I love a good beach, and in my world it’s only a good beach if it’s sandy.Thankfully that is not a problem here at all! This review of Croyde Bay beach is actually part of our visit to the nearby holiday park, and the whole site is owned by Parkdean.
The beach itself is stunning and has great surf. There’s plenty of sand left at high tide and at low tide it’s just immense. Plus it’s clean and they are big advocates of beach cleaning and making sure everyone picks up after themselves. We did see some litter, but it was very few and far between. From 1st October – 30th April it’s a dog-friendly beach, and there were lots of dogs on it when we went. Thankfully they were all well behaved and there’s plenty of space for those who want their own space to have it.
Lifeguards are on duty from 10am – 6pm.
Either side of the beach there’s some rocks to explore. The rock pools aren’t great for wildlife TBH but it’s good for the little ones to get a first experience of rock pooling. The sand dunes are EPIC and we had so much fun exploring them. It wasn’t until we walked out of them again that we discovered we’d actually wondered onto a bit we weren’t supposed to be on. Oops. We genuinely had no idea. I’m still not sure which bit was the bad bit other than don’t run up the beach front of the dunes…
The river
One of my favourite bits of Croyde Bay beach was actually the river than runs through the middle of it. This is great for the kids to splash in if they don’t want to actually go in the sea (plus it’s a bit warmer) and it’s amazing for skimming stones down. When there’s no-one else in it of course. We spent so long playing in here, it was great fun.
How busy is Croyde Bay Beach
When we visited Croyde Bay beach for this review it wasn’t exactly “beach” weather, although it was the school holidays. Plenty of people were in the sea (my kids included) but most of the people on the beach were well wrapped up. Warning – this is dryrobe central! I don’t have one and felt distinctly left out! That said, because the beach is so popular with surfers there were plenty of people around.
The three car parks aren’t massive, and only one holiday park. I imagine that the majority of people visiting the beach are either staying in the holiday park or in the small village of Croyde. Yes, it will get busy in peak season but Bournemouth beach it isn’t! What I will say is that, if you’re surfing, you might find it too busy in peak season. The surfing area is quite small because of the tides and it’s popular.
How safe is Croyde Bay beach?
For a beach of its size it’s surprising how often people have lost their lives on this beach. There’s lifeguards here for a reason as they get some very strong rip tides. Follow the usual safety rules and you should be fine. I was definitely more cautious letting the kids swim in the sea here than I am somewhere like Looe where there’s virtually no currents at all.
This review of Croyde Bay beach is based on our experiences at the time of our visit. Things can change over time, including the facilities available. If you have any specific requirements such as access it’s always best to check with the site directly before visiting. If anything I’ve said in this review is no longer accurate then please do let me know. Thank you.
Our Croyde Bay beach review
You have some stunning views from this beach, and it’s really beautiful itself. Lovely & sandy and with plenty of space for everyone. The rocky section at the side is an added bonus as it’s great for the kids to explore. We really like it here, and it’s a surfer’s paradise.
Admission cost
Free
Parking / How to get there
Parking – There are various car parks in and around the beach.
The closest car park is on Croyde Burrows (EX33 1NZ) and cost £12 all day. It’s right next to the beach, and is fairly small.
Downend is the biggest, and costs £16 but does involve a bit of a walk.
Baggy Point car park. It’s free for NT members, I believe it’s £7 all day for non-members. It’s a little bit closer, with two routes to access the beach. This is just down from Croyde Burrows so if that’s full maybe try Baggy Point next!
Croyde village car park. £12 for 8 hours. 69 spaces. Fair walk down to the beach.
Toilets
On the beach front, including baby change. They’re beach toilets so they’re sandy!
Food
Ice cream shop on the sea front. There’s also a couple of cafes very close by too.
What else is there to do nearby?
Whilst we were here we walked up Baggy Point, stayed at Ruda Holiday Park and visited the Big Sheep. You can also explore the South West Coast Path easily from here and Saunton Sands and Woolacombe beaches are both nearby.
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Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
