Maps of private and public beaches in Devon.

[Frosty]

Hi all,

Newbie here looking for beaches to detect on in Paignton, Torquay and Exmouth. I have a useful map of the Crown Estate beaches but cannot find a list of local beaches that are either council owned or privately owned and requiring permission. Has anyone found any useful maps of council/private beaches for Devon? I found a great one for all of Cornwall on the Cornwall Council website site (attached as reference) but have come up empty on an equivalent one for Devon.

[geoman]

Good info.

[mrix]

Yes very god find
Will have to use it for our New Beaches to detect forum
Thanks
mrix

[Neilycus12]

I live in Paignton TQ4 I've been on our local beach, broadbands twice, found nothing at all both times, I've also been on Goodrington beach, very little found. To answer your question, I think these 2 local beaches are owned by Torbay Council, I've seen a few people on them before and I don't think anyone asked permission.

[Saffron]

The very good Cornwall County Council list is the only one I am aware of (even better now it has a map, which is new since the last time I looked).
This might be because a very high percentage of the beaches in Cornwall are owned by the Duchy, meaning its a lot easier to identify the ownership of the others.
Where as in other counties there could be several hundred different owners.

Normally if a beach is not Crown Estate its a case of having to try locally to find out ownership, often its the town or county council, and if detecting is allowed.

Evan

[Frosty]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I managed to dig up a small list of East Devon beaches that are council run. I'm still trying to find lists of beaches in areas more local to me. It seems that only by digging deep into the bowels of their respective local council websites can you even hope to find any useful information - assuming of course that they even have any information of that sort available. I want to be certain that any beach I'm detecting on is allowed. I don't want to give the hobby a bad rap

[Frosty]

Meadfoot beach in Torquay is my nearest local beach. Happily it is part of the Crown Estate open permit. That is where I'll probably end up in the short term. I need experience using my Vanquish 440 as I have my first proper organised dig coming up in December.

Well excited for that!

[Tommy Lee]

Hi there.
If anybody is still looking for the info about beach detecting, you can find info on The Crown Estate page here: https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/ ... ne-flying/ Map of the beaches that belong to the crown is also there.

[Koala]

Hi there.
If anybody is still looking for the info about beach detecting, you can find info on The Crown Estate page here: https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/ ... ne-flying/ Map of the beaches that belong to the crown is also there.

because it belong to the Crown does not automatically give you the right to detect there

detecting in the wrong places is a sure fired way to get us banned from more land

I still see people not filling holes


wishing to carry out metal detecting on our foreshore is granted a permissive right
from The Crown Estate; this permissive right does not apply to the seabed or river beds or
any other Crown Estate land. The permissive right is also subject to detectorists adhering to
The Treasure Act 1996 and its accompanying code of practice, as well as our terms and
conditions.
1. The consent hereby granted extends only to the foreshore only and not to any part of the bed
of the sea.
2. On occasions third parties, including lessees and licensees of The Crown Estate, may restrict
metal detecting on Crown Estate land. If the foreshore is within a Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI) or a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) then the relevant authority may object
to certain activities, and so access may be restricted. We expect detectorists searching on our
foreshore to be sensitive to environmental designations and if necessary obtain any additional
consent’s. The relevant authority will be Natural England, Natural Resources Wales or the
Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
Local authorities also have the power to ban metal detecting and other activities through the
use of byelaws and we would therefore recommend checking with the appropriate authority
to ensure that no such ban is in place.
3. You are permitted to carry out searches on the foreshore as described above only on the
following basis:
i. You may use a metal detector for such purpose;
ii. You may only investigate the surface of the foreshore and not excavate into the hard pack
sub-surface of the foreshore to ensure that the archaeological integrity of any embedded
find is retained;
iii. No mechanical tool, plant or equipment may be used for excavation;
iv. Any hole (however small or shallow) must be refilled so that the foreshore is reinstated
to its condition before digging or excavation was commenced by the applicant so as not
to create a hazard to other foreshore users

[Sirbleepsalot]

That. Then you also have to look at Magic Map (Defra) for SSI's, scheduled monuments etc. as quoted above.

[BJNox600]

Although Crown Estates gives permissive rights to detect on beaches its the other bodies that you need to contact for permission.The ASSI map for northern ireland covers virtually every beach area so have to apply to get consent.Hardly worth the effort when I think quite a few beaches here allow cars up and down them,people leaving dog poo bags lying (the irresponsible ones) hoping tide washes them out,then you have the portable bbq’s left lying not to mention holes dug by kids and adults alike that you could bury a car in and the authorities issue permission to scrape a bit of sand to find a coin…rant over.

[sweepstick47]

If such an application brings about a 'new' beach on which to detect, it must be worth the effort surely? Here's hoping you get a positive response with acres of beach to detect
All the best. Eric

[BJNox600]

Yes indeed Eric,thats the way to go.I always have a wee rant at how the hobby is penalised especially beaches when the majority of detectorists leave the beach in better condition than it was before starting.

[sweepstick47]

That is very true BJ. Leaving a site in better condition than we find it is the mark of a responsible detectorist. Good Luck - Eric

[AdrianpH]

I was on Blackpool beach early the other morning, down by the low tide line, when I passed this guy digging for Lug worms all I could see was holes, no back filling at all. Seems there are double standards out there! yes I back fill holes I dig.

Lugworm.jpg

Also, if one digs something up, even if it is rubbish, stick in you bag and bin it when leaving the beach area or at home, as long as we leave the beach better for us being there we have a case to stay.

Adrian