Things to Do in Brixham

Brixham is a stunningly beautiful harbourside town on South Devon’s beautiful English Riviera. Life here has always centred around the harbour, where heritage trawlers jostle for space with day boats heading out to sea for the day’s catch, bringing it home daily to Brixham’s famous Fish Market. Here, in the heart of England’s Seafood Coast, the freshest fish and most delicious seafood is on the menu everywhere.

Breakwater, Marina, Beach and Art Deco Lido

Yachts galore can be seen the popular marina and in the outer harbour.  Enjoy a stroll along the waterfront promenade and along the half-mile long breakwater with its lighthouse, and then relax on popular Breakwater Beach.  Take a dip in Shoalstone pool, the iconic Art Deco seawater lido and enjoy a meal or a cream tea at one of the lovely local cafes, restaurants and pubs, many facing the waterfront.

South West Coast Path

Brixham is the perfect place for a doggy-break with the stunning South West Coast path allowing you to walk through woods and along cliff tops to a variety of local beaches or even all the way to Torquay.  Brixham is an important part of the UNESCO accredited English Riviera Global Geopark and you can stroll up to Berry Head National Nature Reserve (free entry) with its jaw dropping views, Napoleonic forts, fabulous wildlife and welcoming café that’s open all year round. Look out for bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, grey seals and basking sharks that can often be seen near the beaches, in the harbours or off the headlands.

Join the Pirates!

Brixham’s history is filled with pirates and smugglers, and kids of all ages will enjoy Brixham’s swashbucklng Pirate Days. Head for the Old Fish Market during spring and summer to find a whole crew of salty sea dogs waiting to delight children with piratical fun. Children and adults alike will love the full size replica of the Golden Hind that takes pride of place in the Inner Harbour.  A picturesque stroll along the waterfront past the Fish Market takes you to Brixham Battery Heritage Centre, on the site of the best-preserved Emergency Battery built along the British coastline in 1940.  You’ll find details of this and many other historic Brixham sites on the Brixham Heritage Trail and App.  There is plenty more about Brixham’s exciting maritime heritage at the free-entry Brixham Heritage Museum.

Boat and Ferry Trips

You can enjoy regular ferry trips across the beautiful bay to Paignton and Torquay.  Many local boat trips can be booked including wildlife sea-faris, fishing trips and beautifully restored heritage sailing vessels. 

Learning to Sail and Powerboat

The calm waters of Tor Bay are a wonderful place to learn to sail on dinghies, yachts and motorboats. Torbay Sea School in Brixham offers a wide range of Royal Yachting Association (RYA) yachting courses from Start Sailing and Competent Crew to Yachtmaster.  They also offer RYA powerboat tuition. You can try sailing on Vigilance of Brixham, a restored 78-foot heritage sailing ketch based in Brixham.  They offer the excitement of sailing a classic yacht on morning, afternoon or evening sailing trips. The Trinity Sailing Trust, also in Brixham operates three traditional sailing vessels: Leader, Provident and Golden Vanity and they offer a range of cruising and training courses. Disabled sailing is also available in the Bay.

Festivals and Events

Brixham’s festivals and events are legendary with one of the country’s biggest Pirate Festivals attracting thousands of scallywags, Fishstock festival bubbling over with seafood dishes, live music and trawler visits, plus BrixFest that celebrates Brixham’s amazing heritage, a fiercely contested annual Trawler Race and many more.

Visit Brixham’s Famous Fish Market

You can book an early morning visit (6am) to the Fish Market’s daily auction followed by a scrumptious fish breakfast.  Why not plan a fascinating walk along England’s Seafood Coast? Click here for some great ideas and a full itinerary.