Choose a North Devon base by the days you expect to spend there. A surf beach, a harbour apartment and a rural cottage can all look appealing in a search result, but they solve different problems. Start with your main activity, then check the bedroom arrangement, access and parking before comparing dates.
Croyde: beach and headland days
Croyde pairs its beach with Baggy Point. It suits a plan built around the bay and coastal walks. Croyde is a surf beach, so read the RNLI’s advice on currents before you swim.
Layouts here vary more than guest numbers suggest. Buckland is upstairs, Bamboo is a bungalow, and Montague Cottage’s fifth bed is meant for a child. For dogs, check the beach’s seasonal rule as well as the property policy.
Woolacombe: start with the beach
Woolacombe is another beach-led option. Its beach guide links to RNLI patrol dates and the landowner’s dog-zone map. If your party wants repeated beach visits, examine the route from the accommodation and decide whether you will walk or use beach parking.
Our listed accommodation ranges from a four-person apartment to a ten-person house. A balcony and a larger house’s separate sitting spaces meet different needs. Divide the bedrooms on paper before deciding which works for a mixed family group.
Ilfracombe: harbour and town visits
Choose Ilfracombe to build days around the harbour and attractions such as the aquarium. Compare it with the beach resorts if you expect to spend most of the holiday on sand. The aquarium provides an indoor stop, although its café seating is outside under cover.
Check bedroom counts closely in Ilfracombe’s apartments. Smuggler’s Cove is a studio, even though its booking listing says one bedroom. No.4 is first-floor accommodation; Captains View is on the ground floor. Confirm the entire access route, including parking, rather than relying on the floor alone.
Westward Ho!: beach and Burrows
Westward Ho! combines its beach with Northam Burrows. Plan the access point around the group and any dog restrictions. The seasonal boundary at Sandymere can change where you spend the day.
Sea-view accommodation may sit above the town on the hillside. Check the walk back, outside steps and allocated parking, particularly if you carry equipment or travel with someone who needs level access. Two of our Westward Ho! cottages sleep four; Baywatch sleeps eight across three floors.
Hartland: choose village or countryside
Hartland has both village and rural options. The Cottage In Hartland is for two and has a spiral staircase. Olive Cottage is on a rural site with shared leisure facilities. Lower Firebeacon Barn is on a working farm, worth knowing if you are bringing young children.
Hartland Abbey makes a house-and-gardens day out; check its opening dates before you go. If a pool matters to your stay, ask the owners whether it is shared and when it is open before booking.
Make the final checks with the provider
Use each property page to narrow the choice, then confirm dates, price, access and any critical facility with HolidayCottages.co.uk. It handles the booking and payment. Our links may earn a commission when you book.
For a dog holiday, check three things separately: the property’s dog limit, the outdoor enclosure and the rules at the beach or attraction you intend to visit. For a larger group, check actual bed types and bathroom locations. These details can rule out a property more decisively than its view.
