The places locals love, and visitors rarely find
The best bits of Torquay don’t shout for attention. They’re not packaged. They’re not polished. They’re just part of the fabric of life here, quietly sitting in plain sight. These are the places we tell our friends about when they come to visit. The little moments you remember more than the big ones.
If you’re staying self-catering with Plumlocations, you’ve already chosen the right way to experience Torquay, with the freedom to explore the good stuff.
Here’s where to start.
The Stable Yard at Cockington Court
Cockington is like stepping into a slower world. The main house sits in parkland just outside Torquay, and tucked behind it you’ll find the Stable Yard. These old stables now house working studios where local artists and craftspeople make their living. You can watch a blacksmith at the forge, smell chocolate being poured into moulds, see glass blown; still warm from the kiln. It’s not a shopping centre. It’s people making things by hand. Take your time, ask questions, have a quiet coffee in the courtyard and maybe pick up something you’ll actually want to take home.
Totnes High Street and Market
Totnes is a short drive inland and worth every minute. The town has a rhythm of its own. The high street is packed with independent shops, proper delis, whole food cafés, record stores, and vintage shops. On Fridays and Saturdays, the market fills the square with secondhand books, handmade ceramics, local chutneys and some of the best people-watching around. Walk slowly. Try the samples. Get talking to the stallholders. This is where you find the things that don’t exist anywhere else.
Shoalstone Pool
Shoalstone is the kind of place you don’t realise you’ve missed until you’re in it. It’s a seawater lido cut into the rocks above the bay in Brixham. It’s free to use, open to everyone, and staffed by local lifeguards through the summer. Kids splash at one end, serious swimmers cut slow laps at the other, and the views stretch all the way across Tor Bay. It’s got a proper old-school charm. No spa music. No resort vibe. Just cool saltwater, warm concrete, and the sense that time slows down when you’re in it.
Shoals Restaurant
Just above the seawater pool is Shoals. Small, local, and family-run. It started as a fishmongers and still feels like one, only with tables. They serve whatever came off the boats that morning from Brixham Market. Think mussels in garlic, whole plaice with butter, scallops seared and served without fuss. If you’re lucky enough to get a table around sunset, you’ll understand why it’s one of the most quietly brilliant places to eat along this stretch of coast. Book ahead, and thank yourself later.
Elberry Cove and the Bathhouse
Walk the coast path from Broadsands and you’ll reach Elberry Cove. It’s pebbled, a bit hidden, and the kind of place where you can sit with your feet in the water and feel like you’ve earned the quiet. Tucked into the rocks is a ruined bathhouse built for Lord Churston. You can still see the steps where he would have entered the sea in private. The building is half collapsed and covered in ivy, but that only adds to the feeling that you’ve stumbled onto something that’s still keeping its secrets.
Churston Woods
Behind the cove and along the hill sits Churston Woods. This is a place for people who like to wander. The paths are shaded and soft underfoot. Sometimes they lead to unexpected openings and drop down to hidden coves for a secret swim. Perfect for walking the dog, getting your steps in, or wild swimming.
Fishcombe Cove Café
Fishcombe is just around the coast from Brixham, and at the top of the steps sits a small café with a big heart. They serve good coffee, better cake, and sometimes a cracking mackerel bap. But what makes it special is the way it feels. Locals meet here after swims. Paddleboarders haul up for breakfast. On summer evenings, DJs play low-slung disco and deep house while everyone relaxes into it with a cider. Nothing loud. Nothing over the top. Just a quiet buzz as the sun fades.
Latitude 50 at the Mercure, Paignton
If you want a meal with a view, head to Latitude 50. It’s the kind of place you’d expect to be overrun, but somehow it’s not. There’s a terrace with a trendy outside bar, and indoors, plush sofas to enjoy a coffee or an expertly made cocktail. Every Friday, DJs play nu-disco and Balearic house while people settle in with rosé and tapas-style starters. It’s easygoing and stylish without trying too hard.
Thatcher Point
If you want a proper quiet spot with a view, go to Thatcher Point. It’s just beyond Meadfoot Beach, off Ilsham Marine Drive. No signs, no facilities, just a wide green space and a few benches facing out towards Thatcher Rock. It’s also part of the coast path, so bring a flask, take your time, and stop for a breather. There’s nothing to buy, nothing to queue for, and nothing trying to sell you a lifestyle. Just sea, sky and space.
Book your holiday now
There’s a version of Torquay that lives in the brochures, and then there’s this one. The version that unfolds slowly. The one that locals build their days around. It’s in the coves, the corners, the people behind the counters. It’s in the freedom to take a detour or to stay longer at the table.
If you want to see it properly, do it your own way. Book a self-catering stay with Plumlocations, unpack your bags, and take your time. The good stuff’s already waiting. You just need to find it.
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