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Tourist guide to Westward Ho!

Westward Ho! is a laid-back coastal resort with a spectacular sandy beach and lively village centre, just north of the larger market antown of Bideford in Devon. The village itself is a welcoming community of  surf shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, an abundance of holiday cottages and accommodation. The beach is a stunning, underdeveloped 2 mile stretch of golden sands, backed by an unusual pebble ridge and the wild dunes and grasslands of the Northam Burrows Country Park. To the back of all this is The Royal Westward Ho! Golf Club, the oldest links course in the country and a Championship course.

Westward Ho! faces west into Bideford Bay with breathtaking views across the Atlantic Ocean, towards Lundy Island. Accessed just off the A30 or the ‘Atlantic Highway’ that follows the coasts of North Devon and Cornwall, a holiday cottage in Westward Ho! provide an excellent base for exploring both these two South West counties. 


What is the history of Westward ho!?

From noting its title, you can already probably guess that there’s a rich history  to this popular seaside resort on the North Devon coast near to Bideford. With a peculiar name, and home to one of the oldest golf links course, a unique Pebble Ridge, changing coastline and unusual Common Land, you’ll find there is so much more to do in Westward Ho! than you can imagine. And it’s this past that makes it the charming and vibrant village it is today, and why it’s easy to see why it’s an increasingly popular tourist destination for holidays by the sea in North Devon.

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Why do we love Westward Ho! beach?

Often, it is not as well known as the other North Devon beaches over the estuary that include the award-winning sands at Woolacombe or the well-reputed surf at Croyde. However, Westward Ho! beach has boasted a blue flag status for the last 15 years for its two miles of golden sands and clean surf. Backed by a unique pebble ridge and with access to Northam Burrows Country Park at one end, the beach at Westward Ho! offers something for everyone, whether you are looking for clean sands, rock pools, nature or a safe place to swim or surf.

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What are the most popular things to do in Westward Ho!? 

Unsurprisingly, it is the lovely sandy beach that most people flock to Westward Ho! for. Popular with families for sandcastle building, flying kites or rock pooling, whilst surfers, swimmers and other water sport enthusiasts love the clean and consistent waves. The Westward Ho! Rock seawater pool off the promenade offers a great place for some fun free swimming. Walkers have the option of wandering through the Northam Burrows Country Park, or perhaps along the coastal path up to Abbotsham or Northam, may be grabbing a pint in the local, before strolling back. Keen golfers won’t want to miss out on a round on a championship course. And of course, there are a number of local attractions for families to keep the kids entertained.

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The best places to eat and drink in Westward Ho!

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For a small village, Westward Ho! is packed with some great places to eat and drink. Whether you are looking for a hearty breakfast, a delicious Devon cream tea,  light lunch or something special for dinner, you’ll discover there’s something to suit everyone's taste. Choose from great British classics, to pizza and pasta, as well as Thai from locally renowned Moran’s restaurant. Fancy a cosy night in your holiday cottage? Then, don’t worry, there's a great array of takeaway options too. Discover a selection of our favourite places to eat and drink around Westward Ho! here.

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And finally any self-catering holiday in Westward Ho! would be incomplete with visiting a couple of the neighbouring market towns and fishing villages. A couple of miles to the south, Bideford is a delightful town with a pedestrianised High Street packed with cafes, antique shops and opportunities to pick up fresh produce from the surrounding countryside. It’s also well worth taking a drive inland, where the glorious Devon countryside is scattered with sleepy villages which times seems to have forgotten. Further west, the Hartland Peninsula has a particularly rugged coast, with ancient woods, a historic abbey with stunning gardens, and a rocky quay where you can watch waves crashing against the cliffs. 

The village is also a stone’s throw from some of the region’s top attractions. A few miles west, the Milky Way is a fun-packed adventure park with rides, dodgems, play areas and a wake boarding park. Nearby, the Big Sheep is a unique amusement farm park, where you can watch sheep races and meet newborn lambs. 

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