Has anyone been to any N Devon beaches?

[mybabywakesupsinging]

...is Westward Ho! nice? We are after sand...as the dc will be 6, 4 and 0.
All the websites say good area for surfing - does that mean they are very windy/exposed?

Now I have given up on any more camping weekends this year I am wondering where I can rent a house next summer (lots of family will come) - we've been to S Wales and E Sussex recently, so I was looking for somewhere different to visit. I love Norfolk, but we will probably camp there a lot, so somewhere else, southern half of the country (warmer)...

Westward Ho is not brilliant for small children - Woolacombe, Putsborough and Saunton Sands are the best really. Putsborough is particularly excellent, lots of rock pools and very sheltered.

Croyde, Croyde, Croyde,Croyde

we liked croyde ... sand , rock pools, beautiful location

(ohh and nice village, good pubs)

No, Westward Ho is windy as heck. Plus Westward Ho town is grotty.

Putsborough is the best beach in North Devon by FAR (I am right because I lived there for 28 years). It is the other end from Woolacombe, and because it is more difficult to get to (country lanes accessed via Croyde) it is far less busy. You have to pay a fiver to park there. Be careful in the sea there, however, as there are very strong rip tides.

Woolacombe is nice, however you will be pestered by your kids to go on the merry go round/swings/min train/have an ice cream etc.

Croyde is also very nice, however Saunton Sands is beautiful (it is at the opposite end of Westward Ho over the estuary, but is far less windy). Theer are also loads of dunes as it backs on to Branton Burrows - it is a lovely walk if you park at Braunton Burrows car park and walk across (about 2 miles or so) to the beach.

Tunnels beach in Ilfracombe is good - you walk through man made tunnels to get to 2 sheltered coves. It is shingle as opposed to sand, however it has a big rock pool designed as a swimming pool on the beach, is really well run and has a BAR so you can have a glass of wine as you go paddling.

Thank you - that's just what I needed to know - I thought might be windy. Don't mind a grotty town, but we had a beach holiday pretty much written off by the wind once and I'm now a bit wary of big exposed beaches that say "wonderful surfing"...
I will have a look for somewhere around saunton/croyde.
DH remembers Brean (?sp) sands further along the coast in Somerset as nice too.

Saunton Sands - the dunes are great for little kids and for barbeques in windy weather. But..there is often a strong rip so not so good for swimming (fab for surfing though!)

I agree with getorfmoiland. Putsborough is lovely and in my opinion is the best beach in Devon. It has been our preferred beach for 14 years of living in devon from when my DC were young and now they head up there on their own to surf - it may be dear to park, but the toilets are very clean and there is a beach shower, plus a pretty nice beach cafe which serves very good hot chocolate! There can also be rips just off shore, but it's much less exposed than Saunton.

Croyde has a lovely beach and good lifeguards, but it can get crowded at peak times.

Do watch your DC on the N Devon beaches though as the tide does tend to race in!

thank you.
dc are very small and only at the gentle paddling stage, so hopefully they are safe if only in up to their knees.

Not Westward Ho!

It was all a bit grotty and run down last time I went. Also we nearly got blown off of the pebble ridge.

Croyde and Saunton are both lovely.

this place is lovely. Very peaceful and good base for some of the beaches mentioned. We had a lovely weekend there this summer at a wedding.

What about Bude? Is it any good with kids under 5? Sorry to hijack!

I don't like Bude personally, the beach seems muddy (however that could be my inbred devon/Cornwall prejudice coming out )

Brean Sands is bloody 'orrible.

Another vote for Saunton - lovely beach and have many happy memories of taking my boys there year ago.

Westward Ho is windy and skanky in high season. Croyde/Saunton Sands are much nicer.

Bude is OK but can be holiday-camped out in high season.

Is it sand or rockpools or surfing or an all-day beach you need?

Bude -I love Bude, the town has a good vibe about it. Very surfy, lots of young people but not necessarily child focussed IYSWIM.

Woolacombe and Croyde -also like and would recommend these.

Brean -hell no. There might be vast expanse of sand but not much to be said about the area around it other than huge tacky theme/amusement park, Butlins or Pontins (can't remember which) and caravan sites galore.

Another vote for Putsborough - very sheltered and some great big rocks on the beach you can put your gear on/take shelter against.

6 quid to park though I think . Mind you all the beaches are expensive to park around there, I think you pay the same for Croyde and Saunton (which are both lovely too but we found them windier).

Well between me and my sisters we will have 7 kids ranging from 3-17. The older ones are sorted with surfing but I hope there's enough to keep my 3 and 5 year old happy. So looking for nice sandy beach, rock pools etc

See I quite like Westward ho for the rockpools and the cliff walks. Next-door Northam burrows is great for blowing off steam and Appledore Quay good for crabbing.

Westward Ho can be a bit lairy though, no doubt about it!

If this is the Hates Westward Ho! Club, can I join? We went to Combe Martin recently, and the beaches were perfect for a 4 and 1 year old - rockpools, rocks, pebbles, little streams etc. But not sandy. There are a few little beaches near Woolacombe, like Mortehoe, which are not quite so exposed and windy.

Then at Combe martin you could go to the dinosaur park which is comedy gold

I vote Croyde or Woolacombe. We stayed in a cottage in Croyde this year, it was lovely, beach was great, good pubs that have good climbing frame for occupying children.

Not Westward Ho!

Woolacombe, Putsborough, Croyde, Saunton Sands. If Woolacombe then not just the main beach but the next one along (100 metres or so) for pretty shells - apparently washed on currents from the Carribean

Bude has nice beach but town horribly tacky

We went to the Saunton / Croyde area in September and it was just fabulous for beaches. DS (nearly 2) loved it. I would highly, highly recommend the cottage we stayed at - link here - about 12 cottages on site, an indoor playroom and outdoor play equipment for toddlers and older kids too, plus swimming pool. The owners were lovely and friendly and the cottage was well fitted out and v clean. A few people there had booked more than one as staying as extended family. I have no connection with them, but loved it and will be booking to go back. It's near Braunton which is under 10 mins' drive from Saunton Sands.

Agree about Westward Ho! too - it's a big expansive beach but a bit bleak, and there's nothing else there. I stayed nearby a few years ago, before having DS, and wouldn't go back now as there isn't much for kids to do.

fortyplus -if you find Bude tacky do not...I repeat DO NOT... go anywhere near Paignton

Croyde. And Croyde. And then there's always Croyde.