Woolacombe Beach
Woolacombe Beach
4.5
About
Woolacombe beach is family owned & family run with families in mind. We provide car parks, a lifeguard service, toilets, first aid and food and beach goods outlets.
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- Lisa BKent, United Kingdom32 contributionsSimply the best to meMany visits over the years & still my favourite place to be. Dog friendly and always best for me personally out of season come rain or shine it’s perfect. If you ever go to North Devon do take a little trip to Woolacombe Bay. And if you do so on a sunny day, stay for the sunset, it’s worth it!Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 14 October 2023
- phil69 contributionsGreat beach but parking a real problemFantastic beach but the parking is expensive and restricted compared to previous visits. When we visited few years ago in October the parking was free but returning now it’s not until November. There have always been car parks you could pay for and they’re still the same but to have no free parking is bad for business and as many other reviewers have commented they won’t come back I can see real evidence of the towns shops suffering with one shop keeper commenting it’s not been a good summer! Such a shame the change the parking (council presumably) just to grab a few extra quid at the expense of the town!Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 20 October 2023
- Divebubbles24567 contributionsPerfect beach for the whole family.A great beach for children to play on some rock pools on one side and plenty of flat sandy beach. Perfect beach for surfing. The beach toilets weren't open when we went which was a shame and it was busy so you have to walk to the ones in town although it's not that far away. Parking here is the biggest challenge. In the town there are a few shops, chip shops, cafes, pizza van, pasty shop etc. You can get a hot drink and food after your surf/swim. Our children love it here and as there is so much open space it's great for kite flying too.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 31 October 2023
- James G21 contributionsStunning beach and surrounds. Great walks. Well worth a visit.Stunning long and wide beach the golden sands. Great cliff walk to lighthouse and one end, and town at the other end. Decent facilities (cafe, toilets, changing etc) nearby. Dogs allowed (all year across whole beach and part of the beach in summer). The car park was very expensive though if only there for an hour or two (£5 for any time). And its surface quality was poor.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 20 February 2024
- Louise PBerkshire, United Kingdom87 contributionsLovely big sandy beachWhat a lovely sandy beach. It’s very long, so can have a good walk from one end to the other. Dogs love it as there’s so much space for them to run around. Didn’t see any dog mess, which was good. Perfect sea for surfing too.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 6 March 2024
- gabbow28Exeter, United Kingdom3 contributionsBest part about WoolacombeProbably my favourite beach in the UK. I think it’s privately owned but means it’s always kept very clean. Dog friendly which many in the area aren’t during the summer. Best part about Woolacombe. You can walk for miles.Visited March 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 29 March 2024
- BarrowlandWest Midlands, United Kingdom204 contributionsOne of the better UK beachesMade the mistake of visiting during the May Half Term holiday, on what I think was the only non-rainy day, and it was PACKED. But if you're willing to be a bit further from the facilities (e.g. bring your own food and drink), the stretch southwards where Woolacombe Beach fades into Putsborough Beach is a lot quieter. Quite far to the sea when the tide is out, but the whole beach is really clean, sand is soft, and the sea here is quite clear. Nice place to spend a day, or walk for a while. Lifeguards on duty communicate any issues. Parking in the main two car parks in Woolacombe is limited, but there is tons of space in the overflow. Both cost £10 a day, or £5 if arriving after 4pm.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 1 June 2024
- ChrisHinckley, United Kingdom1,053 contributionsGoodWe were staying in the area and decided to visit here as the weather was good. The beach is nice to walk on. There are toilet facilities near the car park. The car park is a good size, there is parking along the road but it gets busyVisited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 15 June 2024
- Alison B2 contributionsSafe and Dog FriendlyThis is a fantastic beach with firm sand and lifeguards in attendance to ensure safe bathing. This beach is great because it is split into 3 areas. One area is totally dog free, another area is dogs on a lead and the final area is dogs allowed off lead. So, everyone is catered for. However, as a dog owner, there was an absence of dog bins along this beach which is 3 miles long! Apart from the entrance to the beach, we didn't encounter any whilst walking so, make sure your dog toilets by the bins otherwise you will be carrying it for a good while!Visited July 2024Travelled with familyWritten 13 July 2024
- TaylorsouthwestTaunton, United Kingdom403 contributionsLovely visitDespite some rainy and cloudy weather amongst some sunny days, Woolacombe never disappoints. There's always a walk to be had or a rest on the beach, the dog to have fun and a run or a dig. Plenty of space and fresh air and a dip in the sea. It's great therapy and other than the carpark it's free.Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 28 July 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
3,831 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
537
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105
Poor
39
Terrible
41
Martin M
Exeter, UK100 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Visited February half-term with youngish family. Beach car park only takes exact change (£3) and public toilets mostly closed. The open toilets were so filthy that they were all but unusable. Of course, the beach is fantastic but even access to it is down decrepit steps which stop eight foot above the beach - just as well the sand has filled the gap. It’s only 6 weeks until Easter yet the whole place seems as if it has no interest in visitors and runs on a shoestring. Not long to high season- NDDC and Parkin Estates really need to take a long hard look at what they’re offering. There are other beaches and it wouldn’t take much to go elsewhere for a much better experience.
