The Atlantic Coast —
North Devon's Finest Beaches

01

Woolacombe Beach

Morte Bay · 3 miles of Atlantic sand · The jewel of the North Devon coast

Three unbroken miles of golden Atlantic sand — Woolacombe is frequently ranked among England's finest beaches and, on any objective assessment, it justifies the claim. The beach faces due west into Morte Bay, which channels consistent Atlantic swell across the whole length of the sand, making it a genuine surf beach from Barricane in the north to Putsborough at the south end.

Despite being North Devon's most popular beach, it doesn't feel crowded — the sheer length means the sand absorbs summer visitors without losing its wild character. Lifeguards patrol the central section from May to September, and there are surf schools, beach hire and a good selection of cafés on the beachfront.

The village of Woolacombe sits behind the northern end of the beach with a full range of accommodation, restaurants and surf shops — it's one of North Devon's best-set-up beach resorts, with a relaxed, outdoorsy character rather than the amusement-arcade feel of some seaside towns. The walk south along the beach to Putsborough, and then on to Baggy Point via the South West Coast Path, is one of the region's finest half-day walks.

Full Woolacombe Beach guide →

02

Croyde Beach

Croyde Bay · North Devon's surf capital

Croyde is Devon's surf capital — full stop. The beach receives the most consistent, most powerful and best-shaped waves on the Devon coast, thanks to the precise orientation of Croyde Bay and the rocky headlands that focus swell without dissipating it. On a good day in autumn or spring, Croyde can deliver hollow, punchy beach breaks that rival anything on the Cornish coast.

The village itself is genuinely charming — thatched cottages, proper surf shops, excellent pubs (The Thatch is legendary) and a community that has lived with surf culture for decades without becoming a parody of it. In summer it gets busy, especially at weekends — arrive early or on a weekday if you can. In shoulder season, Croyde is one of Devon's most atmospheric villages.

The beach breaks work on all states of tide but are generally best from low to mid incoming. There are significant rip currents — Croyde is not suitable for inexperienced swimmers or bodyboarders without supervision. Surf schools operate from the beach and beginners are better served at Woolacombe's gentler conditions first.

Full Croyde Beach guide →

03

Saunton Sands

Saunton · 3 miles of dune-backed sand

Saunton Sands is one of the great British beaches — three miles of perfectly flat, firm Atlantic sand backed by Braunton Burrows, the largest sand dune system in England and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The combination is extraordinary: an apparently endless beach, a wild dune landscape behind it, and consistent surf all the way along.

The beach is wider and less dramatic than Croyde, which makes it better for families, beginners and those who want surf without the intensity. The firm sand at low tide is perfect for beach activities, and the low gradient means the sea retreats far at low water — you can walk for hundreds of metres before it gets deep. The Saunton Sands Hotel sits on the clifftop above the north end — a good option for a coffee or lunch with extraordinary views.

Braunton Burrows behind the beach is exceptional for wildlife — marram grass, rare orchids, sand lizards and an extraordinary range of wildflowers. The Tarka Trail runs nearby. Walking north from the south end of Saunton along the beach and then into the dunes gives a real sense of how vast and wild this landscape is.

Full Saunton Sands guide →

04

Barricane Beach

Morte Bay · North Woolacombe · The shell beach

At the far north end of Woolacombe Bay, tucked into a rocky cove just beneath Morte Point, lies Barricane — one of North Devon's most charming and unusual beaches. While the main Woolacombe strand is long and sweeping, Barricane is compact and sheltered, and its sand is thick with exotic shells carried across the Atlantic by the Gulf Stream from the Caribbean.

The beach is famous for its shell population and for the Barricane Beach Café, which operates from the beach in summer serving Sri Lankan curry — one of those completely incongruous Devon experiences that somehow feels absolutely right. Dogs are welcome here year-round (unlike on the main Woolacombe beach in summer), making it a favourite for locals with dogs.

Walk south along the beach from Barricane toward the main Woolacombe stretch, or north up the coastal path toward Morte Point for dramatic cliff scenery and views back over the bay. At low tide the rock pools along the edge of Barricane are excellent — starfish, anemones and small fish.

Full Barricane Beach guide →

05

Putsborough Sands

South Woolacombe Bay · Baggy Point

The quieter, southern end of Woolacombe Bay, Putsborough Sands is separated from the main beach by a rocky outcrop and reached via a separate car park and access track. The result is a beach that feels significantly more peaceful than Woolacombe, with a smaller crowd and a more local character. Dogs are welcome year-round — a rarity for a quality surf beach.

The surf at Putsborough is excellent — often better shaped than the middle of Woolacombe Bay because of how the headland at Baggy Point focuses the swell. Baggy Point itself, the rocky National Trust headland at the south of the bay, is one of North Devon's great walks — a dramatic promontory popular with climbers and with seabirds nesting in the cliffs below.

Full Putsborough Sands guide →

06

Westward Ho!

