Woolacombe is renowned for its three miles of golden sandy beaches and incredible surf. The pristine and expansive beach has won multiple awards, most notably being voted "Number 6 in Europe and Number 20 in the World in the 2020 Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards". UK surfers flock from all over the country to enjoy the fantastic waves and the village has established itself as the heart of North Devon's beach culture. Woolacombe offers a friendly, welcoming and lively community that perfectly caters for the needs of visitors.
Aside from popular large beach there are also many smaller, more hidden beaches such as Barricane (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and Combesgate. These beaches offer the perfect escape for people looking to while away the hours hunting in rockpools and collecting seashells.
For more see our Woolacombe guide and the Ocean Cottages Blog for advice on what to do, where to eat, and what's on!
Woolacombe beach is easily accessed from the village by foot. Our luxury high-end cottages take advantage of the short distance to the beach and the spectacular views over the bay. Whether it's a cottage or penthouse apartment, we provide the perfect base for you to explore the surrounding North Devon countryside and soft sandy beach.
Woolacombe Beach Facilities
- Café/restaurant
- Toilets with facilities for disabled visitors
- Disabled access to the beach
- Deckchair hire, surfboard hire, lifeguards
- Three beach Car Parks and parking along the Esplanade
- Nearby village shops; newsagents, grocery shop, surf shops, pubs and bars
- Post office
- Chemist
- Cash points
- The tourist information centre
NOTE: Woolacombe is a dog friendly beach (year-round) However dogs are not permitted between the rocks at the North end of the beach and the stream from (1st April - November) this is a very small area in comparison to the rest of the beach. Dogs must be on leads from the stream to Mill Rock but maybe exercised without restriction from Mill Rock onwards.
Need some inspiration to help find your perfect Woolacombe holiday cottage?
Below are some suggestions based of our most popularly asked questions.
- Families planning on bringing everything they need to enjoy the beach will want somewhere like Skylark, which has three bedrooms and lots of space plus a storage area for surfboards.
- Large groups will welcome the flexibility that comes with booking adjoining Woolacombe holiday cottages such as High Tides and The Breakers which together sleep up to 12, or one larger property like The Penthouse, Narracott which sleeps 10.
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Couples looking for wonderful views might choose somewhere like 3 Gull Rock, a two-bedroom apartment with fabulous sea views from the balcony.
Browse our Cottage Collections for properties with: hot tubs, sea views and large gardens, plus cottages for couples, pet friendly cottages, large cottages for groups and cosy cottages