Best Places to Visit Near Barnstaple
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best places to visit near Barnstaple are Westward Ho! Sea Pool, Wild Pear Beach, Broadsands Beach, Baggy Point, Sherrycombe Waterfall, Morte Point, Hollowbrook Waterfall and Valley of Rocks.
Barnstaple is an old market town on the River Taw in north Devon, well placed for the wild coast and the high ground of Exmoor that lie a short drive to the north and west. The places gathered here are all day-trips or half-day outings rather than doorstep strolls, but none is far.
Head south-west to the coast and you can swim in the Victorian sea pool at Westward Ho!, then follow the shore west to the National Trust headlands of Baggy Point and Morte Point, where seals bask below the cliffs. North of town, around Combe Martin, secluded coves wait at Wild Pear Beach and Broadsands, both reached by steep cliff paths.
The Exmoor coast beyond holds two hidden waterfalls, Sherrycombe and Hollowbrook, tumbling down wooded combes toward the sea. Carry on east and you reach the goat-haunted Valley of Rocks near Lynton, a dry valley of weathered crags above the water.
Beaches, headlands, waterfalls and swimming spots all sit within easy reach. Here are eight places to visit near Barnstaple.
Westward Ho! Sea Pool
Photo: Shaun Ferguson via Geograph.org.uk
Westward Ho! Sea Pool A short drive south-west of Barnstaple, at the north Devon resort of Westward Ho!, this man-made tidal swimming pool is cut into the rock shelf below the promenade.
It dates from the town's Victorian years and refills with fresh seawater at every high tide, vanishing beneath the sea as the water rises and reappearing as a bathing pool as the tide drops. A concrete surround with steps and painted depth markings rings a natural rocky floor.
Torridge District Council looks after it, giving it a refurbishment each spring, and it is free to use. The town itself takes its name from Charles Kingsley's 1855 novel.
Wild Pear Beach
Photo: Philip Halling via Geograph.org.uk
Wild Pear Beach North of Barnstaple, on the east side of Combe Martin Bay and within Exmoor National Park, Wild Pear Beach is a secluded cove tucked below the slopes of Little Hangman. It mixes sand, shingle and rock, with small sea caves and slate cliffs behind; more sand shows at high water while boulders emerge at low tide.
The only way in is on foot, about half a mile along the South West Coast Path from Combe Martin, then a steep, rough scramble down to the shore. There are no facilities down there, and the cove has long been used as an unofficial naturist beach.
Broadsands Beach
Photo: Rod Allday via Geograph.org.uk
Broadsands Beach Also to the north, between Combe Martin and Watermouth, Broadsands is a secluded cove quite separate from the better-known Broadsands near Torquay. Sand and shingle sit at the foot of high cliffs, with caves, rock pools and a natural gap in the rocks, backed by steep wooded slopes.
Getting down is the challenge: a long, steep flight of cliff steps drops from the old coast road, with no vehicle access nearby. The cliffs are unstable, and landslips have damaged and at times closed the path, so reaching the beach is not always possible.
When open, it is a quiet, sheltered spot far from any crowd, with wide, empty views along the rugged coast.
Baggy Point
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
Baggy Point West of Barnstaple, Baggy Point is a long sandstone headland reaching into the sea between Croyde Bay and the wide sands of Woolacombe. A fairly level track runs out along its southern side to the tip, easy walking with the sea on your left and grazed fields on your right.
The crags draw rock climbers, and seals and seabirds work the water below. Out on the grassy plateau you can still find concrete dummy pillboxes, put up when American troops trained along this coast for the D-Day landings.
The headland belongs to the National Trust, given to it in the 1930s, and the coast path carries on toward Woolacombe.
Sherrycombe Waterfall
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
Sherrycombe Waterfall Back on the Exmoor coast north-east of town, between Combe Martin and the Heddon valley, Sherrycombe Waterfall tumbles down a steep, wooded combe to a hidden rock-and-pebble beach. The stream drops over a cliff of some thirty feet to the shore below, which cannot be reached from the falls themselves.
The combe sits right beneath Great Hangman, the highest point on the South West Coast Path and one of the tallest sea cliffs in England, so reaching it means a hard walk on the coast path, with a steep plunge into the valley and a stiff climb out the far side.
Morte Point
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
Morte Point West again, at the northern end of Morte Bay between Mortehoe and Woolacombe, Morte Point is a rocky headland owned by the National Trust. Grassland and heath lead out to a jagged spine of upturned slate at the tip, a good place to watch grey seals hauled out on the rocks below, with views to Lundy island and across to Wales.
Its name means death point, a nod to the many ships wrecked on this coast, five of them in a single winter in 1852. Fairly level paths lead out to the point, though the rocks at the very end are uneven underfoot.
Hollowbrook Waterfall
Photo: Roger Cornfoot via Geograph.org.uk
Hollowbrook Waterfall Further east along the Exmoor coast, between Woody Bay and Heddon's Mouth, Hollowbrook is a coastal waterfall where a stream drops toward the sea in a run of cascades down a steep combe. It falls a long way in stages, said to be one of the tallest coastal waterfalls in the country, though it shows best from the water and is hard to view well from land.
The South West Coast Path runs across the top of the combe. This is a little-visited fall on a wild, cliff-bound stretch of shore, well worth the effort for anyone walking the path.
Valley of Rocks
Photo: Ian Capper via Geograph.org.uk
Valley of Rocks The longest hop, a drive east toward Lynton, brings you to the Valley of Rocks, a dry valley running parallel to the sea just west of the town inside Exmoor National Park. Weathered crags stand along its sides, and a herd of feral goats picks its way over the rocks.
A level path, part of the South West Coast Path, runs right through it, with a car park, toilets and a cafe at the Lynton end. The cliff railway down to Lynmouth is close by, making it easy to link the two into a longer outing.
FAQs
How far are these places from Barnstaple?
Most sit between about 14 and 22 kilometres from Barnstaple, on the north Devon and Exmoor coast, so they make comfortable day-trips or half-day outings by car rather than walks from the town itself.
Can you swim near Barnstaple?
Yes. The tidal sea pool at Westward Ho!, south-west of Barnstaple, fills with fresh seawater at every high tide and is free to use, refurbished each spring by the local council.
Which spots are best for a coastal walk?
Baggy Point and Morte Point, both National Trust headlands west of Barnstaple, give fairly level walks with sea views, seals below the cliffs and a good chance of spotting seabirds.
Conclusion
From the tidal sea pool at Westward Ho! to the crag-lined Valley of Rocks near Lynton, the coast and combes around Barnstaple reward a bit of driving.
The National Trust headlands of Baggy Point and Morte Point offer breezy walks and seal-watching, while Wild Pear Beach and Broadsands hide away at the foot of steep cliff paths near Combe Martin. For falling water, the wooded combes of Sherrycombe and Hollowbrook drop toward the Exmoor shore, best reached on foot along the coast path.
Whether you want a swim, a headland stroll, a secluded cove or a waterfall walk, there is plenty to fill a day out on the north Devon coast. Wear proper footwear, mind the tides and the cliff edges, and these are the places to visit near Barnstaple.
