Beaches South West England Weston Mouth Beach - East Devon | Weston Mouth Beach - East Devon |
|
|
|
General
Getting There OS Map Ref: SY 160878 Access is possible on foot from the Coastal Footpath or from the hamlet of Weston. Please do not park on verges and in gateways - this causes great inconvenience. From the car park, the coast is about a mile away, plus a futher 1/4 to 1/2 mile to the naturist section. Follow the track from the NT car park stile, gently downhill until you reach the last field before the cliff top. At that point turn to the right - down the slope - to where a stile leads to a short cliff path to the beach. The return is somewhat strenuous and is probably unsuitable for pushchairs or very young children on foot. "You pay for your day's relaxation and nuddying with some stiff exercise."   
On reaching the beach, strike out to the west (right). Nude use is often acceptable from a point about 100 yards beyond the slate-roofed former Coastguard building and as far as the headland. "On less popular days, go further west... to be less visible to the textiles near where the coast path joins the beach. No point in causing problems for the sake of walking a couple of hundred extra yards". The farther end is the favoured place for gay males. Some naturists also use the section of the beach to the east (left) of the access - especially at busier times when the traditional area can become (relatively) crowded. On such days, the 'textiles' in the centre of the beach are surrounded on both sides by the nuddies! Description "old trainers or beach shoes to walk to and from the water are a must. The pebbles are agony on unprotected feet, especially coming out of the water. Flip-flops and sandals are useless because the smaller pebbles get trapped and hurt like hell. If you've got something you can keep on while in the water all the better. Getting into and out of the sea can be tricky because of the stones under foot." At lower tides the beach shelves gradually and some sand may be exposed. The cliffs provide shelter from Northerly offshore winds but the vegetation at the back of the beach affords little if any shade - be prepared to provide your own protection. There is excellent co-existence between naturists - who can number over a hundred at peak times - and similar numbers of textiles - some of whom can be observed becoming naturists! This beach is largely free from 'gawkers' and similar problems - no doubt because it requires some effort to reach, but perhaps also because there is nowhere to "lurk". Everyone who is at the beach is on the beach!
If you can make the hike, Weston would be an ideal place to experience beach nudity for the first time. You may safely walk nude as far as the western headland - (where extensive rock pools are exposed at low tide) - but please take care not to 'confront' the occasional textile walker who may be appear with little warning from around the headland. In early 2005, a sign was placed at the point where the coastal path meets the beach. Beneath a National Trust logo, it said: "IN ORDER TO AVOID EMBARRASSMENT TO FAMILY GROUPS, NATURISTS ARE ASKED TO KEEP TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS BEACH IN AN AREA 250 YARDS BEYOND THIS NOTICE." While this notice might have been put up with the best of intentions, a number of regular beach users have expressed their outrage at the implication that they are necessarily not families, are in some way unfit to mix with family groups and are an "embarrassment". Others have pointed out that this notice has only the force of a "polite request" and cannot be enforced. Naturists who visit Weston will, of course, wish to act considerately in relation to other beach users. As at any naturist beach you are encouraged to remind those whose behaviour falls short of the normal high standards that giving offence to others is not acceptable. The sign itself soon vanished. Facilities 
Water Quality
Swimming may be hazardous when the sea is rough. User Comments
Trip Report - April 2006
Trip Report - April 2005 "We discovered the East Devon coast a couple of years ago and Weston Mouth is definitely the best spot. "Nude bathing is perfect here as long as you wear foot protection. Other naturists are friendly and the camaraderie is unusually good. We prefer the eastern side of the beach and the few textiles seem quite unconcerned - we have all made a considerable effort to get to the beach, after all! We have stayed at the excellent camp site at Salcombe Regis, using it as a base but spending twelve hour days on the beach. Wildcamping on the beach itself is also possible but this requires carrying yet more stuff down and up the trails" Trip Report - August 2003 "I visited this beach for the first time on one of the very hot days of August 2003. There is no denying that it is quite a slog to get down to the beach, and even more of one climbing back up, but the effort is well rewarded. On the day of my visit (a weekday) there were a few textile families around that part of the beach where the path comes out and in the first instance I headed off to my right (west) for a few hundred yards before coming to the first of several naturists who were on the beach before me. The first thing I noticed was that they all had all brought some form of shade with them! It is an absolute must on a cloudless day, there is no natural shade available from what I could see. Later on I took a walk back along the beach and towards the eastern end. After only quite a short distance past the footpath entrance to the beach there were a fair number of naturists, mainly couples of varying ages. Towards the far eastern end of the beach it looked as though there were a number of lone males camped up close to the cliff but I guess they were too far away to be of any concern. The water clarity on the day of my visit was without question the clearest I have ever experienced in the UK. In fact, only the absence of a beachside taverna served to remind me that I was not in Greece! "
Comments (2)
  written by Malcolm, November 13, 2007
My familiy have been using this super beach for over 30 years having being dicovered purely by chance by my parents during a holiday stay locally. We were a little concerned early this year when the container ship MSC Napoli was grouded in the bay, fearing that the pubicity would ruin the very friendly and peaceful nature of the beach. Gladly I am able to report that this has not been the case, and despite a rather poor summer we have spent four weeks on holiday there this year with no problems at all. Yes there were a few extra visitors, especially when the ship was being blown apart. None expressed concern at the presence of naked people, some thought it delightful and decided to join us!
This beach attracts many locals who we enjoy meeting up with and have also made many good friends with similar holiday makers who return year after year. A super spot, great for first timers with none of the problems that can arrise from voyeurs that sometimes appear on the more well known beaches. Do go preared with plenty of water (save some for the strenuous journey back up the path!), and some means of providing shade.You will also need shoes to paddle in as the beach is rather pebbley. If the walk down to the beach is a little too difficult then a good day can be had a Budleigh Salterton a few miles further west. A very popular official site with direction signs located at the bottom of the Steamer Steps. Not quite so peacefull and can get very busy especially on a sunny Sunday. Look forward to seeing you at Weston Beach next year. Write comment
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
.
It was incredibly quiet and I headed west a few hundred yards until among the few naked bodies there were and took a spot at the back of the beach. There are a few home made windbreaks of stacked up branches and sticks along the top which afford a little privacy too and it was a perfect spot for that first liberating naked day. Finally stripping off felt great! Having felt a little self conscious for an hour or so, after getting up and strolling down for a refreshing swim in a very calm and clear sea in the midday heat I felt thoroughly relaxed and at home for the rest of my visit. While the shingle can be hard work underfoot on arrival and leaving, I had no problem getting to the water and back - except clambering back up the bank at the back of the beach to my belongings!
All in all, it was bliss, a real haven cut off from the outside world and I couldn't have wanted more - a great place for the first time. I counted just a dozen or so naturists - other single males, couples and a female couple - on the beach over the afternoon and I was left in peace entirely. I think even that low count outnumbered the textiles! I can't wait to make the trip back soon.