getting away from the fact that in the height of the summer it’s really busy. But in many ways, that’s what makes it fun, as there is loads going on, with bands in the pubs, street fairs, charity beach rugby matches and obviously the August Regatta – a two week event with activities such as sand castle making, raft races, the greasy pole and the famous harbour swim, ending with a firework display over the water.
Devon itself has a temperate, maritime climate, with typically warm, rather than hot, summers and cool to cold winters. According to a Google search, the county rarely experiences very extreme weather, meaning Devon is good to visit throughout the year.
What to do in Salcombe
If you are a water babe, it’s the perfect place for sailing, motor boats, paddle boarding and kayaking, all of which can be hired locally, as the estuary is sheltered and safe.
Salcombe sits on the South West coastal path and there are some great walks. My personal favourites are the loop up to Gara Rock, stopping for a well-earned lunch at the hotel, Bolt Head or Snapes Point, all of which have great views over the water. There are loads of very beautiful sandy beaches which are clean, sheltered and dog-friendly.
For the shoppers, there’s a range of independent shops and some chains. Companies like Crew clothing, Quba and Jack Wills all started in Salcombe.
For the adults, Devon Rum offers cocktail-making courses or you can go to Salcombe Gin and create your own personalised spirit.
And, of course, there are lots of places to eat and drink, with many pubs, hotels and restaurants having great views over the water.
Beaches around Salcombe
The beaches are beautiful! There are two main beaches on the Salcombe side of the estuary, a little further down the coast at North and South sands and both are walkable from Salcombe town. They are both large, flat sandy beaches, with a small car park at North Sands.
Our favourites, however, are on the East Portlemouth side of the estuary. You can catch the passenger ferry, which runs all year, or they are easily accessed by boat.
At low tide, you can walk from the ferry to the end of Mill Bay or at high tide there is a single track road from the ferry to Mill Bay.
Facing the beaches from Salcombe left to right:
- Ditch End is very quiet and does get cut off at high tide. There is a mud flat that’s exposed at low tide
- East Portlemouth beach (also known as town beach or Fisherman’s Cove) is closest to the ferry steps and has the benefit of having public loos and a coffee shop. It’s also the best place from which to watch the dinghy racing
- Smalls Cove as the name suggests is smaller. It gets cut off at high tide, so is easiest with boat access
- Mill Bay is the biggest of the beaches and is a hit with families with small children. There are loos and a small National Trust car park at the rear
- Sunny Cove is a walk through the woods from the National Trust car park, or easily accessible by boat
Is Salcombe posh?
It isn’t a cheap location in terms of property or holiday rentals (the average house price is more than £1.2m, according to Halifax) and that does potentially attract more upmarket visitors and you can see this in the type of shops, the cost of a pint and the cost of fish and chips from the chippy (they call it the ‘Salcombe tax’!
But it doesn’t cost too much to make a picnic or buy a pasty and have an afternoon on the beach, so it’s really what you choose to make it.
Where to eat in Salcombe
The pubs all serve good food, in particular The Victoria. Full English breakfast is £13 and there are options for vegans. In the evening, the seafood sharer, with Cajun whitebait, crevettes, south west fish goujons, smoked mackerel, prawn & dill cocktail, crispy squid, herb mayo, wasabi cream, lobster butter fries and ciabatta, is £48.50. I would also recommend the wood fired pizzas from The Fortesque Inn.
Another great spot for a full English breakfast – a sure fire hangover cure – is Captain Morgan’s, or for something more refined, try the Wardroom, a beloved waterfront institution that has been serving Salcombe for over 40 years. The eggs Benedict will set you back £14 and a crab sandwich at lunch, made with locally caught, hand-picked fresh white crab meat and homemade lemon mayonnaise is £20.
In the evening, it runs a pop up restaurant in the summer. It’s first come, first served and very seasonal, so the menu is always changing but they usually have a couple of great fish choices.
South Sands Hotel (rooms from £212 a night on Booking.com) is a little way out of town, but the restaurant overlooks the beach and is great for a relaxed lunch, especially on a Sunday. It’s a steep walk to get there from the town, but you can catch the South Sands Ferry from the centre of town. South Sands cream tea, with warm scones, clotted cream, jam and tea or coffee is £12,95, while River Fowey mussels, with white wine, shallot, garlic, butter, parsley and crusty bread, is £14.