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking time review the beach and car park.
Your comment re the price and car park system was correct but we have an attendant on duty during the opening hours in the 'hut' adjacent the vehicular entrance and exit to the car park who has change available. Yes, the toilets are shut this time of year but North Devon District Council's toilets opposite our car park entrance are open 24/7 and normally suffice. I am presuming that these were the ones that you found 'filthy' so will pass your comments onto them. Nevertheless, less we do review our operating procedures constantly so will be considering your comments re toilet opening hours.
The drop onto the beach occurs after winter storms and we monitor it daily, the sand that you mention that had infilled was actually placed there by us as we are very aware of the huge tidal and sand movements that we have to deal with. I am unsure as to which steps you refer but that area is to be updated. You may have noticed the fencing and scaffolding between Beachcomber Cafe and the closed toilets. We have spent £147,562 to date on the piling and clearance of the old unstable wall and ground. It is estimated another £95k will spent on further piling and the creation of a base for an infill building. The building's ball park figure cost £300k - £350k will be additional.
To conclude, I cannot speak for the village but we are well aware of the Easter School holidays and will be more than ready for them. However, weather plays an important factor in our preparation so we cannot begin our annual painting of all of the company properties adjacent the beach until the seemingly constant rain ceases.
Written 27 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Holly
Marple, UK13 contributions
Jul 2020 • Friends
Amazing beach for both sunny and rainy days. On a sunny day it is a great spacious beach for sitting in the sun and going for a swim/bodyboard and the sunset is one of the best I’ve seen. If it’s raining take the 3mile walk to puttsburough beach and watch the local surfers/kit surfers in their element.
Written 24 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HayleyBrailey
Hollingbourne, UK24 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Great beach for a general beach day as well as water sports. We hired wet suits and body boards with ease and we spent 9 hours on this beach.
Water sports hire is right on the beach and reasonably priced, as well as deck chair and wind break hire.
Great for crabbing and lots of local places for ice cream and snacks. Reasonable car park right on the sea front too. £5 until 1 and £10 all day. Unlike Putsborough where we could only pay £9 for the day (we wanted to nip in a see the view and pay for a hour), woolacombe was reasonable.
Water sports hire is right on the beach and reasonably priced, as well as deck chair and wind break hire.
Great for crabbing and lots of local places for ice cream and snacks. Reasonable car park right on the sea front too. £5 until 1 and £10 all day. Unlike Putsborough where we could only pay £9 for the day (we wanted to nip in a see the view and pay for a hour), woolacombe was reasonable.
Written 27 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MrsWYN-R
North Yorkshire, UK3,409 contributions
Aug 2020
We attempted to get to the beach yesterday, one of the hottest days of the year. The car queues down the hilly road to the resort between 9.30 and 10.00 was backed for miles so we decided to turn around and leave.
We returned in the evening at approximately 7pm, parking in the furthest away car park was free after 6.30 pm, the one closest to the facilities was still charging £4 at that time.
I was hoping for some lovely sunset photographs only the sea mist descended and everything disappeared. Most people were leaving the beach at this time and there were plenty of parking spaces only no views to see. Pleased I got my photos when I did - well worth a visit though stunning beach.
We returned in the evening at approximately 7pm, parking in the furthest away car park was free after 6.30 pm, the one closest to the facilities was still charging £4 at that time.
I was hoping for some lovely sunset photographs only the sea mist descended and everything disappeared. Most people were leaving the beach at this time and there were plenty of parking spaces only no views to see. Pleased I got my photos when I did - well worth a visit though stunning beach.
