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Devon Accommodation
Brixham beach, with superb views over Brixham's picture-postcard harbour
Ilfracombe's beautiful and famous Tunnel Beaches. Prepare to be Wowed!
Woolacombe Beach, North Devon Coast. Great for families and Surfing
Babbacombe Beach viewed from Babbacombe Downs on the Cliff Top
Wonderful secluded beaches in South Hams at the end of VERY narrow roads or great walks
Blue flag beach of Blackpool Sands is actually a pebble beach but very clean and good facilitiesDevon Beaches Blue Flag Beaches Surfing Croyde Devon UK
Arrive at the North Devon Coast and you're hitting some of the most beautiful and dramatic stretch of coastline in the UK. A veritable surfers paradise at Woolacombe, Croyde and Westward Ho! A coastal walking haven along a dramatic cliff and sand dune coastline via the South West Coast Path. A Devon family holiday magnet at both Woolacombe, crammed with great all inclusive holiday parks, and fabulous Ilfracombe with it's famous tunnel Beaches.
Move down to South Devon and the English Riviera for Devon's choice of seaside holiday resorts and great beaches, including Babbacombe Beach, and the many beaches of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. Check out the family friendly beach at Blackpool Sands off the South Hams coast. In Devon you'll discover some of the most beautiful and cleanest beaches in the UK. Many have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag Beach award, and Woolacombe is internationally renowned as a beautiful, long sandy beach and family favourite.
North Devon Coast Surfing
Croyde village on the North Devon Coast, south of Woolacombe is fast becoming a real international centre for surfing, and for Devon surfing it's one of the best hotspots alongside Woolacombe. The most comprehensive guide to surfing in Croyde and this area can be found on the Croyde Surf Cam weblink to the right. Get a taste of the surfing magic of this area!
Surfing the waves at Croyde is certainly one of it's key attractions. The beach itself is famous worldwide as a surfing centre and is of course a Blue Flag beach with excellent cleanliness and facilities. There's plenty of surfing shops selling surfing clothes at Croyde, as well as surfing tuition centres and the beach has lifeguards during the high summer season. In summer Croyde beach does get more crowded. Croyde is best for surfers with experience, especially around the reef and Downend Point. Head for Saunton Sands for a slover pace if a novice!
Westward Ho! Beach is patrolled by lifeguards and is particularly safe for family bathing. Fishing is also popular here, as wild sea bass frequent the area. Surfing is popular as well, and better for beginners with it's gentler waves! At low tide, check out the man-made rock swimming pool which becomes exposed at low tide.
North Devon Coast Beaches
For family holidays in Devon you'll find some of the best spots along the North Devon Coast. Both Ilfracombe and Woolacombe are Devon Family holiday favourites, with lots of amenities and entertainment, as well as great beach facilities. At Ilfracombe marvel at the historic tunnel beach complex with tidal pool, and at Woolacombe enjoy miles of golden sands and this award winning blue flag beach. Ilfracombe really is the hub of North Devon's dramatic coastline. It's Victorian roots shine through, notable particularly in the character old hotels and Illfracombe's layout, with it's many green spaces and park areas up on the hills. Much of it's character comes from the fact that it is built on steep sided hills which dip and rise to the seashore. Ilfracombe's tunnel beaches have given pleasure to many North Devon holidaymakers through the years!
As a North Devon family resort, Ilfracombe fits the bill with lots of outdoor activities including a selection of golf courses, an aquarium, Ilfracombe Museum, it's spectacular Tunnel Beaches, a castle and family theme park nearby, various promenade amusement arcades and beach activities such as toy train rides and it's got a delightful town centre with lots of quirky specialist shops, particularly health food shops!
Woolacombe is family holiday heaven on the North Devon Coast. Why, cause it's got the lot. A choice of holiday parks with all-inclusive family holiday entertainment including indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, plus what has Woolacombe got that tops it all. The beach of course. Three miles worth of glorious blue flag golden sands so plenty of space for everyone to spread out, and what ho, the surfing.
