Putsborough Sands

Putsborough Sands is the south end of Woolacombe bay, sheltered beneath Baggy Point. It suits a family day with a cafe, a beach shop and surf hire on hand, and it can be quieter than Woolacombe. You reach it down country lanes. The beach runs about two miles north towards Woolacombe, so a long walk along the tideline is part of the day.

Swimming and surf

Putsborough is good for surfing, but there are no lifeguards here. Signs warn of rip currents, tell you not to bathe near the rocks and not to use inflatables in an offshore wind. If you want RNLI cover, go to Woolacombe, where the RNLI runs seasonal lifeguard patrols. Check its Woolacombe page for the dates of your visit.

Dogs

Dogs are not banned outright, but part of the beach is restricted between Easter and 1 November. Putsborough is a private beach where dogs are restricted to certain areas, with the landowner setting the rules. The restriction covers the far left of the beach, and dogs are welcome elsewhere all year. Signs at the beach entrance show the exact limits for your visit.

Parking and getting there

There is a large car park above the beach with a daily charge, and the toilets are in the car park. They are award-winning. From the car park a road leads down to the beach shop and cafe, and from there a concrete slope reaches the sand.

Nearby

Baggy Point shelters the bay, and the road in passes through the hamlet of Putsborough. Woolacombe lies at the north end of the same sands, and Croyde Bay is about a mile away. Saunton Sands is about six miles away.