The picturesque village of Croyde sits on the North Devon Coast, offering probably one of the best surfing beaches in the South West of England with a lifeguard presence, making it a great family day out. Croyde is also famous for its pubs and surf shops.
Croyde
Croyde village is picture postcard perfect with its wealth of thatched cottages, traditional village pubs and the Crydda stream flowing through the centre. Explore and enjoy great restaurants, surf shops, gift stores, a Post Office and village shop. Croyde Bay is probably one of the best surfing beaches in the South West of England and has an RNLI lifeguard presence from May to September.
The strong local community spirit in Croyde ensures a warm welcome to the village where there’s always something going on – experience the fun of ferret racing, deckchair cinemas, Croyde Surf Lifesaving’s annual duck race through the centre of the village and weekly craft fairs on the village green in the summer months.
The three village pubs are all worth a visit if you have the time during your holiday. The Thatch is probably the best known, popular with locals, surfers and holiday makers alike with a great vibe and good food all year round. Billy Budd’s next door is ideal for families and has dining outside in a terraced beer garden or by the well-equipped children’s play area. At the opposite end of Croyde village is The Manor pub, with plenty of space both inside and out, it shows all major sporting events on Sky and BT Sport.
Pop into The Stores in the centre of Croyde, next door to the Post Office, for local produce from Devon and the South West – everything from freshly baked bread to artisan gin. The Stores cafe is perfect for brunch, afternoon coffee and cake or a stone-baked pizza in the evenings cooked in a wood-fired oven by the talented Stoned Pizza crew.
Check out the Blue Groove for tasty food all day long, Hobbs Bistro and The Olde Cream Shoppe amongst many others.
Explore Croyde on foot, there are paths leading from the centre of the village to the beach, wander along Moor Lane towards Baggy Point where you’ll find the National Trust’s Sandleigh Tea Rooms. You can park in Baggy Car Park behind Sandleigh if you prefer not to walk.
For rainy days Cascades Holiday Park has an indoor fun pool with flumes and a wave machine – perfect for young families. Parking in the centre of the village behind the village hall you’ll discover the newly equipped play park and a small skateboard ramp too.
For those wanting to try out Croyde’s famous curling wave there are plenty of surf shops, most offering wetsuit and board hire together with the opportunity to book lessons with the excellent surf schools based in Croyde. Amongst them is Croyde Surf Academy who operate from a big blue double decker bus in Downend car park – easy to spot as you round the headland when entering Croyde