#beach #jurassiccoast #picnic #paddling #heritagecentre #walks #pubs #pecorama #icecream #dayoutwiththekids #boathire #quarrycaves #pizza #eastdevon #fishingboats
Parking
If you get to Beer early enough, there are usually spaces on the high street - free for two hours.
Otherwise, there’s a long and a short stay close to the village centre, or a large field car park up the hill towards Beer Head caravan park (ticket charges apply).
Accessibility
The slipway down to the beach (and back again!) is very steep, but navigable carefully with a buggy. The beach is pebbly, but there are pathways laid with matting to help take you part way towards the sea.
Facilities
Public toilets (check here for info on opening during the Coronavirus outbreak)
Pubs, kiosks, beach shop (on high street), convenience store
Isn’t there an old saying, something like ‘the early bird catches the worm’?
If you get to the beach at Beer early enough, you’ll catch the fishermen bringing in the lobster pots and winching their boats up the steep pebbly shore. It’s a hive of activity and a pleasure to watch, (and gloriously free!), with beautiful views in all directions.
Beer is a small fishing village in East Devon, on the world-famous UNESCO Jurassic Coast, with a pretty high street, complete with a little stream running its length all the way down the steep slipway to the beach. Its neighbours are Seaton, Branscombe and Sidmouth – all other favourites for family days out on the Devon coast.
There’s an ice cream parlour, a number of pubs (The Anchor Inn, at the top of the slipway, has a glorious beer garden overlooking the chalky cliffs), and the popular train-themed family attraction Pecorama, which is well worth a visit if you’re looking for a special family day out. You can also visit the Heritage Centre, tour the nearby quarry caves, or hire a boat for some fun on the water! Or if you're feeling fit, you can pick up the South West Coast Path in Beer and walk west to the pretty village and beach of Branscombe, or east to Seaton Hole - the views are spectacular in either direction. Some good route information for families can be found here.
Beer has a small public playground at the top of the slipway with some swings and a slide, and on a practical note you can find public toilets a few paces away.
In normal (non- COVID-19!) times, you can find lots of seating with parasols in front of the various takeaway food kiosks on the beach, or if you’re looking to escape the crowds on a busy summer’s day you might like to wander up the steep road to Beer Head Caravan Park, where you’ll be rewarded with ice cream and pizza (with some serious views) at Beer Head Bistro. They also serve breakfast and snacks in high season.) More info on Beer Head Bistro here.
If it’s warm enough, kids can have a paddle in the sea, although be warned it does shelve deeply here so you can easily find yourself out of depth. Otherwise, it’s a nice spot to take a picnic and throw some stones into the clear blue water – sometimes the simple things are the best!