Croyde Bay Beach

Croyde Bay puts a surf beach and the Baggy Point headland into the same day out. You can spend the morning on the sand, then follow the coast path for a view back over the bay. For a cottage holiday, the useful distinction is between staying beside the beach and staying elsewhere in Croyde. Check each property’s position before assuming that a village address means a beachside door.

Surf and swimming

The RNLI’s Croyde beach page describes powerful waves, rip currents and heavy sandbars. Croyde’s surf reputation is a reason to take conditions seriously. A beach that suits an experienced surfer may be a poor choice for someone expecting a quiet swim.

Swim and bodyboard between the red and yellow flags when lifeguards are on duty, and ask them about conditions before entering the water. The RNLI lists daily cover from 2 May to 27 September in 2026, with selected dates outside that period. Check the published schedule for your actual holiday dates. In a coastal emergency, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

Parking at Baggy Point

The National Trust’s Baggy Point car park is on Moor Lane. The approach is single track, and the Trust advises against bringing vehicles longer than six metres. Its directions use the B3231 from Braunton, then the brown signs through Croyde.

Parking here uses JustPark, with location code 80511. Download the app and set up your account before arriving, as the Trust warns that the signal is limited. National Trust members also use the app to check in. Check the parking tariff and opening hours on the Trust’s page before setting off.

Baggy Point has toilets, an accessible toilet and Sandleigh tea-room. Those facilities belong to the headland visit, so check their position against the part of Croyde beach where you plan to spend the day. Do not assume that a headland access description also describes the route onto the sand.

Bringing a dog

North Devon Council’s dog controls exclude dogs from Croyde beach between 1 May and 30 September. A cottage accepting dogs does not change the beach rule. Read the signs at the access point, including the separate controls for the dunes, and plan your walking days around the rules in force during your stay.

A walk above the bay

The National Trust publishes a two-mile Baggy Point circular walk from its car park. It grades the route easy and estimates 40 minutes, though a short downhill section can be slippery when wet. Treat that as the walking time, then allow your own extra time for stops and the beach.

Choosing a place to stay

Buckland is one of the properties listed on our Croyde page. Its supplier describes a private balcony facing the sea, two bedrooms for three guests and stairs to the first floor. It does not accept dogs. Check the photographs, access details and current availability with the booking provider before deciding whether it suits your group.