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Consists of fine golden sand West of the pier but is mainly shingle near the rocks East of the pier.
Built in 1874 but partly destroyed in winter storms in 1924. Rebuilt 1926. Now has a
pavilion at the seaward end with seats. Dotted with numerous kiosks.
A wooden raft with a small diving board and metal steps is anchored to the sea-bed about 40 metres off-shore.
A stretch of rocks full of rock-pools ideal for small children to explore. They should be accompanied as the area can be dangerous when the tide comes in.
The first lighthouse was built on this site in 1766. It burnt down in 1899 and was replaced by the present structure. Open to visitors in fine weather.
Home to a small fishing fleet which supplies the town’s daily fish market.
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A well-equipped harbour for a range of sea-going boats. www.2clix.net/m/45B.jpg
Erected in 1992. Manned by a local crew. They respond to emergency calls from
the Coast Guard station or direct from vessels in distress.
Open daily including Sunday from 8.0 till 2.0.
The base for a ferry which takes cars, trucks, passengers and freight to and from Cork in Ireland.
A highly-acclaimed school for professional divers. Equipment can be hired. Courses last 5 days.T:757 700. www.2clix.net/m/7.jpg
Built in 1937 but extended and extensively renovated in 2003. Owned by LuxuryBreaks Inc. 24 doubles, 18 singles. Indoor pool. Tel. 757 900
Originally the Queen’s Head pub it was converted in 1991 to a 3-star hotel. 12 doubles 10 singles. Owned by Phil and Mary Walters who ran the earlier pub. Restaurant open for lunch and dinner. Tel 757 101.
A small hotel run by Wendy Gates and her son Bob. 6 doubles, 8 singles. Has a popular bar. Music on Saturday nights. Access is from Meadow Lane. Tel: 757 333.
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Approached from the road leading up Smugglers’ Hill, it is surrounded by a tall hedge on all sides to hide the caravans and trailers. They can of course be seen from anyone going up the hill. The curve of the hill prevents them from spoiling the view from the top.
Opened in 1946 despite fierce opposition from local residents. Owners were forced to erect a tall fence and grow a thick hedge on all sides.
Equipped with swings and a sea-saw. Small children should be supervised.
A stretch of grassland dotted with ash-trees and sliver-birch. Also some flowering shrubs. Wooden benches placed at intervals. Dogs must be kept on leads. No cycling.
A large open-air pool close to the beech. Free access to the public, Showers, loos and changing rooms. A high diving-board at two heights. Supervised by a qualified swimming instructor. Open 7.0 am to 7.0 pm daily, 1st May to 30th September.
A small ornamental pond in the centre of the Market Square is crowned with three wrought-iron late-Victorian fountains.
Erected before the area around it was turned into a children’s play-ground. It is still used for providing music, but mainly by a local pop-group who play there in the evening.
Two small paddling pools for small children, one each side of the band-stand.
Trevor Carlisle and his assistant run a taxi and mini-bus service that is universally appreciated by people of the town. Tel: 757100
The local police now have a purpose-built headquarters replacing the temporary premises that they used for the past five years. The team consists of a superintendent, two constables and three police-women. When on duty they wear yellow high-viz jackets. Tel: 757 999
Anita and Ron Taylor have converted their detached former rectory at 16 St James Street into the most popular bed-and-breakfast place in the town. Tel: 757 444. www,anita~ronb&b.sx.
Situated near the railway station, it is the focal point for a number of bus companies, providing links between towns and villages in the region. Time-tables and ticketing at www,wessex~bus.gr. Ticket desk open 7.0 am till 10 pm.
Runs along the back of the beach from the life-boat station to the cliffs at the Eastern end below the Coast Guard station. It is dotted by a series of snack-bars and kiosks selling beach-hats and sun-cream, and by stalls hiring deck-chairs and lilos.
The “Hong Kong” is the only restaurant in the town providing Chinese food. It is near the Eastern end of the High Street. They also do a brisk trade as a popular take-away.
Opened at the start of last season by Cynthia Black, it brings an exotic flavour to the High Street with its colourful Jamaican exterior and orange tables and chairs on the pavement.
Between the Tourist Office and the Jamaican café, it caters for both the serious sporting fraternity and the holiday-maker. Run by the Watson brothers, who are local sail-board enthusiasts.
Catering mainly for the teenage market, this shop was opened three years ago. Noted for its party clothes and beach-wear.
