Bigbury-on-Sea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bigbury-on-Sea |
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.jpg) View of Bigbury-on-Sea from Burgh Island |
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 Bigbury-on-Sea
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| OS grid reference | SX650443 |
| • London | 185 miles (298 km) |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Bigbury-on-Sea is a lovely village located on the south coast of Devon, England. It's part of the civil parish of Bigbury, which is a small village about a mile inland. Bigbury-on-Sea sits right on the coast, overlooking the biggest sandy beach in South Devon. This beach faces south towards Bigbury Bay. A special tidal island called Burgh Island is just about 270 meters (295 yards) offshore.
A Village by the Sea
At the start of the 1900s, Bigbury-on-Sea was a small place. It had only a few cottages where fishermen lived. These cottages also had "fish cellars" for storing their catch. Over time, more and more people started coming here for holidays. This helped the village grow a lot.
Today, Bigbury-on-Sea has a beach cafe. There's also a resort called Burgh Island Causeway. This resort was built in 1998. It replaced the old fishermen's cottages that had burned down. The resort has apartments that people own or rent for holidays. It also has a private club with an indoor pool and a gym. The South West Coast Path, a famous walking trail, runs right behind the resort.
Fun on the Beach
The large sandy beach at Bigbury-on-Sea is super popular. It's a great spot for water sports. People love to go surfing and windsurfing here. The beach used to have a special "Blue Flag" award. This award means the beach meets high standards for cleanliness and safety. However, it lost this status in 2012 due to some water quality issues.
Exploring Burgh Island
Getting to Burgh Island is an adventure! There are two big car parks near the beach. From there, it's easy to walk across the sand bar to the island. You can only do this when the tide is out.
On Burgh Island, you'll find the famous Burgh Island Hotel. This hotel has a unique Art Deco style. There's also a historic pub called the Pilchard Inn. When the tide comes in, the sand bar gets covered by water. But don't worry, you can still reach the island! A special vehicle called a sea tractor takes people across the water. It's a really cool way to travel!
A Popular Holiday Spot
Bigbury-on-Sea is a very popular place for holidays. In March 2020, about 63% of the homes in the village were either holiday-lets or second homes. This means many people visit and stay in the village for their vacations.
