Everyone who’s been to Devon has their sandy beach recommendations, and here’s mine: Maidencombe. Apart from the early-morning skinny dippers and sea caterpillars (which, as Google tells me, are actually ragworms), it’s basically perfect.
Why’s it so great? Well, first off, it’s a cove. It’s hidden from view, backed by tall red cliffs and accessed via a steep, stepped path (which does unfortunately render it inaccessible for many). Walk down it and you’re rewarded with a view that could be lifted from the Adriatic. Granted, we got lucky with the weather – but it’s hard to believe that this is England.
There are a few coves like this in Devon, but Maidencombe has a crucial point of difference: Cafe Rio. Banish all preconceptions of an English seaside eatery, for Cafe Rio is, quite frankly, incredible. Not only does it do cooked breakfasts – I mean, come on – but it has amazing coffee, vegan burgers, delicious snacks and super-friendly service. It’s very reasonably priced, too. I still can’t believe how good it is.
And that’s just the upstairs. Downstairs you can hire kayaks, paddle boards and wetsuits. Not only, then, is Maidencombe the nicest beach in England (in my humble opinion) – it’s up there with the most well catered. And while it gets busy during summer weekends, it never feels too crowded. Its charm is never compromised. If I haven’t made it obvious yet, I really love it.
These pictures were taken at 6.45, when Maidencombe is arguably at its prettiest. Facing due east, it’s totally bathed in the morning sun. I felt quite smug about having the beach to myself during its golden hour, until I inevitably didn’t. A few seconds after arriving, I heard footsteps behind me – quickly followed by a “Good morning, lots of seaweed about today”, a swift pulling down of Y-fronts and the sight of a different type of breakfast sausage gently swaying in the breeze.
You can’t really knock skinny dipping though, can you? And – speaking from bitter experience – this geezer wasn’t just about to have a great time, but he was also being very sensible. A few days earlier, I made the mistake of swimming here with shorts on. When I emerged from the sea in search of a Cafe Rio vegan burger, I felt some drips inside my shorts. Nothing to worry about, I thought – it obviously takes a bit longer to dry in there.
Fast forward 40 minutes – vegan burger very much consumed – and those drips were still dripping. A quick check revealed that they weren’t drips at all, but a sea caterpillar (ragworm, sorry) that had found a snug new home in the form of my swimming shorts’ interior. I of course had a complete meltdown and, once the tears had subsided, had a thorough root around to see if the little bastard had laid any eggs.
So, Maidencombe beach isn’t perfect – as anyone who’s approached its car park after 11am on a warm sunny day will tell you. It fills up fast, which causes many Johnny-come-latelies to park on the surrounding lanes – blocking fire hydrants, junctions and access to the paths that lead to the beach. The locals rightly get very frustrated, which is why they leave notes on windscreens ranging from “This isn’t an emergency. Please don’t park here” to “You’re a moron. I hope you never breed.” They’re united by the excellent Maidencombe Residents’ Association (whose campaign against the horrific-looking redevelopment of Sladnor Park everyone should get behind), which I learned about in the equally excellent Thatched Tavern pub.
Now, the Thatched Tavern is located a couple of minutes’ walk behind Maidencombe beach. Here is a point I cannot stress enough: after a long day beside the sea, there is nothing better – literally nothing at all – than walking into the pub, ordering a pint of Dartmoor Legend, and taking it to the beautiful beer garden for a well-earned sup. If you happen to do this on a Saturday, a member of staff may come up to you and ask if you fancy a pizza fresh from the oven.
I mean, life doesn’t get any better, does it?
