White Pebble Beach

If you follow the Torrs footpath west along the cliffs from Ilfracombe, keeping the sea on your right and the dramatic cliff-top scenery ahead of you, you will eventually come across a steep path that leads down to one of the most quietly spectacular beaches on this coastline. White Pebble Beach takes its name from the distinctive white quartz pebbles that wash up among the grey sand and shingle, shifting in number and arrangement with each tide.

The beach is not easy to reach. The path down is steep and can be muddy after rain. But that is entirely the point. The difficulty of access means that White Pebble Beach has retained a wildness and a sense of seclusion that many more accessible beaches have long since lost. When you get down there you are almost always alone, or close to it, with just the sound of the sea for company.

Wild swimmers love this spot for precisely that remoteness. The water here is clean and clear, and swimming close to the cliffs reveals an extraordinary underwater landscape of rocky formations and marine life. The beach can be cut off at high tide, so timing your visit carefully is important. Always check the tides before heading down, and allow enough time to get back up before the water rises.

The views from the cliff path above White Pebble Beach, and from the Torrs in general, are absolutely wonderful. On a clear day, looking west towards Woolacombe and east towards Ilfracombe, the full drama of the North Devon coast is laid out in front of you, and it is a genuinely uplifting sight.

This is a beach for those who enjoy a little adventure with their swimming, and who value peace and wildness above all else. If that sounds like you, White Pebble Beach is waiting.