Do You Have to Pay to Park at Bigbury on Sea?

Short answer: Yes, you pay. The main car park pays by app and the phone signal at Bigbury is poor, which catches people out constantly. Bring cash, or use the lower car park, which has a cash ticket machine and sits next to the café.

The short answer

Yes, parking at Bigbury on Sea is paid. There is no free option at the beach.

The problem everyone hits

The main car park pays by app, and the phone signal down there is poor. Visitors report this again and again — you arrive, the app will not load, and there is no obvious alternative. It is the single most common complaint about Bigbury.

The fix

Bring cash. There is a lower car park with a cash ticket machine, which sidesteps the problem entirely and also puts you next to Venus Cafe and closer to the beach ramp.

If you are relying on the app, load it before you drive down rather than when you arrive.

What you get

Wide, flat sand with a shallow incline, RNLI lifeguards, toilets, a café and an accessible ramp down from the car park. Two sections allow dogs. It is one of the better family beaches in the South Hams and the sunsets are the best in the area.

The other costs

• Sea tractor to Burgh Island — about £2, under-tens free. Free if you walk at low tide.
• Outdoor drinks at the Pilchard Inn come in branded plastic with a £2 deposit.
• Nothing else. The beach, the island walk and the chapel climb are free.

If the car park is full

Challaborough, the next bay north, has its own parking and the WaterFront bar and restaurant right on the beach. Hope Cove is fifteen minutes down the coast.