While enjoying the South Ham's sunshine on our popular beaches and when out and about in our beautiful countryside, remember to take simple precautions to protect yourself in the sun, don’t spoil your enjoyment and damage your health.

Even when cool and largely cloudy the sun can still cause sunburn and heat stroke. The Met Office publishes daily Solar UV Index figures to help you assess the risk.

Remember the Sun Safety Code

Wear sunglasses and SLIP, SLAP, SLOP!

• SLIP on a T-Shirt
• SLAP on a hat
• SLOP on sun block - sun protection factor 15+

Protect yourself - Follow the SunSmart code

• Make sure you never burn
• Take extra care with children and
• Always stay in the shade when the sun is strongest – from 11am to 3pm.

Safety Tips for Swimming:

• Only swim when the lifeguards are on duty - when the RED & YELLOW flag is flying
• Do not swim when the RED flag is flying – this denotes danger!
• Avoid swimming where the BLACK & WHITE chequered flag is flying – this area is zoned for paddle craft and surf boards only
• Do not swim alone and always tell people where you are going
• Always swim parallel to the shore, never out to sea
• Do not use inflatables in offshore winds, never chase an inflatable out to sea and always supervise children using inflatables
• Avoid swimming for at least one hour after eating, after consuming alcohol or if you are cold or tired
• If you are in any trouble, raise one hand, shout for help and do not panic

Further advice about Water Safety:

South Hams TideTimes

Some beaches in the South Hams have streams running across them and these too can present a hazard to health, with respect to bacterial content, particularly after heavy rainfall. For more information please read this leaflet.