Woolacombe Walks with Kids
Pick a walk for the children you have with you today: a short seafront stretch, a route with wheeled access notes, or a proper coast-path outing.
Start here
Choose the kind of walk, not the longest view
For toddlers, first-time visitors or a day when everyone is already beach-tired, make a short out-and-back on Woolacombe's seafront and turn around while it is still fun. There is no need to turn a leg-stretch into a coast-path challenge.
Need a buggy or wheeled option?
Look first at the National Trust's Woolacombe short circular via Combesgate. Its current trail information says it is suitable for Trampers and pushchairs, but the route also includes gates and ground that can be muddy. Read the official route notes before setting out, rather than assuming every part will suit your wheels.
Children happy on rough ground?
Morte Point is the choice for a family used to coastal paths, not a default village stroll. The National Trust describes parts of the route as uneven, rocky and steep. Our Morte Point walk with kids guide helps you decide whether the conditions and your group fit.
Want a longer walk?
Choose one established route and plan it properly. The walks to Mortehoe, Putsborough and Croyde each have their own route guides. This page is for comparing family fit, not replacing those directions.
For younger children
Keep the plan easy to shorten
A short seafront walk gives you the simplest escape route: turn back when little legs, snacks or the weather say it is time. For a more structured option, the National Trust's three-mile Combesgate circular starts at Esplanade car park and combines pavement, valley and woodland. Its official notes say the route has gentle inclines and descents, while a later woodland section can be very muddy underfoot.
That makes it a considered choice for a dry-day family walk, not a blanket promise of a clean or effortless buggy route. If you only need an easy route selector, see easy walks near Woolacombe. For the wider holiday plan, use Woolacombe with kids.
For older children
Save exposed coast paths for a settled day
The views around Mortehoe and Morte Point are memorable, but the trade-off is an exposed coast path. The National Trust identifies uneven ground on the path to Morte Point and advises that the wider Morte Point trail includes rocky and steep sections. Keep children close, use grippy footwear and be prepared to turn back before the route stops feeling comfortable.
The South West Coast Path reports that, south of Morte Point towards Woolacombe, a cliff fall previously severed the route and it has been diverted for part of the way onto a narrow road with no footway. Do not rely on an old map or a previous visit. Check the South West Coast Path around Woolacombe guide, then check the official route-notice service on the day.
For an individual route, use the detailed Woolacombe to Mortehoe walk guide. It is better to choose a shorter section you can enjoy than press on simply to complete a named walk.
Five-minute check
What to check before leaving the car park
- Route notices: check the South West Coast Path's current notices and diversions, plus any Devon County Council public-rights-of-way notices that affect your chosen path.
- Forecast: coastal wind, rain and visibility can make the same route feel very different. Check the Woolacombe weather forecast and reassess when you arrive.
- Footwear: save sandals for the beach. Coast paths and woodland can be slippery, uneven or muddy.
- Cliff edges: follow the path and keep children with you. The South West Coast Path safety advice specifically says to stay away from cliff edges and supervise children and dogs.
- Your turn-back plan: decide before you start what will make you return: rising wind, poor visibility, a child who is tiring, or ground that feels beyond the group.
Checked 14 July 2026
Authority source log
Access, parking, surfaces and diversions change. The practical statements on this page were checked on 14 July 2026 against the sources below. Signs and current notices on the day take priority.
- National Trust: Woolacombe short circular via Combesgate, for start point, terrain, pushchair/Tramper note and the muddy woodland warning.
- National Trust: Mortehoe and Morte Point walk, for Mortehoe access and Morte Point terrain.
- South West Coast Path: Mortehoe new path project and South West Coast Path walk database and notices, for the Morte Point diversion context and current checks.
- Devon County Council public rights of way, for local rights-of-way information and notices.
- South West Coast Path safety advice, for footwear, cliff-edge and child-supervision guidance.