Magical Croyde – and why it’s a family favourite, by Jess Brooks

FROM sand to surf and coastal paths to cream teas, there's so much to enjoy in Croyde, Devon.

It's a magical place, with superb sandy beaches, and must-see views.

“It’s a little bit of heaven” - that was what my uncle Nigel said when he moved to Croyde three years ago. And he was right.

When he first moved there, we went with him. We left with the car packed and Tilly (our border collie) wagging her tail in the back seat.

Croyde beach photo by FDWR on Flickr

As soon as we set eyes on a sign that said 'Croyde, 2 miles,' we could see how lovely the area was.

The cottages there were outstanding, like something out of a fairytale. A stream ran down the side off the road and adults and children, equipped with buckets and spades, surfboards and ice creams, strolled to the beach.

I couldn’t help but want to join them. After unpacking we took a walk down towards the beach, Tilly was straight in the stream of course.

We passed the few shops in the village – a surf shop, newsagent, and traditional ice cream parlour. "Anyone for mint choc chip?" I piped up.

Youngsters outside were covered head to toe in a mix of ice cream and sand but I had never seen children so happy.

After a five-minute walk we arrived at Croyde beach , one of three spectacular beaches to choose from.

There was so much to do. The scenic routes and coastal walks looked fantastic and the views from the beach were incredible.

Young children were running to the sea in their wet suits, there were kites in the air, sand dunes, volley ball games and cricket.

For the children, the fun didn’t stop. Croyde surf school was a great hit with tourists, teaching children of all ages how to surf and be safe in the water. Adults, meanwhile, had a chance to relax and take five.

Along with the attractions on the beach, there were a lot of other activities.

Horse riding was very popular with families as it kept everybody busy for a day and the whole family could get involved.

Barnstaple is just a ten minute drive up the road from Croyde and always has a lot going on too.

There are plenty of campsites in Croyde, which are suitable for all ages. There are also countless bed and breakfasts, along with two local pubs, The Thatch and Billy Budds which has an outdoor play area. Croyde is a great get away for you and the family with so much going on that you won’t know where to begin. I will definitely be back this year and so will the wetsuit!

* By Jess Brooks, 17.

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Judy Yorke

If you like Croyde, try Woolacombe just a couple of miles away – the beach is even better and there’s more to do!
http://www.havealovelytime.com Linda

Hi Judy – thanks for commenting! I have very hazy memories of Devon, I think Woolacombe rings more of a bell than Croyde! Jess loves it though, sounds great.
http://www.havealovelytime.com Jess

hi judy, thankyou for the comment, we have also been too woolacombe afew times and loved it!
Carmen7878

God …dont tell everyone about Croyde, its this type of hype that ruins places that people have enjoyed for years. We enjoy it because its unspoilt.
See what has happened to Woolacombe, its tacky, over run with tourists, full of holiday parks, cheap eateries and has lost all of its original appeal.
http://www.havealovelytime.com Linda

Hi Carmen – thank you for commenting but I’m afraid I don’t agree with you at all. This simple, affectionate piece has been written by someone about fond memories of a favourite destination in the hope of sharing it with others so they can enjoy it too – that’s the aim of this site and I don’t consider it as hype at all. I don’t really understand if you are a tourist to an area you should berate other people for enjoying it too – and I’m a fan of holiday parks as they provide, in many cases, excellent, well-priced accommodation for families – not everyone can afford the luxury or solitude of beautiful faraway hotspots and good luck to them. Some may call this tacky, same as they turn their nose up at elements of entertainment or culture, but I’m not a fan of snobbery.
http://www.smallbooks.co.uk Jane Matthews

I first went to Croyde Bay 30 years ago and don’t think there’s any danger of it turning into anything other than what it is. It’s something to do with the scale of the landscape: a really magical place.
It was, also, the first time I’d come across ice cream made with clotted cream and covered in a layer of clotted cream. Now I’m drooling!
http://www.dulwichdivorcee.blogspot.com Dulwich Divorcee

Go Linda! I completely agree with you. I went to Lulworth Cove at the weekend and it was packed but the atmosphere was lovely
http://www.havealovelytime.com Linda

Oh I like the sound of that! Sounds a bit better than Mr Whippy. Thanks Jane!
http://www.havealovelytime.com/camilla Camilla

