In season and out of it
Torbay lives two lives. From spring to early autumn the seafronts fill up, the harbours are busy and a lot of locals are working every hour the season gives them. Then the visitors leave and the bay becomes a set of ordinary towns again, with dog walkers on the beaches and space in every café. Dating here tends to follow the same pattern: summer is for snatched coffees between shifts, and the quieter months are when people actually have time.
A local site is useful on both counts. You are talking to people who live in the bay rather than visitors with a return ticket, and you can keep a conversation going through the busy months until you both come up for air.
Three towns, one bay, and the towns behind it
Torquay
The biggest of the three, with the harbour, the marina and the hills behind it. Babbacombe and St Marychurch sit on the cliffs to the north.
Paignton
Long flat sands, the green and a seafront made for walking. Goodrington and Preston are a stroll either side.
Brixham
A working fishing port at the southern end of the bay, smaller and more of a village feel than its neighbours.
Newton Abbot and Teignmouth
Newton Abbot is the market town just inland, and Teignmouth sits where the Teign meets the sea. Both share a search with the bay.
Singles in Torbay and across Devon
A view of members who have chosen a town in Devon, including Torquay, Paignton and Newton Abbot.
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Kate44, 44
Newton Abbot
I’m a 44-year-old woman who values emotional intelligence and meaningful conversations. At 5ft 4, I enjoy health and fitness as well as the occasional night out. I’m not religious but appreciate honesty and openness in a relationship. If you’re looking for something real and enjoy the outdoors, let’s chat.
Say hello -
Giselle, 39
Alphington
I'm a 39-year-old woman looking for a genuine relationship. I value kindness, consistency, and emotional intelligence, and I enjoy the simple pleasures in life, whether it's a quiet coffee shop or exploring the outdoors. Standing at 5'1", I’m looking for someone who appreciates authenticity and is ready for both deep conversations and relaxed moments together.
Say hello -
Daniella, 43
Ashwater
I’m a warm, caring and genuine woman who values honesty, loyalty and good communication. I enjoy meaningful conversations, laughter, simple moments and getting to know someone on a deeper level. I’m open-minded, affectionate and looking forward to meeting someone special who appreciates love, respect and companionship.
Say hello -
Dorothy, 38
Alphington
My name is Dorothy and i am 36 years single and have no guy. I am very caring,honest, loyal, faithful amd very easy going lady with so much kindhearted lady..
Say hello -
Latoya, 38
Alphington
Hardworking Caribbean lady seeking a serious relationship.
Say hello - Join free
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Scott, 37
Plymouth
I like to go for walks and find new places. I like to have a laugh and i only social drink.
Say hello -
ID verified Caleb, 27
Tavistock
I work in a quarry, big on my music, like going out and doing things but I’m just as happy having a quiet night in with good company. Let’s see where this goes?
Say hello
Who you will find around the bay
Torquay has one of the larger groups of members in Devon, and Newton Abbot and Paignton are not far behind, with a few more in Brixham. Across the three biggest towns, people from their mid thirties to their mid fifties make up most of the members. Each town leans its own way, though. Newton Abbot tilts towards the late thirties and early forties. Paignton has a strong group past retirement age, as you might expect from a town people often retire to. Torquay sits in the middle, mostly forties and early fifties. Under-thirty-fives are rare everywhere in the bay.
That spread means a single Torbay search covers a lot of ground. Set it from your own town and include the other two; they are close enough that a first date in any of them is easy.
Riviera first dates, summer or winter
The bay gives you a different first date depending on the month. In summer, go early or late: a walk on Babbacombe Downs before the crowds, or the harbour at Brixham as the boats come back in the evening. Out of season, the coast path out to Berry Head is quiet and the views across the bay are worth the climb. Cockington's lanes and country park are tucked away behind Torquay and feel a long way from the seafront. Inland, Stover Country Park near Newton Abbot has easy lakeside paths, and Haytor is a short drive up onto Dartmoor if you both like a view. Teignmouth's seafront and the river beach looking over to Shaldon round out the options. For more across the region, see our first date ideas.
Getting around the bay
The Riviera Line runs from Exeter along the coast through Teignmouth and Newton Abbot to Torquay and Paignton, and the road between Newton Abbot and Torquay means the inland towns are never far from the sea. Brixham has no station of its own, so it is a bus or a drive round the bay. If you are further up the line, our Exeter dating page might suit you too.
Search these towns
- Torquay
- Paignton
- Brixham
- Newton Abbot
- Teignmouth
- Dawlish
- Kingskerswell
- Shaldon
- Totnes
- Bovey Tracey
- Dartmouth
- Ashburton
When you are ready to meet, our safety tips will help you do it with confidence.
Torbay dating questions
Is there a Torbay dating site for people who live here, not tourists?
Westcountry Singles is for people living in the South West. Members choose their home town when they join, so the Torbay people you see have said they live here.
Should I search Torquay, Paignton or Newton Abbot?
All three. Search from your own town and set a distance that takes in the whole bay and Newton Abbot.
Are there older singles in Torbay?
Yes, especially in Paignton. Our sister site Mature Westcountry Singles is also built for people over 40.
Up and down the Devon coast
See every place we cover, or try singles near me to search from your own town.
Meet a Riviera local this season
Set up your profile, search the bay and see who lives just along the seafront.
Join free