• 

• Travel
• UK & Ireland
• Devon

This beautiful secluded cove is the perfect summer day trip

With summer here and temperatures soaring, thousands of Brits are on the hunt for a beach to cool off at. With so many people on the hunt for a spot to swim and sun themselves, it can become tricky to find a place that has enough space to spread out a towel.

However there is one spot that is still secret - and in fact, it’s history shows just how secluded this sheltered bay is. The rocky cove of Heddon's Mouth sits on the northern edge of Devon, tucked into the coastline between Combe Martin and Lynton.

Its secluded nature meant it was a hot spot for smugglers centuries ago, and in the World War 2 a German boat managed to land here and not be spotted.

One of the reasons this beach is so quiet is because you need to walk for at least an hour through dense woodland to reach it. Starting at the National Trust cafe, follow the signs to Heddon’s Mouth.

As you wander along the path, look across the river and into the meadow to spot trees like whitebeams, sessile oaks and ash trees.

You could even spot an otter or two in the river.

Carry on along the path and you can spot large patches of scree - loose patches of rock - that are left over from the last Ice Age.

Once you reach the cove, you’ll notice a 19th century lime kiln. This looks like a beehive made out of stone, built into the side of the slope that leads down to the beach.

In the 19th century lime was a crucial industry in the area and kilns were common along the coastline to burn the limestone brought in by ships.

This would turn it to lime, which in turn was used for making mortar and white wash for construction.

The National Trust warns people should not try and go inside the kiln, or touch it - it’s better to admire from afar.

From the kiln you can look out across the stony shore and across the ocean. A small river runs across the beach to the sea.

The walk takes around an hour for a round trip, and is well worth it for the history of the cove alone.

On Tripadvisor, a visitor said: "Delightful scenic walk to the most tranquil and stunning bay at the mouth of the river Heddon. Due to its accessibility, I would imagine this little bay would always be fairly quiet, but we were surprised to have shared the beach with only two other couples who soon deserted the beach, leaving us alone to the wonders of the scenery and wildlife... Fantastic to witness a pair of nesting and hunting Peregrine Falcons!"

Another one said: "A gentle woodland walk alongside a stream... leads to Heddons Mouth... a shingle beach at the foot of quite dramatic cliffs... wonderful for bird watching and a nice quiet break. Weather permitting, great for a picnic and to de-stress...Another little corner of the Exmoor National Park...love it."