Our favourite spot for sandcastles, surfing and ice cream. This is a safe beach for swimming and for learning body boarding and surfing.
This is a long stretch of golden sand, we recommend driving out to the wilder centre of the beach called ‘Sandymere.’ There’s a really interesting visitor centre with facilities and a quality cafe.
The tide range is massive, at low tide it's about 100m walk to the sea. At high tide the waves crash onot the pebbles.
It’s easy to access the beach over the ramp and there is a lifeguard during the summer months.
Perfect for sandcastles, bodyboarding, surfing, sunsets, and sand dunes.
Downside: Can be windy, no beach at high tide.
Facilities:

2. Buck’s Mills

Get away from the crowds and enjoy this idyllic spot with stunning views, waterfall, rockpools and a perfect sandy beach at low tide.

From the car park it’s a ten minute stroll down through the village. As you reach the path down to the beach keep an eye out for the artist retreat cabin with stunning views towards Lundy on the horizon. .
Bring a picnic and spend the whole day here swimming, rockpooling and exploring.
Perfect for: Swimming, rockpooling, sandcastles.
Downside: No toilets or cafe’s. The path is quite steep down to the beach.
After:

3. Hartland Quay.

Giant cliffs surround Hartland Quay making for a truly spectacular day out, whatever the weather.
When it is calm, it’s a fantastic place to swim and explore. When it’s stormy you can watch the giant waves rolling in from the Atlantic and crashing onto the rocks.
At low tide explore rock pools and at high tide swim off the slip way.
Please be careful near the cliffs as they are unstable and rocks regularly tumble down.
You can park right next to the Hartland Quay hotel which is a great place to have a pint and watch the sun go down.
There’s a great hike south along the coastal path to Speke’s Mill waterfall which takes about 30 minutes. With lot’s of wild beaches and headlands to scramble around.
Perfect for: Spectacular cliffs, rockpooling, wild swimming and a beer at sunset.
Downside: No life guard.
After: Hartland Quay hotel or the anchor pub in Hartland.

4. Clovelly

Clovelly is a beautiful historic village that feels like stepping back in time. You can spend a whole day slowly exploring everything that it has to offer. We include it in this guide because it is a fantastic place to swim at high tide. The village a shielded by a large harbour wall, this provides calm water for swimming and, if you are brave, a high diving board to jump off.
A steep path winds down to the village, if you have young children you might be able to arrange a lift with the landrover.
You do need to buy a ticket to enter the village from the car park. It goes towards maintaining the village in it’s pristine state.
If you park at Brownsham woods you can enter the village for free along the coastal path.
Perfect for: High tide swim, historic culture, pubs & cafes, fishing.
Downside: Steep hill with cobbled path, you have to buy a ticket to enter.
After: Red Lion Pub or one of the cafe’s for a cream tea.
Directions: What Three Words

5. Sandymouth

A remote beach with large stretches of sand at low tide and gnarly cliffs. There is a national trust car park and cafe at the top and it’s a short quite steep walk down to reach the beach.
The sea here can have large waves with rip tides, there most likely will not be a lifeguard on duty here.
Perfect for: Rockpooling, sandcastles, sunsets and enjoying a wild beach.
Downside: Not the best beach for young kids to swim.
Afters: Sip & Sea, The Bush Inn, Morwenstow.
Directions: What Three Words

6. Crooklets, Bude

Crooklets is another stunning beach with golden sands at low tide and lot’s of rock pools and boulders to explore. It’s a very ‘parent friendly’ beach becauseat the top of the beach is Rosie’s Kitchen - a bistro a cut above your average beach cafe - with a playground right next to it.
There is also a sauna with possibly the best views in the world.
At low tide the beach connects to the main beach in Bude where you can try the famous sea pool.
Perfect for: Swimming, rockpools, sunsets, everything.
Downside: The sea can be strong with with strong currents.
After: Rosies Kitchen, The Bush Inn pub.
Directions: What Three Words

7. Saunton Sands

A spectacular beach with golden sands and sand dunes. Saunton Sands is a wild nature reserve and perfect for swimming, sandcastles and surfing. If you get bored of the beach you can go for a ramble through the dunes and take in the views.
It does get busy in peak season but there is plenty of space when you make it down to the beach along with cafe’s, restaurant and surf hire shops.
Perfect for: Surfing, Sandcastles, sunsets and sand dunes.
Downside: Traffic on the roads in peak season.
Afters: The Thatch pub in Croyde, Heartbreak Hotel or Wild Thyme cafe in Braunton.
Don’t miss the Museum of Surfing in Braunton.
Directions: What Three Words

8. Putsborough Beach, Woolacoombe

A gem of a beach with golden sands and tucked behind the cliffs to give a little bit of shelter from the prevailing winds. You will be blown away by the beauty of this beach away from the busy Woolacoombe village.
You have to buy a day ticket at the car park which is expensive so plan to visit for the whole day rather than a few hours.
With beach cafe & toilets.
Perfect for: Surfing, rockpools, sandcastles & sunsets.
Downside: Expensive parking, traffic can be busy in peak season.
After: The thatch pub in Croyde, Heartbreak Hotel or Wild Thyme cafe in Braunton.
Directions: What Three Words:

9. Barricance Beach, Woolacoombe.

Barricane is a small beach sheltered from the wind by rocky crags. The beach is made from shells and the water is a clear turquoise. You will feel like you are on a greek island and best of all, there is a Sri Lankan cafe serving delicious grub at the top of the beach.
It can get busy in summer so come early and grab your post in the sunshine.
The beach is located a few hundred metres north of Woolacombe village.
Perfect for: Swimming, rockpooling, sunsets, windy days.
Downside: Gets busy.
Afters: Sri Lankan beach cafe.
Directions: What Three Words

10. Broadsands.

And lastly Broadsands beach, which is a real adventure. To reach Broadsands you need to hike down about 200 steps so it is challenging - however - you are rewarded with a truly magical beach. This beach is tucked away amongst the headlands are would not be out of place in Thailand. You can spend a whole day rock climbing, swimming, exploring and generally marvelling at the beauty of this place.
Perfect for: Adventure, swimming, bouldering.
Downside: 200 steps to climb down and no facilities.
Directions: What Three Words.
To access this beach you will need to walk up the track linked above - or walk along the coastal path from Watermouth. There is no car park, find somewhere safely by the side of the road.

10 Family friendly beaches in North Devon

“I was Surprised by the pull of the sea”