Torquay & English Riviera Beaches
Torquay beaches include Babbacombe beach, a charming samll and sheltered beach consisting of both sand and shingl. It's popular with fishing as well, and with families as there's a nice family pub right on the beach. Babbacombe Tourist Information
Between Torquay and Babbacombe lies popular Meadfoot Beach (Agatha Christie was rather fond of this beach as a child, and swam here practically every day in the Summer). Meadfoot Beach is pretty large and has superb views out to sea, and across to Thatchers Rock. Meadfoot beach is well equipped with a great terraced cafe, public toilets and a shop, as well as a scattering of beach huts. Deck chairs are also available to hire.
Oddicombe Beach adjacent to Babbacombe beach is a delightful family beach, reached by the famous Babbacombe Cliff Railway or down the steep path off Babbacombe Downs. This beach is also a mix of sand and shingle with superb family facilities including a cafe, beach shop, toilets, babychanging areas, and a first aid point and telephone.
Alternatively for a small beach try Corbyn Head. Corbyn Head beach is situated the other way along the coast path past Torre Abbey Sands. Again this is a sand and shingle beach Also at Torquay, and popular with watersports fans, particularly water skiers is Livermead Beach. It's a sand and shingle beach again, with easy access from the promenade, and well equipped with beach huts and a café. Torre Abbey Sands is the biggest of all Torquays beaches and extremely popular in the summer season. Great for families, it has shallow waters and a long stretch of golden sand. It's ideally close to Torquay town centre as well! The English Riviera is a beach lover's paradise!
Jurassic Coast Beaches
The beaches at Sidmouth are superb for families, with a combination of rock pools to explore, and golden sand at low tides. Right upto the red stone cliffs you have clean gentle pebbles. Check out Clifton beach with the red sandstone cliffs behind, and move to the eastern end towards Port Royal which is also a popular fishing location. You can hire beach huts at Jacob's Ladder where families can enjoy exploring the many rock pools at high tide, whilst at low tide the golden sands are exposed. Sidmouth beaches offer real variety, and check out Sidmouth Sailing Club's weblink to the right for details of Sidmouth sailing and fishing, plus news on Sidmouth's annual regatta organised by the sailing club.
South Hams Beaches
Blackpool Sands blue flag beach is one of the most popular, and one of the best along the South Devon/South Hams coast. Popular with watersports fans, Blackpool Sands offers excellent clear water swimming on it's award winning blue flag beach!
A host of great beach famly facilities awaits you at Blackpool Sands, including superb swimming in clean clear water, daily cleaning of the beach in peak summer season (no dogs are allowed on Blackpool Sands beach at all), a great cafe/the Venus Cafe serving breakfast, lunch and a choice range of ice creams, the Venus Beach Shop for beach clothes and games, showers, good disabled facilties, sand pits and a bathing raft, and to top it all a host of watersports including Surfski, kayak, boogie boards, wet suit and snorkel hire for snorkelling, surfing, kayaking and more! Also reassuring for families with children is the Lifeguard on duty during Summer months at Blackpool Sands. All in a superb South Devon family beach!
Teignmouth & Dawlish Beaches
Take your pick from three choice award winning beaches in the Dawlish area. Dawlish Warren Beach is a firm favourite with families, and has achieved blue flag status! Visitors to Dawlish Warren beach can expect endless golden sands, backed on by sand dunes acting as a good shelter. This is one of the UK's top 5 beaches! Facilities are numerous including lifeguards on the beach from May to September, deckchairs, a cafe, toilets and showers and more. Dawlish town has it's own beach as well, close to the town centre and a great beach for a dip! Why not go dolphin spotting from one of the many boat trips for pleasure or fishing!
For a cove beach crammed with rock pools check out Coryton Cove Dawlish. Occasional sightings of dolphins can be seen from this delightful cove award winning beach, which is nicely secluded and sandy for a quieter moment.
Teignmouth has an excellent selection of family friendly beaches with great amenities and all the usual seaside fayre! Check out Teignmouth Town Beach which is a long and sandy beach stretching all the way from the mouth of the River Teign east towards Dawlish. You'll find the historic Victorian Teignmouth Pier on this beach, from which many a Devon holidaymaker through the years has taken a pleasure boat trip along the coast.
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