Torridge Estuary · 2 miles of sand and pebble ridge

Devon's only town named after a book — Westward Ho! is a traditional English seaside resort with a long, open beach, a famous pebble ridge (a remarkable geological feature), and a no-nonsense, cheerful atmosphere. The beach is wide and mostly sandy, backed at the north end by the enormous storm-thrown pebble ridge — a SSSI that forms a natural barrier between the beach and the Northam Burrows Country Park behind it.

Westward Ho! is popular with families and has all the expected facilities: beach hire, cafés, amusements and a promenade. It's also a decent surf beach — the break at the south end of the beach can produce good waves when the swell is running. The Northam Burrows Country Park behind the pebble ridge is excellent for walking and birdwatching.

Full Westward Ho! guide →

07

Instow Beach

Torridge–Taw Estuary · Safe estuary swimming

Instow is one of North Devon's most underrated gems — a long sandy beach on the estuary where the Taw and Torridge rivers meet the sea, with calm, warm water sheltered from Atlantic waves. The estuary location means the water is protected, the swimming is gentle, and the sand is fine and golden. Instow village is charming — a row of white-painted houses, a sailing club, a couple of good pubs and an ice cream café that locals queue for in summer.

Dogs are welcome year-round, making Instow a particular favourite for dog owners. The beach faces across the estuary toward Appledore — ferries run across in season. The Tarka Trail runs right through the village, connecting to Barnstaple and onward — this is excellent cycling and walking territory.

Full Instow Beach guide →

08

Hartland Quay

Far North Devon · Shipwreck coast · The end of the road

At the very tip of North Devon, where the coast turns sharply south toward Cornwall, sits Hartland Quay — one of the most dramatic and desolate spots on the entire English coastline. The beach here is not a beach in the conventional sense: it's a tangle of dark, folded rock strata at the foot of vertical cliffs, exposed to the full force of the Atlantic, with no shelter, no sand and no facilities beyond the Hartland Quay Hotel above.

The geology at Hartland is extraordinary — the rock layers have been folded almost vertically by tectonic pressure, creating chevron-shaped patterns in the cliff face that are unlike anything else in Devon. The remains of the old harbour (the "quay" of the name) are visible at low tide. This coast is littered with shipwrecks — the hotel bar has records of hundreds of vessels lost on this stretch of coast over the centuries.

The walk south from Hartland Quay along the South West Coast Path to Hartland Point and back is one of Devon's finest and most demanding coastal walks — dramatic cliff scenery, sea stacks and the lighthouse at the Point. Don't swim here — the currents and underwater rocks make it extremely dangerous.

Full Hartland Quay guide →

09

Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe

Ilfracombe · Victorian tidal pools

One of North Devon's most extraordinary experiences — Tunnels Beaches is a private beach in Ilfracombe accessible through hand-carved Victorian tunnels cut through the rock cliff in 1823. The tunnels emerge into a sheltered cove with tidal swimming pools — one for humans (graded shallow to deep), one specifically for dogs. The pools are naturally filled and flushed by each tide, providing clean sea water for swimming without the waves or currents of the open coast.

The concept is genuinely unique in England — a Victorian leisure bathing facility that is both historically remarkable and practically excellent. The facilities are well-maintained, there's a café on site, and the rock pools around the edge of the cove are brilliant for children. Entry fee applies (around £5 per person in season) but it's worth it for the novelty and the safe swimming environment.

After your swim, Ilfracombe town is a 10-minute walk — it's one of North Devon's most interesting coastal towns, with Damien Hirst's Verity sculpture on the harbour, excellent seafood, and a proper working harbour that still lands fish. Wildersmouth Beach is the sheltered town beach just below the harbour for those who want free access to the sea.

Full Tunnels Beaches guide →

10

Lynmouth

North Devon · Exmoor Coast · Where the rivers meet the sea

At the foot of Exmoor, where the East and West Lyn rivers rush down through wooded gorges and meet the sea, lies Lynmouth — one of Devon's most dramatically beautiful villages. The "beach" here is a shingle and boulder shore at the mouth of the rivers, hemmed in by cliffs and backed by the extraordinary wooded gorge landscape of the Lyn Valley. It's not a beach for sunbathing and swimming — it's a beach for atmosphere, walking, and experiencing Devon at its most rugged.

Lynmouth is inseparable from its 1952 flood disaster — when extreme rainfall caused both rivers to surge simultaneously, 34 people were killed and the village was devastated. The rebuilt village is beautiful, and the flood memorial is moving. The cliff railway that connects Lynmouth to Lynton above (one of the steepest water-powered railways in the world) is an extraordinary piece of Victorian engineering — the ride up gives extraordinary views over the valley.

The Valley of Rocks walk from Lynton (reached via the cliff railway from Lynmouth) is one of Exmoor's finest — wild, exposed, with feral goats grazing the clifftops and extraordinary views. Watersmeet, upstream from Lynmouth, is a National Trust estate where the two rivers meet in a wooded gorge — accessible on foot via a beautiful riverside path.

Full Lynmouth guide →