Update: 27th July 2020
- Added images to Babbacombe Theatre end and added links to surrounding areas
Even as a local I enjoy a little stroll along the promenade, on a clear day you can spot the distant landmark of Portland Bill in Dorset. Unfortunately it wasn’t quite clear on the day I took this shot (will try again another day) It’s a great place to just chill and gaze out to sea. There are plenty of great pubs and cafes nearby if you get peckish, including the award winning Hanburys fish and chips. The Buccaneer is my favourite pub on the downs and Angels Cafe has to be one of the best cafes in the bay, as such you may need to book in advance.
If you’ve got time head down to the beaches, you can use the Babbacombe Cliff Railway (definitely on the way back up) it’s a great way to get down the cliff to Oddicombe Beach. If you walk a little further along using the boardwalk you’ll pass the Babbacombe waterfall on your way to Babbacombe Beach, where you can often spot dolphins and seals playing offshore.
Click for more Tiny Planets
Babbacombe Downs is the highest cliff top promenade in England 300 feet above sea level. The downs is a wide parterre laid out with lawns and flower beds with seats and shelters that look out over the blue reaches of Babbacombe Bay.
- Awarded the Green flag award which recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces
- Ridgeway House once worth £1.5m was owned by Mr Lyle of Tate & Lyle Sugar, built with panoramic views of the coastline as a retirement refuge in the 30’s. In February 2010 it was purchased by retired police officer Sue Diamond, who made a telephone bid at auction of £154,500, without viewing it or having a survey done. Just eight days after the auction her garden and swimming pool fell off the top of the 300 foot cliff onto Oddicombe beach below, following a massive landslide. Miss Diamond tried fighting a legal battle with the builder who sold it to her, but the judge ruled in the sellers favour and she had to pay what was owed. If it seems to good to be true, it usually is. Always get that survey guys! 😲
- Babbacombe Beach
- Babbacombe Theatre
- Bygones
- Cliff Railway
- Kents Cavern
- Pic-nic
- Tessier Gardens
- Model Village
- Oddicombe Beach
- Angels Cafe
- Babbacombe Hotel
- Babbacombe Inn
- Buccaneer Inn
- Cary Arms
- Hamiltons
- Hanburys Fish & Chips
- Royal Hotel
Getting around is easy as it’s all level paths. If you want to head down to the beach then the old funicular cliff railway will take you up and down for a small charge.
- Car, Plenty of free parking around the downs itself and surrounding streets, sat-nav, TQ1 3LP.
- Bus, No. 22 from the strand Torquay harbourside.
- There are toilet facilities available.
- Last bus back to the strand is usually around 23:30 in the main road just down from the Dog & Duck.
| Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon |
| +14° | +14° | +16° | +14° | +13° | +15° |
| +8° | +10° | +12° | +11° | +11° | +11° |
Ricoh Theta Z1Click here for more accessories
Click here to Explore More of the UK in 360º
If you found this helpful, please like and follow my social pages
183
217
813
271
Have you been to Downs? What did you think? What would you suggest to improve it?
Originally posted on 28 Oct 2017 at 16:41
