HIDDEN GEMS
(^1) FISHCOMBE BAY
There is more room than might
appear at an initial glance but it
is best to sound in carefully and
find a depth of about 2m. There
is an eco-friendly mooring buoy
there, aimed at protecting the
seagrass beds below. It can
accommodate a yacht up to
12m and was free of charge
last time we were there. The
steep wooded shore produces
good shelter from southerly and
westerly winds. It is possible to
land the dinghy on the shingle
beach and walk to Brixham,
passing the yacht club along
the way. In the other direction
there is a steep climb through
the woods past Churston Cove
and towards Elberry Cove.
(^2) ELBERRY COVE
This cove in the south-west corner of Tor Bay
is a shingle beach surrounded by trees and
was a favourite place for Agatha Christie
to swim. It is a designated waterskiing spot
and can be busy. In quieter times, however,
it is peaceful and a perfect place to anchor
for lunch or overnight with good shelter from
the south and south-west. Take care to avoid
the many buoys that mark the waterskiing
course and swimming areas. The cove is
situated on the South West Coast Path and
is a two-mile walk to Brixham. Fishcombe
and Elberry are unpleasant in northerlies and
swell picks up when the wind shifts east.
(^3) BROADSANDS
Nestled between Paignton and Brixham
is Broadsands, with its crescent-shaped
expanse of sand and row of colourful beach
huts. It is less than a mile from Elberry Cove,
where you can land your dinghy and join the
coastal footpath.
(^4) BERRY HEAD
It is well worth putting on your walking
boots and climbing up to Berry Head, with
its iconic lighthouse and ruined Napoleonic
fort. The views out over Tor Bay and beyond
are stunning, and there is a chance of close
encounters with the local seabird population.
A LONG WEEKEND
N
Tor Bay
Berry
Head
LH
Churston
Cove
Fishcombe
Cove
Elberry
Cove
Broadsands
BRIXHAM
Victoria
Outer Breakwater
harbour
Brixham Harbour
Brixham
Marina
4
3
(^21)
0 5 cables
Plymouth Brixham
Exmouth Weymouth
Torquay
Scabbacombe Sands
DEVON
DORSET
Tor Bay
River Dart
0 20nm
Babbacombe Bay