Seaton

Seaton is a small beach village on Cornwall’s south-east coast, sitting between Looe and Downderry. A long, wide stretch of sand is crossed by the Seaton River, which creates shallow tidal pools on its way to the sea. Looe is about 10 minutes by car for shops and boat trips.

The village is small and low-key, with just a beach cafe and a few houses clustered around the valley. There’s no amusement arcade, no fish and chip shop frying until midnight, no car park meters ticking. That simplicity is its strength. The beach is backed by a wooded valley that makes a pleasant sheltered walk, and the coast path connects east to Downderry and west towards Looe and Millendreath.

Seaton works perfectly as a base for families who want a good beach without the crowds and commercialism of bigger resorts. Looe is about ten minutes by car for restaurants, shops and boat trips, and Polperro is a bit further along the coast. The Monkey Sanctuary is nearby and makes a good rainy-day option. If your ideal holiday is sand, sea, a good book and not much else, Seaton delivers exactly that.