Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
walls, sepia images catch your eye. The stories are compelling: 18th-century British sail-
ors riding Hawaiian waves; England's home-grown surf pioneers of the 1920s; and the
wetsuit innovators of the 1960s - here heritage meets hanging ten.
WILDLIFE RESERVE
Braunton Burrows
(
www.brauntonburrows.org
;
open access)
The vast network of dunes here is the UK's
largest. Paths wind past sandy hummocks, salt marshes, purple thyme, yellow hawkweed
and pyramidal orchids. The burrows were also the main training area for American troops
before D-Day. Mock landing craft are still hidden in the tufted dunes near the car park at
its southern tip.
Surfing
The water's hard to resist.
Ralph's
( 01271-890147; Hobbs Hill, Croyde; surfboard & wetsuit per 4/24hrs
£12/18, bodyboard & wetsuit per 4/24hr £10/15; mid-Mar-Dec 9am-dusk)
is among those hiring equip-
ment. Lessons are provided by
Surf South West
(
SURFING
01271-890400;
www.surfsouthwest.com
; Croyde
Apr to mid-Nov)
and
Surfing Croyde Bay
(
Beach; per half-/full day £30/58;
01271-891200;
www.surfingcroydebay.co.uk
;
8 Hobbs Hill, Croyde; per half-/full day £40/80)
.
Sleeping & Eating
Croyde gets very busy in the summer. Book ahead, even for campsites.
Mitchum's
( 07891-892897;
www.croydebay.co.uk
; site per two adults £33-63; Jun-Aug; )
Mitchum's has su-
perb facilities at two sites, one next to Croyde village, the other overlooking the sandy
beach. There's a two-night minimum booking in July and August.
CAMPSITE
£
Bay View Farm
( 01271-890501;
www.bayviewfarm.co.uk
; Croyde; site per two adults £24; )
One of the area's best
campsites, with laundry, showers and surf-view pitches. Requires a week's minimum
booking in summer.
CAMPSITE
£
Thatch
( 01271-890349;
www.thethatchcroyde.com
; 14 Hobbs Hill, Croyde; d £60-110, f £130; )
This cavernous,
thatched pub is a legendary surfers' hang-out. Trendy bedrooms feature delicate creams,
B&B, PUB
££
