The 8 best North Devon beaches

Devon is lucky to be blessed with two coastlines packed with stunning golden beaches, hidden coves, and some of the UK’s best surfing spots. The best North Devon beaches offer something for everyone, whether you’re keen to catch some waves, build sandcastles, exercise your dog, or simply relax with a book – after taking some snaps to upload to Instagram and make your friends envious, of course.

It’s worth highlighting that North Devon recently became just the 12th location to be named as a World Surfing Reserve, joining iconic surfing hotspots such as Malibu in California, USA, and Australia’s Gold Coast. It has been recognised for its high quality and diversity of surf breaks, as well as the natural beauty of the surroundings, deep-rooted and historic surf culture, and its importance to the wider community. If it’s specifically surfing that you’re interested in, check out our guide to the best places for surfing in Devon. 

Below, we have listed eight of the best beaches in North Devon, starting with our favourite, and explained what makes them special. Whether you visit all of them or only one during your trip to North Devon, you won’t be disappointed. We’ve also recommended some holiday cottages where you can warm up after a fun day in the great outdoors and plan your next adventure.

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1. Woolacombe Beach 

2. Croyde Beach 

3. Westward Ho! Beach 

4. Putsborough Beach 

5. Combe Martin Beach 

6.  Tunnels Beach 

7. Instow Beach

8. Saunton Sands

Woolacombe Beach

We simply had to start with Woolacombe Beach, which is located between Croyde and Ilfracombe. It’s widely recognised as one of the best beaches not just in Devon, but in the whole of the UK! 

The 3-mile flat, sandy beach means there’s plenty of space to lay out your towel, even on a sunny summer’s day, which is just as well because Woolacombe is a magnet for surfers, bodyboarders and families looking for a traditional bucket-and-spade experience. It’s also popular with kayakers and kitesurfers, but if you want to be active without getting in the water, you could enjoy the superb views while walking on the South West Coast Path which overlooks the beach.

There’s a lifeguard service in the summer, large car parks, public toilets, and plenty of places to get some food or pick up any beach essentials you may have forgotten. The beach is dog-friendly all year round but there are some restrictions during the main season, when in one zone, dogs are not allowed, in a second zone, dogs must be kept on a lead, and in a third zone, there are no restrictions – check local signage for details.

Major events at Woolacombe include the Wavelength Spring Classic, a surf and music festival held in late May and early June.

Croyde Beach

Croyde Beach is situated in a small bay between Woolacombe and Saunton Sands and many people would argue it has the best surf along the North Devon coast, making it a popular choice for more experienced surfers. There are also surf schools that offer lessons to novices and coaching for more experienced surfers. 

The golden sand is firm by the shoreline, making it ideal for building sandcastles, while the dunes at the back of the beach are great for games of hide and seek, and there are also rock pools at both ends of the beach to explore. It’s also a good spot for fishing where you can fish off the rocks at Down End.

Croyde’s pretty, rural setting makes it an excellent place for walking. There are footpaths around the village and walks to Baggy Point offer some of the most spectacular views that North Devon has to offer. Car parking is available, there’s a seasonal lifeguard service, public toilets, and a range of shops and food outlets, meaning there’s everything you need for a perfect day at the beach. Dogs are not allowed on the beach between the beginning of May and the end of September.

Croyde hosts music and surf festival GoldCoast Oceanfest in June and a pop-up beach club for over-18s, SkyBar, on occasional dates throughout the summer months.

Westward Ho! Beach

Westward Ho! near Bideford has a long, flat, sandy beach, ideal for sunbathing, backed by a pebble ridge. Northam Burrows Country Park is accessible at one end of the beach, making the destination a good choice for nature lovers. 

The beach is popular with windsurfers, novice to intermediate surfers, swimmers, paddleboarders, anglers and families – especially those who enjoy looking for fish and crabs in the rock pools. Other family-friendly activities include the amusement arcades, mini golf, go-karts, and bowling. There’s a lifeguard service during the peak season, plenty of car parking, shops, public toilets, and a range of food outlets. Dogs are allowed on the whole beach between October and April, and at the Northam Burrows end all year round.

Among the regular events in Westward Ho! are the Festival of Kites, usually in May, and in September, a celebration of the life of its most famous resident, Rudyard Kipling, best known for writing The Jungle Book.

Putsborough Beach

Found at the southern end of Woolacombe Beach, Putsborough is part of the 3-mile stretch that many people consider to be one of the top sandy beaches in England. It’s the end to head for if you want to escape most of the crowds and relax, though if you can find the energy, a walk to Baggy Point to admire the natural beauty of the area is highly recommended. 

