Dog Friendly Shaldon: Ness Cove Takes Dogs All Year

Short answer: Ness Cove, reached through the Smugglers' Tunnel, is dog friendly all year round — unusual on this coast. Four places to eat take dogs, including the London Inn on the green and the Ness up on the headland.

A beach that takes dogs all year

Most beaches on this coast restrict dogs between May and September. Ness Cove does not — it is dog friendly year-round, which makes Shaldon genuinely useful in August when Teignmouth across the water is zoned.

Getting there is half the appeal: a tunnel cut down through the red cliff, which children and dogs both find more exciting than it sounds.

Where to walk

• Ness Cove, through the Smugglers' Tunnel — red sand and stones, big clam shells.
• Shaldon Beach on the estuary — small and relaxed, with boats pulled up on it and rock pools.
• RSPB Labrador Bay on the cliffs towards Maidencombe — excellent for birds of prey, and a proper clifftop walk.
• The village green and the Strand, for an easy potter.

Beach dog rules in Devon change with the season — most restrictions run 1 May to 30 September and lift for the winter. The sign at the entrance is the authority, and neighbouring beaches can differ.

Where to eat with a dog

• The London Inn on the green — the village pub, with a catch of the day worth ordering.
• The Ferry Boat Inn by the ferry slip — an outdoor grill at weekends.
• The Clipper on the Strand — the big all-day place over two floors.
• The Ness up by the tunnel entrance — the best view in Shaldon.
• The Bucket & Spade at Coast View — a rooftop terrace and big views.

What does not take dogs

Shaldon Zoo and Wildlife Trust on the headland. It is a tiny conservation zoo specialising in small primates, and dogs are not admitted.

Getting here

The passenger ferry from Teignmouth's Back Beach is the fun way across. Check whether it carries dogs and what it charges before relying on it, and note it does not run in rough weather or through much of the winter.