This charming area of North Devon is a popular holiday resort thanks to its award-winning beach and the various water sport opportunities that can be had there. Set along the stunning North Devon coastline, the beach at Woolacombe frequently tops “Best Beaches” lists, not just in the UK, but also in Europe. For those of you who like to bring your dogs on holiday, Woolacombe is an ideal destination. Many of the attractions and accommodation providers have dog-friendly rooms and dogs are welcome on the beach all year around with restrictions in the summer.
Woolacombe beaches
Woolacombe beach stretches for three miles encompassing golden sands with sand dunes and views across the ocean toward Lundy Island. The main beach area rests between the headlands of Baggy Point and Mort Point and has won numerous awards including the Blue Flag and Premier Seaside Beach Award for its cleanliness, water quality and facilities. It regularly features in Europe’s Best Beaches lists and has also won an accolade for being Britain’s best surfing beach.
The beach and water are what make Woolcombe such a prime spot for holidaymakers, particularly those with young families and those that enjoy water sports, with surfing being the most popular. The water quality and the current make it a great place for the UK’s surf scene and this is well catered for. Whether you are a novice or someone that is well versed in the ways of the water, Woolacombe’s seafront is full of organisations offering equipment for hire as well as instructors and companies running surfing sessions with qualified instructors. Other popular activities at the beach include paddleboarding and hang gliding.
In addition to the sporting opportunities on the beach, there are also plenty of beautiful spots that are perfect for relaxing, as well as swimming and enjoying the traditional beach activities. During the summer there are lifeguards on site making it a safe and relaxing place to indulge in swimming and being such a large beach, no matter how busy it gets, there are always plenty of quiet and secluded spots for you to claim as your own during the day.
Aside from Woolacombe beach, you’ll also find Barricane Beach, a designated site of Scientific Interest, Combesgate Beach which is ideal for swimmers and surfers, as well as Grunta, a smaller beach. These are perfect for rockpooling as the tide goes out and walks and relaxing rests the rest of the time. At the far end of Woolacombe Beach is Putsborough Beach which is also ideal for those who love surfing.
What to do in Woolacombe
There are a huge range of activities, attractions and accommodation options for those wishing to stay in Woolacombe and with easy access to the south west coast path as well as the neighbouring areas of Puttsborough and Morthoe, you have plenty of chances to get out and about and explore this beautiful area of Devon. Much of the surrounding countryside is managed by the National Trust and remains unspoiled, not surprisingly, Woolacombe falls within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The village has plenty of places to eat, stay and visit with a wide range of pubs, cafes and restaurants offering a friendly and lively atmosphere as well as traditional fish and chip shops serving freshly caught local produce. One of the village’s attractions is the Pirate themed crazy golf course which can be found in the centre of the village.
Being such a popular holiday resort, there are a number of holiday parks, hotels and B&Bs in and around the town which have a number of facilities perfect for family holidays.
Being in a Natual Landscape (AONB), you can expect to find a wide variety of bird and animal life in and around Woolacombe. Lundy Island which can be seen across the ocean from Woolacombe Beach is a protected marine site with a range of more unusual and rare species including puffins and seals. At certain times of the year it is also possible to spot dolphins and smaller sharks, as well as various sea birds.
