Does anyone know Ilfracombe?

[IlanaK]

If so, can you tell me if there is a FREE beach in Ilfracombe itself? I have searched online and only come up with the tunnel beach which is a paid attraction. I am thinking of booking a holiday there (without a car) and need to be sure there is a beach that we can walk to that I don't need to pay £6.50 a day for the family to use.

Yes there is, it's quite small, but sandy with lots of rocks, good for rock pools, and a stream running down it.

Thank you. Is it central - walkable?

Does it have to be Ilfracombe?

There are other places nearby that have lovely beaches.... Saunton, Croyde, Woolacombe, Putsborough etc.

How are you getting to Ilfracombe without a car?

I went there on holiday last year, I got 3 trains and a bus!
It's quite nice but hilly. The beaches are not sandy. Nice to spend a day at but I think I would stay elsewhere another time. Loved Woolacombe beach.

Where would you be staying? I was lucky to have a fab apartment 9 Searock Apartments if you want to google which was central and a short walk from beach.
The walk between the town centre and beach is VERY steep and hard with young children/buggy.
There were lots of apartments and B+Bs around. Some were further out of town. Think the John Fowler holiday parks are quite a way out from the centre and I know this would not have suited me.

http://www.choicecottages.info/propdetail.asp?pid=155# this is the place I was thinking of booking. It seems very near to everything, including the harbour. We are going in April so swimming on the beach is not an option, but the kids would like to play in the sand (I thought tunnels beach was sandy?)

We are in central London so it is one train to Exeter St David and then another to Barnstaple. We will take a taxi from there - about 10 miles. I have looked at Croyde, but everything is waaaay too expensive and also there is less to do there without a car. Woolacombe has a nice beach, but not much else. What I liked about Ilfracombe is that there was more variety in the town and also there were buses to go to Woolacombe and Combe Martin. From Croyde, the only buses seem to take you back to Barnstaple.

We really enjoyed a similar holiday in Weymouth and I thought Ilfracombe might be the same sort of place.

Please do tell me if I am wrong though! I don't want to book and make a mistake.

Try that link again: here

I have a vague idea that you can buy a weekly pass to the tunnels beach that doesn't cost much more than a daily pass, if that's any help? We went to the tunnels beach on a hot day a few years ago, and the beach pools were absolutely icy cold.

I would seriously reconsider staying in Ilfracombe. Woolacombe beach is much, much nicer and there is far more to do than in Ilfracombe. The little beach at Ilfracombe is not sandy nor particularly attractive for young children to play on.

hmmmm.....ok, What is there to do in Woolacombe then?

Woolacombe - several different beaches, rock pools, rocks to climb on, surfing, body boarding - and beach is MASSIVE and there's a part you can take dogs on if you have one. Large stretch where no dogs allowed if you want to keep away. And I've never seen a dog poo - people always pick them up. At one end of the beach there are the usual swing boats/bouncy castle/trampolines. Think there's crazy golf and a proper golf course. Pleanty of restaurants etc.

BUT make sure you stay right down in the town as there's a long steep hill leading up from it. Alternatively there's a caravan park some way away with a free bus service to the town.

Woolacombe is great - loads nicer than Ilfracombe which is tacky/grubby imho

The problem is that we are going in April so we can't guarrantee the weather. So beaches are all well and good if the weather is ok, but otherwise will we be stuck with nothing to do?

Perhaps we need to look at South Devon. I just fancied North Devon.

There's plenty to do in the area if you piled on the bus? I would rather have a wet week in Woolacombe than Ilfracombe personally!

Ditto fortyplus. Ilfracombe can be pretty grim in the wet!