Written 8 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen G
3 contributions
May 2021
I love Woolacombe .But the car park there is a absolute rip off. I visited it on May 3rd at about 4.30pm.I went for a walk with elderly friends one of which fell over so we had to go back to the car early.I was then charged £8 for that short stay.It is criminal to charge those prices.There is no facility for staying a short time like the system they have at Saunton Sands.You should only have to pay for the time you are there.
God knows what they are going to charge in the high season.
Sadly I will no longer visit Woolacombe while they are ripping people off that car park.Because they have the monopoly here with the car park they are charging too much.It is ok for people who wish to stay all day but not for people who wish to visit the lovely beach for a couple of hours.Shame on North Devon Council for letting this go on.Put in ticket machine here and let us pay for what we use.
God knows what they are going to charge in the high season.
Sadly I will no longer visit Woolacombe while they are ripping people off that car park.Because they have the monopoly here with the car park they are charging too much.It is ok for people who wish to stay all day but not for people who wish to visit the lovely beach for a couple of hours.Shame on North Devon Council for letting this go on.Put in ticket machine here and let us pay for what we use.
Written 10 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello and thank you for your review. I believe that you have already emailed me and that I have answered your points, so I am at risk of repeating myself here.
I quite agree that we would be more user friendly if we could charge by the hour. However, we are a private company not a local authority so if we used pay and display machines and someone did not pay we do not have access to DVLA data and we do not have the powers to fine people either.
There are two other options ie the system whereby you collect a ticket from a machine on entry and prior to leaving insert it in another machine, pay and then use that ticket at an exit barrier and the second is use of ANPR machines – auto number plate recognition. The former system requires the tickets to be pristine to be read and two companies have refused to sell them to us as tickets contaminated with sun cream, sand or simply damp would not be read. ANPR (as used at Saunton) is not an option either as in the height of the season visitors tend to arrive together and then leave at a similar time causing huge queues. ANPR relies on cars being well spaced as they approach the barriers and the number of parking spaces that we have (far more than Saunton) preclude that too. In addition, ANPR cannot read personalised or modified number plates which have customised spacing of their letter and numbers.
So, our only option is our present system. Should you leave by 1pm the charge is half the day fee (£4 at the moment). Should you enter after 5pm then the charge is £4 until closure at 9pm. Should you enter after 1pm but prior to 5pm then you will incur the daily fee of £8 as you did. This is all well signed at the entrance.
It should also be noted that it is our car park fees that enable us to pay £85k annually for the RNLI's seasonal lifeguards, keep the beach clean at an annual cost of £35k - £40k just to dispose of debris brought in by the sea, and £19k - £21k to dispose of the rubbish collected in our litter bins. The marine debris and litter costs do not include staff wages or the running costs of equipment that we use. We also provide first class public toilets that many reviewers comment on. I trust this response gives you more of an understanding of our operation.
Written 12 May 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jodene M
Dagenham, UK79 contributions
Feb 2020
We visited Woolacombe in February for the half-term. It's out of season so it was cold our visit came on the back of storms Ciara and Dennis.
The beach itself is beautiful and it's surrounded by green hills. It's serviced by a car park which works on a barrier system where you pay £3 (cash) for all day parking.
I can see why this beach is ranked so highly and is award winning. What lets it down is the lack of facilities nearby. Many of the restaurants and bars don't open out of season even though their websites say they're always open. The local cashpoints all charge for you to take out cash...which is needed for the car park.
I can see why this is a surfers paradise. The waves are strong and choppy. It's all very dramatic and unpredictable. We paddled into the sea with the waves lapping at our ankles when all of a sudden a freak wave splashed up and drenched us.
My daughter (9 years said): Where to start? It was incredibly windy and every time you took a step closer to the sea you felt you was being pushed back. The sea had massive waves so when you dipped your feet into the sea it could have sucked you in. The view wasn't marvellous you looked behind your self and there was a car park and you look ahead to see a large wave over-taking the sea. Do not go in Autumn or Winter but Spring and Summer are reccomended for sure.
The beach itself is beautiful and it's surrounded by green hills. It's serviced by a car park which works on a barrier system where you pay £3 (cash) for all day parking.
I can see why this beach is ranked so highly and is award winning. What lets it down is the lack of facilities nearby. Many of the restaurants and bars don't open out of season even though their websites say they're always open. The local cashpoints all charge for you to take out cash...which is needed for the car park.
I can see why this is a surfers paradise. The waves are strong and choppy. It's all very dramatic and unpredictable. We paddled into the sea with the waves lapping at our ankles when all of a sudden a freak wave splashed up and drenched us.
