Beer is a working fishing village four miles east of Hole Mill — the pebble cove sheltered by chalk headlands, the boats winched up the shingle by tractor, the lobster pots stacked against the sea wall. It is the closest of our nearby towns and one of the most rewarding places on the East Devon coast for a half-day visit. We tend to pair Beer with a coastal walk: down to Branscombe Mouth, east along the cliffs to Beer Head, descend to the village for lunch, walk back via the inland route. Five hours, and you will not stop talking about it for the rest of the holiday.

A short orientation

Beer sits in a chalk-cliff cove between Seaton and Branscombe. The village runs up a short steep main street from the slipway to the church at the top of the hill, with side lanes of fisherman's cottages and a freshwater stream running open down one side of the road. The fishing fleet still works from the beach — it is one of the very few places in England where you will see this — and the catch is sold the same day at the fishmonger directly opposite the slipway.

Beer is small. You can walk every street in twenty minutes. But the geology and the fishing village character mean it has more to offer than its size suggests.

What to do in Beer

Watch the fishing boats come in. Boats land mostly in the morning, weather depending. The catch is tipped into trays at the top of the slipway and walked across the road to the fishmonger. Lyme Bay crab, scallops, mackerel, plaice and lobster are the staples. The whole operation is genuinely working — it is not a heritage display.

Beer Beach. A small pebble cove with calm, sheltered swimming. The chalk headlands cut the wind from any direction except due south, and the cove is south-facing — which makes the water several degrees warmer than at Branscombe. Designated swimming areas are roped off in summer. There is a small kiosk selling deck chairs, inflatables and ice creams.

Beer Quarry Caves. The single most surprising thing in Beer, and one of the most surprising attractions on the East Devon coast. The caves are vast — used since Roman times to extract Beer stone, the cream-coloured limestone that built Exeter Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, parts of St Paul's, and Hampton Court. Guided tours run April to October; check Beer Quarry Caves for current times. Allow ninety minutes. Wear something warm — the caves stay at 9°C year-round.

Mackerel boat trips. May to September, weather permitting. Two-hour trips from the slipway, around £15 a head, you keep what you catch. The fishmonger will gut and fillet your mackerel for free if you ask. A reliably enjoyable two hours, even if (especially if) you have never fished before.

Marine House at Beer. A small contemporary art gallery on Fore Street, specialising in west-country painters. Worth twenty minutes for the rotating exhibitions.

Walk to Branscombe. The South West Coast Path west from Beer climbs steeply onto the cliffs and skirts the dramatic Hooken Landslip — a vast amphitheatre of fallen chalk where the cliff collapsed in 1790. Two and a half hours each way at an easy pace, descending to Branscombe Mouth for lunch at the beach café.

Where to eat in Beer

The Anchor Inn sits halfway up the village street with a beer garden looking out over the cove — the best pub in town for a long lunch. The Barrel of Beer at the top of the village is the locals' pub, simpler and a bit cheaper. For fish and chips, Eat from the Beach kiosk at the bottom of the slipway is excellent, made with the morning's catch. Steamers restaurant on Fore Street is the smartest sit-down option — book on summer weekends.

Practical information

Distance from Hole Mill: approximately 4 miles by road, 10 minutes by car.

Parking: Beer Cliff Top car park at the top of the village (long stay, pay-and-display) or the smaller seafront car park (short stay only, fills quickly). Both are fine in winter; in summer arrive before 11 am or after 3 pm.

By bus: the 899 from Branscombe runs to Beer roughly hourly in summer.

By foot: the South West Coast Path from Branscombe Mouth to Beer is 5 km / 3 miles, around 90 minutes one way.

When to go

Beer is at its best on a fine summer morning when the fishing boats are coming in. April-June and September are the quietest months. November-February the village is genuinely quiet but the pubs are still open and the boats are still working — atmospheric and uncrowded.

Beer is the closest town to Hole Mill and the easiest day out. Combine it with a coastal walk and lunch at The Anchor for a properly memorable afternoon. Check our availability or read our Branscombe-to-Beer coastal walk guide for a step-by-step on the walk in.