The focal point of the town. Paved in local marble and featuring a small pool with fountains in the centre. A fruit-and-vegetable market has been held here on Tuesdays and Saturdays since 1905. Recently other stalls have been added selling fish, meat, and sweets.
Always busy and always ready to give friendly advice to visitors. They carry a wide range of books and CDs of interest to tourists. They organize trips to places of historic and cultural interest and arrange guided tours of the town by local volunteers. Each of them speaks a foreign language. 757 119
Built in 1527 on the site of a small roman villa, but damaged in a lightning strike in 1913. Restored after the 14-18 war. Morning Service is at 11.30 on Sundays. Evensong at 6.30.
On the East side of the church. It is now full and unable to accommodate more graves. An extension has been planned, due to be in operation by mid-summer.
The town’s hospital lies North of the ferry terminal and not far from the river. It is a general hospital with a busy accident-and-emergency department. The football field next to it is used to land the rescue helicopter bringing injured from accidents at sea.
Half way along the High Street on the North side, between the Post Office and the Internet café. Mein Host is the ex-paratrooper Mike Clifford and his partner Janet. They specialize in “real ale” and local cider. Their hot and cold bar-food Is home-made and attracts many customers. No television or music. A dart-board competition is held on Saturday nights.
Next to the hospital. Used by the local school and the town’s football team.
A primary school for ages 7 to 11. Has a kindergarten for younger children.
On the North side of Queen Elizabeth Way near the driveway leading to the ferry terminal. Run by Walter Ashcroft, son of the town’s mayor. Open from 6.0 am to 11 pm. Tel: 757 808. Can carry out minor repairs.
Opposite the hospital drive, it has an extensive car-park. During the summer season from May to end September it is open 24/7. Part of a national chain. Tel: 757128.
“Book-worm” on the North side of the High Street and due North of the Victoria Hotel, it is run by Nicholas Standen, an antiquarian who writes books about his subject. Offers a large selection of popular paper-backs for holiday-makers as well as local maps and picture post-cards.
Run by a young IT enthusiast, Ivan Sharp and his wife Penny. Open 2.0 till 10 pm every day. £1 gives half an hour Internet access plus a cup of excellent coffee and a cake or sandwich. They also sell pen-drives and printer cartridges.
Close to the bus station, it offers decidedly up-market facilities. 4 double-bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities. Has a small dining-room and sun-lounge and a pretty garden. Formerly the village police-station before they moved to new premises. Tel: 757 211
This is a must-see for visitors as it not only houses an amazing collection of sea-shells but an accurate model of the town created in his retirement by the former head of the town’s Fire and Rescue Service.
The “Empress” has been showing films ever since talkies were first introduced, though its seating was replaced and upgraded in 2004. Continuous performance from 2.0 pm. Showing this week: “Disaster at midnight” Next week: “War of the zombies”.
Open daily except Sunday 8.0 pm till midnight. Located in the basement below the museum. Live music by a local group. £2 entrance fee or £9 for two weeks.
A haven of peace where you can read the national and local newspapers. Has an information desk and free access to the web for 15 minutes.
Situated at the Eastern end of the High Street and visible from the entire length of it, it was erected in 1920 in memory of the fallen in the first world war. The names of those who died in the 1939-45 war have been added.
Dr Penelope Mead has her surgery from 9.0 till 1.0 week-days at No. 7, Queen Elizabeth Way. Tel: 757 600. Her junior partner, Dr Lawrence King, has his surgery at the same times in an adjacent building. Tel: 757 000
Mr Charles Draper has been the village dentist since 1986. The dental practice operates from No. 1 Queen Elizabeth Way, on the corner of the Market Square.
Situated next to the dentist at No. 3 Queen Elizabeth Way. Open weekdays 9.30 to 5.0. Set up earlier this year by a retired school teacher Sally Prince and her accountant husband.
Apart from the traditional hair-cut, Tim and Mark specialize in exotic hair-styling as seen in London. So far they have not had much success in tempting the local male population. Ring for a trim: 757 996
There are three grass courts, not hard courts. Next to the swimming pool. Anyone is welcome to play. If you need to hire balls or rackets ring the tennis coach: 757 987.
A mine-sweeper torpedoed by a German u-boat in 1944 lies on the seabed in the bay with its stem and mast just visible at low tide. Well-marked by buoys.
A small yacht marina at the side of the harbour on the island.
On the West side of the Market Square. It houses the town’s council chamber.
'Barbara’s provides a lot of work for the dentist as the range of irresistible confectionery on offer undermines the will-power of even the strongest.
