Beaches near Woolacombe: where to go after the main beach
Use this as a choice guide from a Woolacombe base: long sand, smaller coves, walking-led stops and a different surf-beach feel, with the checks to make before you set off.
Start here
Choose by the kind of day you want
If you want the easiest long sandy day, stay with Woolacombe or look along the bay to Putsborough Sands. For a smaller cove close to the village, compare Barricane Beach and Combesgate Beach, but check tide and access first. For a different surf-beach atmosphere, look at Croyde Beach or Saunton Sands. For a walking-led stop rather than a full bucket-and-spade day, consider Lee Bay after checking the route, tide and on-site signs.
Current-check line: before leaving Woolacombe, check tide, weather, parking/access, dog rules and beach-safety information for the beach you have chosen. Local signs and lifeguard flags on the day take priority over any guide.
Decision cards
Nearby beaches, by day type
Putsborough Sands
Good fit for: a long sandy day at the south end of Woolacombe Bay.
Choose Putsborough when your group wants beach space and a bay feel without being in the centre of Woolacombe. The beach manager describes a beachside car park adjoining the sands, but do not rely on space being available in peak periods.
Check first: current parking/access, dog signs, tide state and lifeguard information.
Barricane Beach
Good fit for: a smaller cove stop close to Woolacombe.
Woolacombe tourism and Visit Devon describe Barricane as a small shell beach close to the village and a rock-pooling option. Treat it as a tide-aware cove visit rather than a guaranteed all-day spread-out beach.
Check first: tide height, current access, dog signs and whether there is enough beach for your group.
Combesgate Beach
Good fit for: a smaller sandy cove when your group can manage steps.
Woolacombe tourism describes Combesgate as reached by steep steps, with access also possible from Barricane at low tide. Visit Devon notes limited beach at high tide, so build this choice around the tide table.
Check first: tide, step access, dog restrictions, toilets and whether the route suits everyone in your group.
Croyde Beach
Good fit for: a different surf-beach atmosphere and a village beach day.
Visit Devon lists Croyde as a sandy beach with a beach car park and disabled parking; RNLI describes it as a surf beach with powerful waves, rip currents and heavy sandbars. That makes current safety advice important, not optional.
Check first: RNLI patrol dates, flags, surf conditions, dog restrictions and parking/access before travel.
Saunton Sands
Good fit for: a wide, open sandy beach with a different feel from Woolacombe.
Saunton's beach manager describes the beach as dog-friendly throughout the year. Its scale and exposed setting can suit a long beach walk, but conditions, access and safety still need a day-of check.
Check first: beach-manager dog guidance, parking/access, weather, wind and lifeguard or safety information.
Lee Bay
Good fit for: a coastal village and cove stop, especially as part of a walk.
North Devon Council lists Lee Bay among its owned beaches. Explore Devon describes facilities including a picnic site above the beach, a toilet block, parking, footpaths, nearby shops and cafes, and rocky-shore terrain.
Check first: tide, rocky terrain, current facilities, parking/access and local signs before committing to a beach session.
Planning logic
How to narrow the choice from Woolacombe
- For a simple sandy day: compare Woolacombe and Putsborough first. Use the Woolacombe beach guide and nearby beaches hub if you are deciding before breakfast.
- For a cove stop: Barricane and Combesgate are close to the village, but both are more tide-sensitive than a long open beach. Check tide times and signs, and avoid promising the group a big sandy spread at high water.
- For a different surf setting: Croyde and Saunton change the mood of the day. Croyde needs particular care because RNLI flags powerful waves and rip currents in its beach information. Saunton is broad and exposed, so wind and conditions matter.
- For a walk-first plan: Lee Bay can work better as a coastal stop than a facilities-heavy family beach day. Check the route, terrain and facilities before setting off.
This page is a chooser, not the full regional list. For a wider view use North Devon beaches; for detailed individual planning, follow the beach-specific pages linked above.
On the day
Safety and access checks before you go
Do not treat any nearby beach as automatically suitable for swimming, paddling, surfing or rock-pooling. Tide, wind, surf, access, flags and local restrictions can change the day quickly.
- Check the current tide information before choosing a cove or walking around rocks.
- Use the North Devon beach safety guide before swimming or bodyboarding away from Woolacombe.
- Check RNLI or BeachSafe information for the beach you plan to visit, then follow the flags and signs when you arrive.
- Check dog signs on arrival. Dog rules can vary by beach, zone and season.
- If access involves steps, narrow lanes, uneven paths or rocky terrain, decide whether that works for everyone in your group before you leave Woolacombe.
Checked 14 July 2026
Source and date log
- Woolacombe & Mortehoe tourism: local beaches - Barricane and Combesgate descriptions, access notes, toilets and seasonal dog-access wording. Checked 14 July 2026.
- Visit Devon: Barricane Beach - rock-pooling and dog-access summary. Checked 14 July 2026.
- Visit Devon: Combesgate Beach - step access, high-tide caveat and dog-access summary. Checked 14 July 2026.
- Putsborough Sands: car parking - beachside car park and beach-manager visitor information. Checked 14 July 2026.
- Visit Devon: Croyde Beach - beach type, car park and dog-access summary. Checked 14 July 2026.
- RNLI: Croyde Beach - lifeguarded beach page, surf hazards and current safety guidance. Checked 14 July 2026.
- Saunton Beach - beach-manager dog-friendly statement and beach information. Checked 14 July 2026.
- North Devon Council: beaches in North Devon - council-owned beach list and dog-control context, including Lee Bay. Checked 14 July 2026.
- Explore Devon: Lee Bay - facilities and rocky-shore terrain. Checked 14 July 2026.
- RNLI: find a lifeguarded beach - day-of lifeguard and safety checking. Checked 14 July 2026.
Variable details such as parking, toilets, dog access, lifeguard cover, tide suitability, access and swimming conditions can change. Check official sources and on-site signs on the day.