Why visit Croyde
Beach days
What’s the best thing about a Croyde camping trip? It has to be the beach scenery, which is so spectacular it’s garnered the nickname ‘Gold Coast’ for the area. The strong surf also makes it a haven for shortboarders, while longboarders prefer to glide around at Saunton Sands about a mile away. There’s also a handful of other superb sandy beaches nearby, including tiny Barricane with its tidal rockpools and the family-friendly Woolacombe.
Coastal walks
Croyde is on the South West Coast Path, so it’s easy to wander by the waves while in this National Trust-protected area. Take on the 2.7-mile cliff walk to the tip of Baggy Point for postcard-worthy panoramas across to Bideford Bay and Hartland. Rather explore the area from lower down? Sign up for a coasteering class. Instructors will guide you as you scramble across rocks and swim through the sea along Croyde’s intertidal zone.
Dry-land pursuits
If you don’t want to get wet on your Croyde Bay camping break, bound over to Braunton Burrows, England’s biggest sand dune system with more than 400 species of plant. Or mosey around Marwood Hill Gardens’ trio of lakes and 20 acres’ worth of botanicals in a valley just outside Barnstaple. You could also laze amid the Italian terrace borders and classic kitchen gardens at Tapeley, a stately estate home to Highland cows, peacocks and pigs, while camping at Croyde Bay.
Things to do in Croyde
* Catch a film as the salty sea breeze washes over you at the open-air deckchair cinema
* Play volleyball on the beach – Croyde is one of the UK hotspots for this sport
* Wiggle into a wetsuit for a surfing lesson with expert wave riders
* Get a bird’s eye view of the north Devon coast on a tandem hang gliding flight
* Have all the fun of the farm at the Big Sheep, an agricultural-themed amusement park
The best attractions near Croyde
Exmoor National Park
Further up the coast (approximately 30 minutes’ drive) from our campsites in Croyde, you can potter across the protected moorlands of Exmoor National Park. Lynton and Lynmouth, a pair of pretty villages linked by a vintage cliffside funicular, are top places to check out here, as is the nearby Valley of the Rocks with its Bristol Channel views and herd of wild goats.
Placid places
When camping at Croyde Bay, there are plenty of other beaches to pick from a short stint by car, including Putsborough Sands (10 minutes). Flock to the fab fishing village of Clovelly too, which sits on a 400-foot cliff and has a sheer cobbled path leading down to the water. Inland, find peace at RSPB Chapel Wood, a woodland surrounding an Iron Age hill fort. It’s the habitat of tawny owls and green woodpeckers, as well as red deer and brown hares.
Croyde for kids
Once they’ve set down the bucket and spade, take younger travellers to the aquarium in Ilfracombe before catching the MS Oldenburg ship out to Lundy Island. Teens are keen on wakeboarding, paddleboarding and slacklining at the North Devon Wake Park, while smaller campers might prefer the Jurassic-themed animatronics at the Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park. For rollercoaster rides and days out on dodgems, the Milky Way Adventure Park is stellar.
Here’s how
After a campsite in Croyde near the beach? There are several edging the sand, as well as others that are just a few minutes’ walk away in this compact coastal village. You can also stay further out in the countryside at farm parks or in a remote location. For the true sleeping-under-the-stars experience, perhaps you’d like a site where campfires are allowed? Or maybe an electric pitch to stay on the grid?
If indulging in a little luxury is more your style, go glamping at Croyde’s bell tents, lodges and shepherd’s huts.
Not for you? We also have these popular options to pick from:
* Campsites in Croyde with indoor pools nearby
* Croyde campsites with bars and/or clubhouses
* Adults-only camping in Croyde
* Dog-friendly campsites in Croyde
And if you’re keen on camping near Croyde but also want to check out other parts of Devon, try Kingsbridge in the county's southern Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Dawlish on the English Riviera.
Our camping guide is on hand to give you the best advice wherever you choose to pitch up, with articles ranging from glamping on a budget to taking the kids on an outdoor holiday.
