What a Day Here Actually Looks Like
Early Morning: The Coast Path Before the World Wakes Up
The best time to be on the coast path is before nine. The light is different, the path is quiet, and if you are heading south from Leonards Cove toward Blackpool Sands, you will have most of it to yourself.
The walk takes around ten minutes at a gentle pace, dropping from the clifftop through the wooded path that runs above the shore. The beach at that hour, particularly in the early weeks of summer before the school holidays begin, is the kind of place that makes you feel like you have found something most people missed. Your dog will agree.
If you time it right, the cafe at Blackpool Sands opens early enough for a coffee on the way back up. Blackpool Sands also has sauna facilities and paddleboard and surfboard hire for those who want to make a morning of it, while someone else looks after your canine bestie.
Mid-Morning: A Slower Start at the Property
Not every morning needs the coast path. One of the quieter pleasures of a self-catering stay at Leonards Cove is the terrace. Most of the cottages and lodges have private outdoor space, and several have hot tubs. The view across the Channel from a clifftop terrace with a coffee in hand and a dog settled at your feet is, genuinely, a very good way to spend a morning… or an entire day! It’s definitely a great way to finish that book you’ve been reading.
The park's on-site shop is well stocked for the basics, and you can get everything else nearby, so there is no pressure to go anywhere before you’re ready.
Late Morning to Afternoon: Pick Your Direction
If you go to Dartmouth: Ten minutes by car and worth the short drive. Dartmouth is a proper harbour town, the kind that has been doing this for centuries and has not had to try too hard to be charming. The quayside has good independent cafes, most of which will seat you and your dog outside without any problems. The Higher and Lower Ferries cross to Kingswear regularly, take foot passengers and cyclists, and open up a different stretch of coast on the east bank of the River Dart.
Dartmouth Castle, at the mouth of the estuary, is one of the better-preserved medieval fortifications on the south coast and sits at the end of a beautiful riverside walk. Dogs on leads are welcome on the approach path.
If you go to Slapton: Fifteen minutes south, Slapton Sands is a long straight run of shingle with no seasonal dog restrictions and very few people in the early weeks of summer. Dogs can run here properly. Slapton Ley, behind the beach, is England's largest natural freshwater lake and is worth a walk beside if you enjoy birdwatching, but remember to keep your dog on a lead because of all the wildlife. The village of Torcross at the southern end of the sands has a good pub with outdoor seating.
If you go to Dartmoor: Allow thirty minutes by car and a full half-day at minimum. Dartmoor is the kind of landscape that recalibrates you. The open moorland, the granite tors, the rivers you can hear before you see them. Dogs love it in a particular, whole-body way. Haytor and Hound Tor are both accessible with easy parking nearby. Becky Falls, in the woodland above Manaton, is one of the better dog-friendly walks in the national park and is well worth the detour. After a day out here, you and your canine best friend will welcome a rest in our beautifully appointed accommodation when you return.
Evening: Back on the Clifftop
The evenings at Leonards Cove have their own rhythm. The light over the Channel in summer lasts longer than you expect, and the clifftop catches it well. If your property has a hot tub, this is when it earns its place. If you are eating out, Trattoria Spaggia on-site serves genuinely good food and is worth booking ahead during peak times. You can also arrange a delicious food delivery to your accommodation if you can’t find a doggie babysitter.
For those who want to venture into Dartmouth for dinner, the town has a strong restaurant scene for its size. Booking ahead is advisable in summer, particularly on weekends. At the same time, you can check whether they have a dog-friendly seating area available.
