So today I present to you Woolacombe. It’s a place I know well as I grew up a town just a short drive away. Once I hit the age of 17 and passed my driving test this was the first place I visited (and then continued too every weekend to bask in the beauty of the area). You’re probably thinking “why would you visit every weekend?” well the beach is fantastic for surfing; it’s on the North Coast so you get some pretty awesome waves (it’s where I learnt to surf), I loved it so much in fact I got a summer job working on beach. However you really have to experience the area first hand.

One of my favourite features of Woolacombe is the drive down the long hill into the village. You hit the brow of the hill and are met with a fantastic panoramic view of the 3 mile long white sanded beach, the ocean and also the green hills (with sheep and cows grazing) that surround the area. As you drive down and get closer and closer to the hustle and bustle of the village you’ll go past numerous quaint homes that look onto the ocean and meet plenty of friendly locals that are always smiling and happy to have a chat about the area.

Places I highly recommend visiting are the surf shops (which ever other shop seems to be), the Red Barn which is great for some pub grub and is also lovely for sitting outside and watching the sun go down (weather permitting). Lastly, as you’re in the perfect spot to try your hand at surfing head to Nick Thorns Surf School for a lesson. If you’ve always thought yourself as a budding surfer now is the time to pull on a wetsuit and get in the water!

If you’re thinking about coming to visit Woolacombe check out Bees Cottage (which is situated just up the road from the beach). It’s the perfect location to explore the surrounding area.

Karl’s Fun Facts on Woolacombe:

1. Woolacombe holds the ‘England for Excellence Gold Award’ for best family resort and was voted the Best British Beach in the Mail On Sunday.
2. Its beach has been voted one of Britain’s best and lies between Morte Point and Baggy Point.
3. This three-mile long stretch of golden sand has won both the blue flag and Premier Seaside Beach awards for it’s cleanliness, water quality and facilities.
4. RNLI Life guards ensure safe family swimming during the summer and surfers come from all over the country to enjoy the great waves and clean water.
5. During the Second World War, the U.S. Army Assault Training Centre was based at Woolacombe, where thousands of small boat crews and infantry practised amphibious landing assaults on the beach in preparation for the 6. Invasion of Normandy, part of Operation Overlord.