Slapton Sands
An east-facing shingle bar in South Devon — the spot for the northerlies and easterlies that are offshore elsewhere.
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● Spot · shaded: the wind directions that work here. It is not a riding area or a permitted kite zone. Two fingers to move the map.
Location & launch
Know before you go.
- Launch
- Steep shingle bar with the A379 running along the top and Slapton Ley freshwater lagoon behind.
- Wind
- N · NNE · NE · ENE · E · ESE · SE · SSE · S winds work here.
The shaded area shows the wind directions recorded as working here. It is not a permitted kite zone or a safe launch boundary. Check local signs.
Local rules, hazards & spot guide
Need to know
The things that catch people out here.
- Faces east, so it works in the northerlies and easterlies that are offshore on most of the south coast — that is the whole point of it. A westerly is offshore here.
- Steep shingle, deep water immediately and a heavy dump. Not a learning beach.
- Slapton Ley behind the bar is a National Nature Reserve. Keep out.
Conditions
- Best
- Works
- Offshore
- Works in
- N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S
- Best in
- N, NNE, S
- Offshore (careful)
- SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW
- Wind quality
- moderate
- Water
- Choppy
- Depth
- deep
- Best tide
- Any state
- Spring range
- 4.6 m
- Beginner
- Not suitable
- Intermediate
- Good
- Advanced
- Good
Hazards
Most serious first. The level is in words as well as colour.
- high
shore break Steep shingle with a heavy dump; deep water immediately.
- high
wildlife Slapton Ley behind the bar is a National Nature Reserve and the largest natural freshwater lake in the South West.
- medium
current Longshore drift along Start Bay is strong.
Access & rules
- Launch
- Steep shingle bar with the A379 running along the top and Slapton Ley freshwater lagoon behind.
- Permit
- Not required
- Insurance
- Third-party liability expected
- Tuition
- Permitted
- Facilities
- toilets, cafe
Parking
- Slapton Sands roadside car parks
paid
Safety
Who is around if it goes wrong. None of it makes the water safe.
- Lifeguards
- None
- RNLI
- Salcombe RNLI
- Nearest A&E
- Torbay Hospital, Torquay (~40 min)
- Water quality
- Designated bathing water — excellent
The spot
Slapton Sands is a shingle barrier running along Start Bay, with the A379 on top of it and Slapton Ley, the largest natural freshwater lake in the South West, behind. It faces east, which makes it valuable: it works from north round to south, so the northerlies and easterlies that are offshore on most of the south coast arrive cross-shore or onshore here.
The prevailing westerly is the opposite case: offshore here, and not a riding direction. The shingle is steep, the water is deep immediately and the shore break dumps. The Ley behind the bar is a National Nature Reserve.
Links & local
Clubs, forums & groups
- South Devon Kitesurf Club · club
Sources
Where this record came from, and how confident we are in it.
- Windfinder — Slapton Sands
Checked 2026-09-07 · coordinates, wind
- South Devon Kitesurf Club — Slapton Sands
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
- Big Salty windsurf guide — Slapton Sands
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
Verify locally. Coordinates 50.2856, -3.6449. Conditions, access arrangements and beach rules change; check them on the day before you rely on anything on this page.