Surf beaches and big dunes along the north Devon coast, with the coast path linking one sandy bay to the next
This stretch of coast is built for beach days. Wide sands face the Atlantic swell, which makes it one of the better places in England to learn to surf, or just to watch other people fall off boards.
Designated in 1960 and covering 172 km², it strings together a run of well-known beaches. Saunton Sands has its dunes behind it, Croyde Bay sits just along the coast, and Woolacombe offers a long beach of its own. The South West Coast Path links the lot together, with Exmoor rising to the east.
Summer weekends get busy and the car parks fill early at the popular beaches. The surf that makes the place is also worth respecting. Check the flags, swim between them where lifeguards are on, and keep an eye on the tide, which runs a long way out over flat sand.
