North Devon Beaches ...

Summer holiday or autumn break - everyone loves North Devon. Our holiday accommodation is ideally situated for exploring all these beautiful beaches, whether its the tree covered cliffs at Woody Bay, rocky pools at Combe Martin, miles of sand at Saunton or the superb surfing at Croyde.

Northam Burrows 1.5 miles of sandy beach protected by its ridge of huge pebbles. Ideal for swimming, surfing and sailboarding. There is a visitors centre explaining the ecology of the sea and surrounding area.

Westward Ho! A seaside resort with all the features one expects - amusement arcade, putting green,tennis courts,playground, beach shops, snack bars and seaside pubs. The beach - sand/pebbles - is easily accessible from the car park and is ideal for swimming and surfing. There are also pools in the rocks which have been adapted for swimming. Nearby - Appledore, Bideford, Northern Burrows, Royal North Devon Golf Club.

Instow from which the beach is wheelchair accessible. Although it does have a sandy beach it is not really for sunbathing and surfing as it is in the estuary. It is however great to play on, fly kites etc. It is an attractive area and has always been popular with artists. When the tide is out it is very pleasant walking along the beach by the edge of the river Torridge with picturesque Appledore on the opposite side, or just sit down and enjoy and ice cream. The children find this fun too as there are lots of pools in the soft sand, many of which contain attractive seashells.

Saunton Sands 3 miles of flat sand backed by massive sand dunes. Excellent surfing beach and ideal for all water sports. Manned with lifeguards. Wheelchair accessible. Shop, toilet etc. at car park end of beach - However you can get away from the crowds by just walking further along the beach.

Croyde This award winning sandy beach is just around the corner from Saunton Sands, but because it is smaller it can get crowded. However it is easily accessible, there is plenty of car parking and it is excellent for swimming, surfing, windsurfing etc. The beach is manned with lifeguards. At one end of the beach there is equipment hire, a shop, refreshments and toilets. From here the beach is wheelchair accessible.

Woolacombe A modern settlement rather swamped by hotels guest houses and caravan parks. However once you get past all this you come to one of the finest beaches in the West Country. 3 miles of golden sand with numerous awards. It is very clean and tidy, has good toilet facilities, first aid, life saving equipment and even a lost children service. There is a large car park near the beach which is easily accessible to wheelchairs. Woolacombe is ideal for all water sports and there are lifeguards on the beach. However attention should be paid to warnings not to bathe at low tide.

Putsborough (At the southern end of Woolacombe Sands) Another award winning sandy beach manned with lifeguards. Again ideal for surfing, swimming and water sports.

Barricane Beach (Just north of Woolacombe Sands) A Small rocky cove with a beach made of broken sea shells not native to Britain. Rock pools amongst the flat rocks. Wheelchair access is possible if a little difficult. Parking is on the Mortehoe road (opposite The Devon Beach Hotel) or at Woolacombe Beach car park 5 minutes away.

Combesgate, Rockham & Grunta are all small secluded bays which have deep safe rock pools. Unfortunately the only access to these bays is by footpath. A good starting point is the ancient parish church at Mortehoe - St Mary's. The Chichester Arms in Mortehoe provides an excellent lunch.

Tunnels - Ilfracombe An aging holiday resort which was at its best during the Victorian era. The Tunnels are passages hewn through the cliffs to a privately owned bathing beach. The Victorians also built up walls between rocks to make two bathing pools - One for ladies and one for gentlemen. There is a cafe at the entrance to the tunnels as well as a snack bar by the beaches.There is a small charge to use the Tunnels.Nearby - Ilfracombe and Watermouth Cove walk

Hele Bay (Just east of Ilfracombe) A safe shingle beach which is popular with canoeists. There are a few amusements and a tide filled childrens swimming pool. In the village is a working 16th century watermill open April - October. There is also a pottery at the mill where you can make your own pot. From the village there is a paths up the impressive 447ft Hillsborough hill which provides a good view of Ilfracombe Harbour.

Lee This pretty little village is nestled in Fushia Valley - a deep combe where fushias grow in abundance. The beach is delightful at low tide with lots of rock pools to explore and a stretch of sand giving good bathing.

Hartland Quay & Hartland Point The coast around Hartland Point is one of Britain's most treacherous. At least 36 ships were wrecked on the 4 miles centred on Hartland Quay alone between 1800 and 1920. This small museum tells it all, and also has displays on the little port itself and its smuggling days, natural history, and the incredibly contorted rock layers hereabouts. Six circular walks start from the museum. The beach at Hartland Quay is rocky with numerous pools and the cliffs are spectacular with contorted rock formations. There are lovely views from Hartland Point although you are unable to climb down to the beach below.

Combe Martin At high tide the beach looks uninteresting but as the tide goes out there are large rock pools to explore and stretch of level sand appears outside a ridge of stones known as the breakwater. The sea is free of currents and therefore popular for bathing. Just a little to the west is Sandy Bay which is reached by Sandy Bay Lane. Steps lead down to the beach, but unfortunately there is no sand. However it is a great spot for picnic. In Combe Martin itself there is a large beach car park which provides easy access for wheelchairs. Next to the car park is a Motorcycle Museum. There are also a variety of shops and cafes on what is said to be longest main street in the country. Nearby - The Hangman Hills walk

Wild Pear Bay A delightful beach often used by naturists. Although steps have been cut into the cliff down to the beach, the descent and climb back are quite arduous. The beach is a mixture of sand and pebbles and on the north side is a stream of drinking water.

Woody Bay A lovely sheltered bay where the steep cliffs are covered in woods and a fast flowing stream gushes down the hillside to the beach below. There is a small car park next to the road and the path zig-zags down through the woods to the beach below. The beach, made up of rocks, large pebbles and shingle, is safe for swimming and is a lovely place to just sit, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Lee Bay A very narrow scenic road brings you from Woody Bay to Lee Bay. Another very attractive bay with rocks to climb and a sandy/shingle beach to play on. However bathers should beware of strong currents.

Wringcliff Bay This secluded little bay is surrounded by high cliffs. The path down to it is quite steep and not really suitable for very young children. There is a car park in the Valley of the Rocks.

Lynmouth Bay This charming village sits on the mouth of the River Lyn and attracts many visitors. It is very pretty and has an excellent museum, a cliff railway linking Lynmouth to Lynton, a brass rubbing centre and lovely woodland walks by the waterfalls in Glen Lyn Gorge.