Putsborough Sands is dog-friendly all year round so take your four-legged friends with you. It’s an intermediate surfing beach but there’s no lifeguard cover, so take extra care and familiarise yourself with the tide times and general beach safety advice such as what to do if you find yourself in a rip current. There’s a car park, cafe, and toilets at Putsborough. 

Combe Martin Beach

Combe Martin is a village about 4 miles east of Ilfracombe, on the edge of Exmoor National Park. It has two beaches – the sandy and stony main harbour beach, and the stony Newberry Beach. At low tide, the two beaches join onto a wide, sandy beach. Dogs are not allowed on the main beach between 1 May and 30 September, but Newberry allows dogs all year round and is just a short walk from the village. The main beach has some of the best rock pools in the area. Other activities on offer include kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing. 

There are shops, pubs and cafes close to the beach, as well as a museum. Combe Martin is a superb destination for walkers, with the South West Coast Path passing through the village, which sits within beautiful countryside. 

Events held in Combe Martin include a family-oriented carnival in mid-August and an ancient custom unique to the village – the Hunting of the Earl of Rone, which takes place over four days at the end of May. We recommend you Google this glorious British folk tradition, but to pique your interest, it involves lots of costumes, a parade, a donkey, and ends with the Earl being tossed into the sea!

Tunnels Beaches

Tunnels Beaches, in Ilfracombe, isn’t like anything else on this list. It’s a tourist attraction – and entry fees apply – but it’s well worth a visit as it’s a unique experience. It features tunnels which were hand carved in the 1820s. The four tunnels lead to sheltered sandy beaches and a tidal Victorian bathing pool. 

As well as rugged scenery to admire, there’s extensive information about the history of the site, and you can learn how Ilfracombe was transformed from a small fishing village into a popular seaside tourist resort. Kids may be more interested in playing in the tidal pool or exploring the rock pools. Prices and opening times can be found on the attraction’s website. Dogs are not permitted at Tunnels Beach.

If you don’t want to pay to access these beaches, Ilfracombe also has a small, sand and shhingle beach called Wildersmouth Beach. The small cove Hele Bay is on the edge of Ilfracombe. Besides the beaches, the town is also home to some great places to eat, art and craft galleries, independent shops – and Damien Hirst’s statue Verity. It also has a busy events calendar, featuring a range of fairs, festivals, regattas, carnivals and shows. Check out the top things to do in Ilfracombe in this guide.

Instow Beach

Instow Beach is located where the River Torridge meets the estuary of the River Taw. It’s an attractive setting with extensive views, making it popular with artists. 

It’s a wheelchair accessible, long, sandy beach, and as it has calm waters, it’s great for families as children love playing in the sand dunes. There’s also ice cream vans and an excellent deli/ café at Johns of Instow. Visitors are advised not to go swimming because of the poor water quality, but kayaking and boating are popular activities here and there’s plenty of space on the beach for children to play. 

Dogs are allowed on some of the beach all year round but are banned near the town end from the start of May to the end of September. The village has car parking, toilets, shops, pubs, and restaurants, but if you want more, you could catch the passenger ferry across to Appledore.

Saunton Sands Beach

Saunton Sands, near the village of Braunton, features three-and-a-half miles of gorgeous golden sand and room for everyone to enjoy some of the UK's best surfing opportunities, or have a swim. 

It’s more suitable for beginners and intermediate surfers than Croyde to the north and being a beach that allows dogs all year round, it’s a popular destination for the whole family. It should be noted, though, that there’s no RNLI lifeguard provision. Facilities include a car park, public toilets, showers, a surf school, food outlets and beach shops.

Walks to Crow Point, at the southern end of the beach, offer fantastic views of the coastline. The beach, which you may recognise from the music video for Robbie Williams’ single Angels, is backed by the beautiful Braunton Burrows, a vast sand dune system that has such rare plant and insect life living there, it has been named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve to give it protection.

Map of North Devon beaches

Stay with us in North Devon

The beaches are likely to be the highlight of any stay in a North Devon village or town, but there is much more to discover in the region, including spectacular countryside, delicious cream teas and fresh seafood, fun all-weather attractions, quirky local events, and fascinating history. Read our guide on the top things to do in North Devon here.

Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway, a family holiday, or a celebration with friends, we have a selection of North Devon cottages that’s sure to include just what you’re looking for – and many of them are dog-friendly, too. Check out the full collection today.