My daughter (9 years said): Where to start? It was incredibly windy and every time you took a step closer to the sea you felt you was being pushed back. The sea had massive waves so when you dipped your feet into the sea it could have sucked you in. The view wasn't marvellous you looked behind your self and there was a car park and you look ahead to see a large wave over-taking the sea. Do not go in Autumn or Winter but Spring and Summer are reccomended for sure.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eleanor H
Cardiff, UK37 contributions
Aug 2022
Beautiful, clean sandy beach, with plenty of space for loads of visitors. Excellent toilets, clean and well maintained. Life guards, and designated areas for swimmers and surfers. Access to small cafe and beach shops, with surf hire, buckets and spades, ice cream, etc at beach entrance. The car parking is £12 for the day, which is not bad if you are planning to stay the whole day, but if you only want to visit for an hour, it is inflexible. Afternoon only charge of £5 from after 4pm (from memory), but no possibility of an hourly charge. If you want to visit for a shorter amount of time, you are better off trying to get a space on the Esplanade, with a pay and display machine.
Written 18 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica
West Bromwich, UK5 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
We always try and visit Woolacombe once a year and we are never disappointed when we do. The lifeguards are on the ball and are always monitoring to ensure everybody’s safety. Very clean as there are many bins available.
The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is the cafe at the top of the stairs near the slope, we found it to be extremely overpriced for the quality of food and the two ladies serving were not the most pleasant, felt like an inconvenience to them. Would rather walk into Woolacombe and visit Fudgies to buy lunch.
The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is the cafe at the top of the stairs near the slope, we found it to be extremely overpriced for the quality of food and the two ladies serving were not the most pleasant, felt like an inconvenience to them. Would rather walk into Woolacombe and visit Fudgies to buy lunch.
Written 4 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MumandDad676
Carlisle, UK122 contributions
Aug 2020
A fantastic beach with miles of clean sand. There is very good quick food and ice creams on site, a little more expensive than you would normally pay; but you're paying for the convenience. Toilets are clean and well maintained and there is a shop for all you beach essentials. We went here twice during our holiday; once on a dull afternoon when parking cost £5 and once arriving at 10 am on a lovely sunny day; when parking was £10 for the day. This may seem steep; but it's right opposite the beach and considering all the facilities the beach offers, is actually not bad. To avoid a lengthy wait to park, get there by around 10am; as by 11 it can get very busy indeed. However, as the beach is huge, people can spread out and we found everyone very sensible and respectful of social distancing. The only slight bottle neck being the access to the beach.
A great family beach.
A great family beach.
Written 19 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Family
Amazing sandy beach (no pebbles), well looked after. Great for boarding/surfing.
Hot food and ice cream sold on the beach. Plenty of lifeguards on duty.
Lots of parking with a huge overflow carpark £5 till 1pm £10 till 10pm
Has a little shallow river flowing to the sea great for youngsters
Hot food and ice cream sold on the beach. Plenty of lifeguards on duty.
Lots of parking with a huge overflow carpark £5 till 1pm £10 till 10pm
Has a little shallow river flowing to the sea great for youngsters
Written 25 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sorry only just found your question. When we were there there were deckchairs for hire
Written 14 August 2024
Are there any outdoor showers available to use to rinse off sandy feet?
Written 31 March 2022
I have been going to Woolacombe beach for the past 45 years , But its a sad fact that the tide dose not go out as far as it did all those years ago ..This is proof that the sea is rising and fast .
Written 13 September 2020
lccoulter1956
Worcester, United Kingdom
Do you have to book restaurant at the moment
Written 27 July 2020
The Beachcomber overlooking the beach serves really nice, carefully prepared fresh food That sometimes takes a while but worth waiting for Ray P is
Written 14 August 2020
Can you hire deck chairs and umbrellas there?
Written 20 July 2020
Are the public toilets open now atwoolacombe beach
Written 9 July 2020
Yes The loos on the Carparks are provided by Parkin Estates and are usually. Very nice and are cleaned regularly .
The loos in the village by the Bus stop are provided by The Council and are not so good . Ray P
Written 14 August 2020
Navigator10200227633
United Kingdom
I’ve read the most recent Q&A regarding metal detecting on Woolacombe beach and I’m still unsure if it is allowed. Could someone please clarify.
Many thanks
Written 19 May 2020
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