North Devon’s Best Beaches
Our North Devon Beach Guide
A holiday in North Devon wouldn’t be complete without a trip to one of our fabulous local beaches.
Whether you’re looking for family-friendly, great surf, easy access, or hidden treasures there’s a beach for everyone on the North Devon Coast. In fact, there are too many for us to list, so here are just a few of our personal favorites.
Woolacombe Beach
Winner of multiple awards, including the Sunday Times 2021 Beach of the year, our local beach is one of the UK’s finest! Almost 3 miles of long golden sands are backed by dramatic sand dunes and flanked with spectacular headlands.
Woolacombe Beach is owned by the family company Parkin Estates which provides visitors with an abundance of services and facilities, including daily cleaning, beachside parking, beach hut hire, food outlets, and shops.
This is a dog-friendly beach and is well suited to a wide range of activities including surfing, bodyboarding, and windsurfing. The RNLI provides a comprehensive lifeguarding service and with easy access, it’s perfect for all ages.
The beach is located just a few feet from the centre of Woolacombe village and falls within The North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) making it a spectacular place to visit all year round.
Barricane Beach
Between Woolacombe and Mortehoe and just a short stroll from Woolacombe’s main beach, you’ll find the idyllic Barricane Beach.
Also known as Shell Beach, Barricane is a designated site of special interest, due to the tons of colourful, tiny Caribbean shells that follow the Gulf steam and wash up into this small cove. At low tide, there are golden sands and plenty of rock pools for little ones to explore.
Throughout the summer months, you’ll find a small café on the beach famous for its delicious homemade Sri Lankan Curries, you can read more about that in our eating out in Woolacombe Guide!
Putsborough Sands
Putsborough Sands is perfect for those looking to avoid the crowds in the busier Summer months. It’s located at the far Southern end of Woolacombe beach and accessed via country lanes.
This family-friendly North Devon beach is popular with surfers and dog walkers alike. Facilities include a large car park, toilets, a café, a beach shop and surf hire.
Croyde Beach
Nearby Croyde Bay beach has been rated one of the best surfing beaches in the world!
This sheltered sandy bay on the North Devon Coastline has a stunning backdrop of rolling green hills and cliff faces. The beach is open to the public all year round and RNLI Lifeguards watch over the beach throughout the peak season.
The quaint Village of Croyde has 4 car parks and is just a 10-minute walk from the beach and has a good selection of pubs, shops, and eateries.