No trip to Salcombe is complete without a visit to the Winking Prawn at North Sands, which is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a BBQ supper in the summer. It’s super relaxed and full of sandy toes, damp dogs and the famous kids dressing up box. It pretty much epitomises Salcombe in one location. It has a varied menu with lots of seafood and sandwiches.
In the evening, the Winking Prawn cocktail is £12.90, half a lobster £44.55 and fruits de mer, with whole crab, king prawns, scallops, mussels, clams, shrimps and dips is £53.35.
Dick and Wills is a slightly more grown up affair with a broad menu selection of seafood, fish, steaks and more. You can feast on their “famous fish and chips” – Estrella beer battered fillet of local lemon sole, served with pea puree, homemade chunky trtare sauce and house fries (£22.50) – on a fabulous outdoor terrace overlooking the water, where you can also stop for an early evening cocktail.
My personal favourite, though, is the Crab Shed – tiny seafood restaurant, with a menu that varies according to what is in season. Salcombe crab, local scallops and sea bass are all recommendations. The Crab Shed bisque is £9.50 and the while the signature dish is Salcombe cracked crab, served with fries and bread, chilled or hot with garlic butter (£32.50). Takeawys are available out of high season.
Another seafood favourite out of town is the Oyster Shack at Bigbury, but beware of the tidal road! Six rock oysters will set you back £21 with daily toppings including: horseradish and apple and truffle, hazelnut vinaigrette. You can add a glass of Pol Roger champagne for £12.95.
Restaurants get busy, especially in the summer, and the Crab Shed which is a small venue, so it’s definitely worth booking in advance, especially if you are a large group.
What to eat in Salcombe
Unsurprisingly, being a seaside location, the fresh local fish and seafood are outstanding. No trip to Devon is complete without at least one lunchtime pasty and my favourites are from the Bakehouse, which also offers good baguettes, sour dough and my children’s favourite chocolate croissants.
Not quite a menu, but another essential local speciality is a trip to Cranch’s – Devon’s oldest sweet shop, established in 1869. A traditional old fashioned shop, complete with pink candy stripe paper bags, it’s a trip down memory lane. And, of course, Salcombe Dairy has fabulous, traditional ice cream.
All the pubs have gardens or outside areas which also makes them child friendly. The Victoria has a big garden and a children’s play area, whilst the Ferry Inn has the best views over the water and the Kings Arms often has live music.
The Harbour Hotel in town and Harbour Beach Club at South Sands are both open to non-residents and have great enclosed deck areas, perfect for a sundowner.
Plus, we mustn’t forget the Salcombe Gin Bar with its cocktail of the month or Devon Rum, both on Island Street.
Parking in Salcombe
The majority of places to stay are holiday rental apartments and houses and there are loads of agencies offering properties. Parking in Salcombe, especially over the summer, is not great, so this is probably the biggest consideration when planning where to stay.
If you plan on using Salcombe as a base to explore the wider area and will need easy access to a car and parking, then a little out of town will offer more choices and probably a bigger property. But, it’s a very steep walk up the hill!
Or if you want to be in the heart of town and in the thick of things, then you probably won’t see much of your car.
Salcombe doesn’t have a train station and the nearest is in Totnes (19 miles away). From there, you can choose to connect to Salcombe by bus or taxi. Totnes station is located on the Great Western Main Line and is served by Great Western Railway and CrossCountry Trains.
Shopping in Salcombe
Shopping is centred around Fore Street and Island Street, where there’s is a mix of independent retailers plus a few more recognisable high street names. Don’t expect huge stores – they are all small but perfectly formed.
For accessories: Will Bees has limited edition bags of all shapes and sizes and some beautiful leather goods with embossed personalisation
For clothes: Jam Industries is a local company and does good relaxed beachside clothing and good quality sweaters. Busby & Fox, Nika and Aloft are all worth a visit for boutique clothes and accessory shopping.
For homeware: Nika also has a separate homeware shop and I am slightly addicted to the Salcombe Candle Company with their locally named, sea inspired selection.
For sailing kit: there are (unsurprisingly) several places to buy sailing kit and marine wear, including Henri Lloyd, Helly Hansen and Musto, along with the local Boat Store.
FOMO has me! Plus,the temptation of all of that seafood, a temperate climate and palm trees (I love a palm tree – my favourite of trees) has me sold. I don’t think it will be long before I visit Salcombe – so I can join in when my friends are waxing lyrical.
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