Best Surf Beaches in Devon

Friday 30 August 2024

Devon has become the UK’s first World Surfing Reserve and by default the number one surfing destination in the UK, according to the Save the Wave Coalition which has awarded about 30km of Devon’s northern shores World Surfing Reserve status. This designated stretch of coastline includes beaches such as Croyde, Saunton, Woolacombe and Lynmouth. Other great surf beaches in this area include Bantham, Putsborough and Westward Ho.

North Devon has an immense variety of waves to offer within these 30 km of World-class Surfing Reserve, from soft peeling waves on Saunton Sands, to the barrels of Croyde. Not only is it endowed with the UK’s best waves but also spectacularly beautiful and literally littered with gorgeous little villages, each with its unique vibe.

Saunton Sands

This fabulous three-mile beach of golden sand boasts some of the most reliable surf all year round and is known for its lengthy, slow waves, so great for beginners and families with young surfers, as long as you stay away from the east side of the beach. It has no lifeguards but great facilities and amenities, is spacious, and completely dog friendly. Behind it lies the UNESCO Braunton Burrows Reserve a place of natural beauty featured on Robbie Williams ‘Angels’ video. For the best holiday cottages and a Devon village feel, you should stay in Braunton, a vibrant village minutes away with plenty of shops, supermarkets, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Croyde Beach

Croyde Beach is the best surfing beach in Devon and one of the best in the UK, primarily due to the fast, powerful force of its waves. It tends to attract the more seasoned surfers to its waters, with the less experienced watching and learning. Speaking of watching, this beach has a RNLI Lifeguard team. It is an exposed beach with consistent swells at any time of year but is considered to be optimum when the winds are easterly and the tide is low. That said, the high tides can create longer waves with southerly swells. Croyde’s fishing heritage has endowed it with a very pretty and authentic fishing village, which is a favourite spot amongst surfers and trendy surfing families, thanks to its chilled atmosphere, charming coastal cottages and foodie scene.

Woolacombe Beach

Woolacombe Beach is popular with every level of surfer and surfing family because of its perfect surfing conditions with layers of waves that vary from easy closer to the shore, to the bigger ones further out. It is also a dog friendly beach in designated areas, and you will even see the odd cute pooch riding the waves. That said, in high season it is cleaned daily and spotless and there is a RNLI Lifeguard service. At the norther end of the beach lies the fishing village of Woolacombe, a buzzy little corner of Devon with a surfy vibe and loads of cafes, restaurants, and pubs to hangout in. There is even an amusement arcade and horse riding for the kids. The Woolacombe holiday cottages listed with us are mostly close to the beach and come in all shapes and sizes to suit a range of budgets.

Putsborough Beach

This two mile stretch of sandy beach is great for more seasoned surfers and older learners who like to get away from the crowds. The best waves come in both directions at mid-tide. The facilities are great and include an excellent café, but there are no lifeguards and the rip tides can be dangerous so this is not the place to teach your younger kids to swim or surf. Dogs are allowed on the north end of the beach all year round. This is a naturally beautiful beach with incredible un-spoilt surroundings. The hamlet of Putsborough is small so the best places to stay are around the quaint little fishing villages around Appledore, Instow and Braunton. This way you get to experience the magic of staying in Devon cottages by the sea.

Westward Ho Beach

Here you will find two miles of beach that offers safe sandy surfing conditions for the little ones with very few rip tides. You and your kids will be able to surf any time of day with any type of tides, apart from the end of high tide. If you need a surfing school there are several to choose from and there will always be an available slot, even in summer as long as you give them a day’s notice. It is no wonder that this beach gets a little crowded in the summer months. There is plenty of space on the beach for everyone and loads of top-notch beach facilities, endless cafes and restaurants with all kinds of seaside cottages in Westward Ho and apartments right on the beachfront for those planning surfing holidays in Devon.