Qualified life-savers take it in turn to provide security for bathers. They are on duty from 6.0 am till 8.0 pm 1st May to 30th September.
The main artery of the town stretching from the Market Square in the West to the War Memorial in the East. It contains most of the shops. www.2clix.net/m/40.jpg
Links the town to the regional capital in Exeter via a number of small towns along the coast.
A narrow footpath linking Meadow Lane with Victoria Street. It is noted for its great variety of wild flowers, and in the autumn with its abundance of blackberries.
The main access to the much-photographed railway station built in 1897.
Runs from the Market Square down to the river.
At the far end of the High Street, on the North side. A small pharmacy catering principally for the needs of families and holiday-makers. Owned and run by retired Army doctor Sam James and his wife Alison. Tel: 757 121
Free access to the public. Gets busy at week-ends. No caravans or trailers allowed.
A well stocked IT centre manned by a very knowledgeable and helpful young team.
They offer repairs and updates for laptops and smartphones. Their services are in great demand during the season.
Formerly waste-land, this piece of real estate so close to the beach was landscaped in 1953 to mark the Coronation of the present Queen.
Previously know as Shepherd’s Way, this road leading out of the town was renamed when the monarch celebrated her jubilee.
The town’s other fish restaurant. Started as a fish-and-chip shop, it was converted to the present restaurant by a retired seaman, Dick Haddock, and his wife Doreen
Runs from the river down to the sea near the Fish Market.
Runs from Queen Elizabeth Way towards the cinema and the museum.
A popular fish restaurant catering for a clientele from a wide area. They offer fresh fish landed the same day by local fishermen. Oysters and mussels are a speciality.
Open all day every day. They are kept spotlessly clean by a team of local volunteers.
This can be approached using a footpath opposite the bus station, or a by a short track from the school access road. Ducks and other waterfowl nest here. Dogs should be kept on a lead.
A small but highly-active post office providing more than just postal services. They do newspapers, magazines and postcards, and sell milk, bread and fruit. Open six days a week from 8.0 am to 6.0 pm. They also open from 8.0 till 12.0 on Sundays: a service that villagers and visitors much appreciate.
Above the cliffs, it dominates the Eastern end of the beach. Provides fine views over the bay and across to the island.
Mostly handle small cargo vessels, but occasionally welcome larger cruise liners.
Manned 24/7 by members of the National Coast Guard, they notify the life-boat station and / or the local rescue helicopter service.
The main bank in the town. Open 9.30 to 5.30 week-days, 10.0 to 12.30 Saturdays.
There is a cash machine outside the entrance.
A stretch of sheer cliffs rising 30 m. above the beach in front of the Coast Guard station on the top of Smugglers’ Hill. www.2clix.net/m/39.jpg
Open all day every day. They are kept spotlessly clean by a team of local volunteers.
Previously known as the Fire Station, it is now officially known as the “Fire & Rescue Service”. The latest fire-engines are equipped with sophisticated equipment for dealing with dangerous situations, including terrorist threats.
This part of the harbour complex caters principally for car-ferries and passenger ferries, as well as some general freight.
A clear-sighted and public-spirited eye specialist more interested in giving his customer’s healthy eyes than selling them glasses that they may not need. He gives free training to anyone prepared to do simple eye exercises.
A recent acquisition by the hospital to provide accommodation for twelve nurses, who mostly come from other EU countries.
Specializes in paintings by local artists.
The “Westerly” rises in Hampshire and passes trough many rural communities on its 46-mile journey to the sea some distance to the West of the town.
This is the headquarters of the Fishermans’ Union, a trade union well-supported by local members.
Owned by the Town Council and used to house teachers and other public servants.
Suppliers of every kind of marine equipment and repair materials.
A popular venue for families with children on rainy days. Above it are luxury flats with attractive sea views.
Kiosks offering deck-chairs and lilos for hire and selling beach items like sun-cream, straw hats and cheap sun-glasses.
A popular place for buying clothes, bedding, towels, toys and electrical items.
Has a restaurant on the top floor with fine views over the town and beach.
Offers six-month courses, mainly to school-leavers, in word-processing and basic computer skills.
Two small paddling pools for small children, one each side of the band-stand.
The main access to the much-photographed railway station built in 1897.
Stretches of birch and holly trees bring a broad range of bird-life to the area. An idyllic haven for walkers. It was originally part of an extensive forest. Sadly only a small part of it remains but it is protected, being designated as an area of special scientific interest.
"Langkasuka" www.2clix.net/m/4.jpg