Little-known UK beach has no crowds, a huge adventure playground and dinosaurs

We’re standing encircled by the magnificent, towering red cliffs of the Jurassic Coast, simply taking it all in. Even better, it’s on a private beach, just for us. Well, us and the other guests at Ladram Bay holiday park on Devon’s south coast.

We’d just arrived, unpacked and immediately knew that having this private beach by the English Channel was something we’d want to make the most of during our staycation back in April.

Coats on, just in case of a shower, we set off – but the kids didn’t mind the cool spring breeze. They loved walking along the shore, hopping away from the incoming waves and running across the pebbles as we made our way to the far side to explore rock pools. Armed with a net and a bucket, the kids eagerly searched for signs of life and played in the small sandy area.

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Meanwhile, my wife Sally and I took time to appreciate the red cliffs – formed of Otter Sandstone and Mudstone in the Triassic period, around 230 million years ago. The cliffs are part of the 95-mile long stretch of Jurassic coastline running across Dorset and east Devon.

The beach was just a few minutes’ walk from our sea-view caravan. Each morning we woke to wonderful views, with our own private decked area – the perfect spot to sit, soak it all in and really unwind.

Our first full day was packed with activities run by the park. It began at 9.30am with a free morning session for young children, hosted by one of the park’s entertainers and Trixie the Triceratops – one of Ladram Bay’s characters who sing songs, tell stories and entertains little ones.

Straight after was another free session for slightly older children, which our six-year-old, Henry, absolutely loved. The theme changed daily, from bug hunts to science experiments. During the science session, around 60 children filled the room, excitedly making Skittle rainbows and experimenting with bubbles. After some lunch, and a quick play at the large outdoor adventure playground, we took our first dip in the pool.

The main pool, 1.2m deep throughout, was perfect for Henry, who is still learning to swim but could confidently stand. For younger children there was a smaller splash pool with sprayers, toys and a small two-lane flume that we all enjoyed, which provided our four-year-old, Ethan, with endless fun.

Everyone staying on site gets a free pool visit each day, with optional instructor-led sessions available for an extra fee. We had booked a session called Family Fun, featuring games such as relay races and a water polo-style match, best suited to confident swimmers.

We also tried the Aqua Peddlers session, where our kids loved pedalling boats around the main pool. Both activities cost £7 per person and were well worth it, with plenty of other sessions available to cater to all ages.

Back at the caravan, it was time to relax. It was lovely, modern and well-equipped, with a lounge area featuring two sofas, three bedrooms (including one with an ensuite), plus a separate bathroom. The open-plan kitchen and living room included a full-sized fridge freezer and a small dishwasher. Everything we needed.

Ladram Bay site is located between Sidmouth and Exmouth, both a short drive away, offering day-trip options. Exmouth is 20 minutes south, but we decided to head 15minutes north along the coast to Sidmouth. There, we enjoyed a stop at the charming Someday Something tea rooms, visited the delightful Toy Museum, strolled along the beach and finished with a late lunch at The Loft, a fantastic spot overlooking the high street where we tucked into homemade pasta.

Back at Ladram Bay, the evening entertainment kicked off with a children’s mini disco at 6pm, followed by a character meet-and-greet with one of the Ladram Bay Heroes – Ozzy the Otter, Captain Scratch or Pickles the Parrot. The team of entertainers, especially the fantastic Ryan and Abi, made sure all ages were having a brilliant time. Later in the evening came two rounds of bingo: Bingo Beats – a lively, family-friendly version packed with songs everyone knew – and a traditional adults-only game.

We also took a break from the action to show off our creative sides at the on-site craft studio. We booked into an Easter-themed pottery painting session, where the whole family spent an hour decorating plates, mugs and bowls, which were then fired in the kiln and ready for collection the next day. The site also offers an arcade and a free soft play area, which are perfect for keeping little ones busy.

On our final morning the weather was clear enough to venture down to the beach once again, and on the way we stopped at the shop and bought an ice cream. Within seconds, a marauding seagull swooped down and tried to snatch one of the kids’ cones. The shop staff advised us to stay under the covered seated area to eat them as the greedy gulls are ­notorious for trying to steal ­holidaymakers’ food.

Ice creams finished, we strode back on to the beach still laughing about our seagull encounter and talking about all the fun we’d managed to fit in over our four days. What a Jurassic lark!

Book the holiday

Ladram Bay holiday park offers four nights’ self-catering in a caravan (sleeps six) from £839; Glamping Otterpods (sleeps four) from £512. Find out more at ladrambay.co.uk. You can also get more information at visitdevon.co.uk.