Can I Swim?

All beachesSouth Hams, England

Can I swim at Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary?

South Hams, England · Estuary

Checking…
Loading today's readings
Fetching the latest warnings and spill data

Where it is, and what discharges near it

Map loads as you scroll here

About this bathing water

Rating for last season
Poor (2025)
Water
Estuary
Area
South Hams, England
Monitored outfalls within 5km
8 (nearest 2.4km)

Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary was rated Poor for 2025 — below the minimum standard, based on samples taken across recent seasons. That grade comes from bacterial samples taken over several seasons, so it describes the beach's record rather than the water on any given day.

The Environment Agency issues a pollution risk forecast for this beach every morning during the bathing season, and the water company publishes the status of its storm overflows every few minutes.

Other beaches nearby

MothecombeSouth Hams, England · 0.5 km awayChallaboroughSouth Hams, England · 4.4 km awayBigbury-on-Sea NorthSouth Hams, England · 4.8 km awayBigbury-on-Sea SouthSouth Hams, England · 5.0 km awayBanthamSouth Hams, England · 6.1 km awayNewton and NossSouth Hams, England · 6.6 km away

Check the official source

Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary's official page at the Environment Agency · See it on a map

This page is not official. It reads published data and presents it plainly; if a sign at the beach says otherwise, believe the sign.