Sounds lovely, just the sort of place my children would really enjoy.
Personally I don’t think its tourists that ruin an area, it’s the local businesses who want to cash in on them.
http://www.littlemummy.com Littlemummy

I agree with Camilla, I think if the businesses stay authentic and in keeping with the area that would help a lot.
http://www.havealovelytime.com Linda

Hi Camilla and Erica – thanks for reading and for commenting. I’m sorry things have been quieter than usual on this blog for a couple of days for reasons out of my control – when a post like Jess’s gets such interesting comments then I know it’s worthwhile.
http://www.singleparentdad.blogspot.com SingleParentDad

Linda clearly likes it rough.
http://englishmum.com English Mum

What a lovely piece – you can’t beat a beautiful English beach resort and I wholeheartedly agree with Camilla – it’s not visitors that ruin a resort, it’s silly people trying to cash in. What a lovely pic too, Jess! xx
http://www.havealovelytime.com Linda

Hi Ian, I am going to have to come and slap your legs.
Hi Becky – yeah it’s a great pic isn’t it.
http://www.beingamummy.co.uk zooarchaeologist

We stayed at the lighthouse in Woolacombe a few years ago, it was fab. I quite like a bit of tack whilst im on holiday and as far as I recall, Croyde has always been a little bit backwards. It also has a surf festival so I would have thought that would do more to encourage tourists than anything else…
Anyhow, If you have legs and you use them you can always walk away from the crowds where ever you go in the UK!
Carmen7878

Linda, It has nothing to do with snobbery, I am casting an opinion on the effect of tourism on a village that is very small and at peak season struggles to cope with the influx. There is no doubt people will be drawn to such a breathtakingly beautiful area, I have been going for 25 years myself and I have seen changes both for the good and the bad.
I have been watching your comments on twitter about me with interest! A simple different of opinion seems to have caused such a hive of response activity!
http://www.havealovelytime.com Linda

Hello Carmen – I did think your comment came across as snobbery as it was in the first instance – as I’ve said but I’m not offended by them at all and I too was suprised to see people respond in the way they have – but then I did say I was irritated by the comment – and then of course I respond too – all I’m saying is that for me, I find it odd to say, as a tourist that writing about a place someone has enjoyed is ‘hype’ and that this will spoil things for those lucky enough to have discovered the destination before anyone else – I just don’t think that follows.
At the end of the day whenever any of us discover a place to go and enjoy we are all tourists and this site has been set up to share the good stuff! This sounds a wonderful area – may even have to go myself! I hope you continue to have a fantastic time there. Some of the commenters here are saying what you have in this comment just now and I can totally see where you are coming from there – and do of course that doesn’t sound like snobbery – but it’s still an alien notion to me to label holiday parks etc as ‘tacky – perhaps that’s just because it’s what we are used to! I know plenty of people feel that way! Feel free to let me know your Twitter name and then we can perhaps discuss further places some more!
http://www.newcombe.co.uk/media Rachel

Glad to hear that you enjoyed Croyde so much, Jess!
It is a lovely place and, although it is very popular and very busy during the summer months, especially with surfers, it’s not been over commericalised.
I can highly recommend doing the walk at Baggy Point, at the far end of Croyde, where there’s a National Trust carpark. You can walk all around the cliffs and there are stunning views.
With regards to Carmen’s comments about Woolacombe, the beach there is so huge that it’s possible to get far enough away from the crowds to not be on top of everyone else if you don’t want to be (if, for example, you park on Marine Drive and go down the dunes from there). Alternatively, there’s the lovely Mortehoe just around the corner.
http://www.arewenearlythereyetmummy.com Laura Driver

I remember holidays in Woolacombe over 25 years ago. makes me feel old. Lovely beaches. Will have to try Croyde sometime. Lovely pictures Jess.
http://www.havealovelytime.com jess

thankyou for all your comments.
the feedback on here is understandable, although there is no room in Croyde to commercialise it.
its a small village surrounded by scenic routes and Croyde beach. Croyde has stayed the way it is for years!
http://www.havealovelytime.com Linda

Jess – thank you again for writing this and sharing your happy memories of Croyde. I hope this has been an interesting and worthwhile first step into blogging for you! Great to see so many comments, so well done you!