Ladram Bay

Postcards, leaflets, guidebooks and websites about East Devon are loaded with pictures of Ladram Bay. The unusual columns of sandstone squatting in the sea here, red and rugged, are an attraction in themselves.

These ‘stacks’ as they are properly known, far from being a permanent feature of the coast, are only temporary. They are all that is left of natural rock arches that were once joined to the cliff face. The arches have since collapsed leaving only the stacks behind. Eventually these stacks will fall too, overcome at last by the relentless force of the sea.

The inescapable power of the waves is constantly eroding the coast, stripping away rock and causing cliff falls. We might be inclined to feel sad about this but really, change is good. The change from cliffs to arches to stacks has given us Ladram Bay. Perhaps in the future something even more spectacular will emerge, crafted in red sandstone by the energy and creativity of the endless tides.

Accessing Ladram Bay

Ladram Bay is enclosed by Ladram Bay Holiday Park. Please see the holiday park’s website for details on parking and facilities at the park.

One of the best ways to take in Ladram Bay is from the sea on a boat trip with Stuart Line Cruises. These trips frequently enable you to get right up close to the famous red sea stacks to take in their beautiful detail, and see first-hand the colonies of birds who nest on them.

Ladram Bay can also be seen by foot along the South West Coast Path, accessed via Sidmouth to the east and Budleigh Salterton to the west.