Top Beaches Day Trips from Barnstaple
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Beaches Day Trips from Barnstaple include Wild Pear Beach, Broadsands Beach, Barricane Bay, Combesgate Beach, Tunnel Beaches, Lee Bay Beach, Grunta Beach and Rockham Bay.
Barnstaple sits inland on the River Taw, but a great sweep of North Devon coast lies within an easy drive to the north and northwest, which makes it a fine base for a day at the sea. Head northeast toward Combe Martin and the edge of Exmoor for the secluded coves of Wild Pear Beach and Broadsands, both hidden below high cliffs.
Due north lies Ilfracombe, where the hand-cut Tunnel Beaches lead down through the rock, with the quieter Lee Bay a couple of miles west. Swing northwest to Woolacombe and Mortehoe for the shell-strewn sand of Barricane Bay, the surfing reefs of Combesgate, the wild little cove of Grunta Beach and the remote sands of Rockham Bay out toward Morte Point.
Between them you get everything from sheltered rock pools to Atlantic surf, from busy family sand to coves you reach only on foot. Some need a scramble or a long walk down cliff steps, others sit close to a car park and a cafe.
Here are eight beaches for a day trip from Barnstaple.
Wild Pear Beach
Photo: Philip Halling via Geograph.org.uk
Wild Pear Beach Set on the east side of Combe Martin Bay, this secluded cove sits below the slopes of Little Hangman within Exmoor National Park, a short drive northeast of Barnstaple. Slate cliffs and small sea caves back a shore of sand, shingle and rock, with more sand showing at high water and boulders appearing as the tide falls.
The only way in is on foot from Combe Martin, roughly half a mile along the South West Coast Path and then a steep, rough scramble down to the shingle. There are no facilities here, and the beach has long been used as an unofficial naturist spot.
Broadsands Beach
Photo: Rod Allday via Geograph.org.uk
Broadsands Beach Not to be confused with the better-known Broadsands near Torquay, this hidden cove tucks between Combe Martin and Watermouth, a short drive north of Barnstaple. A small beach of sand and shingle lies at the foot of high cliffs, with caves, rock pools and a natural gap in the rock, backed by steep wooded slopes.
Reaching it 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 closed the path at times, so access is not always possible.
When open, it stays quiet and sheltered, shrinking as the tide climbs.
Barricane Bay
Photo: Pauline E via Geograph.org.uk
Barricane Bay Tucked into the northern end of Woolacombe, a short drive northwest of Barnstaple, this small sandy cove is closed in by rocky outcrops on either side. Much smaller than the long Woolacombe sands nearby, it is best loved for its shells: the sand is scattered with them, and generations of visitors have combed through for the prettiest.
Rock pools fill among the outcrops, ideal for children to explore. Through summer a little beach cafe serves Sri Lankan curry on the sand of an evening, eaten as the light fades over the water.
Facing west into the sunset and backed by low cliffs, it is a snug, easygoing spot.
Combesgate Beach
Photo: Maurice D Budden via Geograph.org.uk
Combesgate Beach Just north of Woolacombe, and a short drive from Barnstaple, this sandy beach is broken up by rocky reefs. As the tide falls it opens out sand and rock pools between the outcrops, while the reef makes it a known spot with surfers.
The South West Coast Path runs along the top here, heading on toward Morte Point. Sitting a little way from the long main beach at Woolacombe, it comes across as quieter and rockier, a good choice if you want the surf and the pools without the crowds.
Tunnel Beaches
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
Tunnel Beaches At Ilfracombe, a short drive north of Barnstaple, a set of tunnels hand-cut through the cliff leads down to sheltered tidal beaches and a Victorian bathing pool. Welsh miners carved the four tunnels in the 1820s to open up access to the shore, and the tidal pool below recalls the old custom of separate bathing areas for men and women.
These days it runs as a paid-entry attraction and a popular wedding and events venue, now going by the name Tunnels Beaches. Visitors walk the tunnels to reach the beach, the rock pools and the historic pool.
Lee Bay Beach
Photo: Gary Rogers via Geograph.org.uk
Lee Bay Beach A couple of miles west of Ilfracombe, at the foot of a wooded valley below the village of Lee, this small sheltered cove lies a short drive north of Barnstaple. It is mostly rock, with patches of sand showing between the ridges as the tide draws back, and it is a favourite for rockpooling.
A short slipway off the coast road gives access, reached down narrow lanes. The Bristol Channel has a large tidal range here and there are no lifeguards, so keep an eye on the water.
Do not confuse it with the other Lee Bay near Lynton further east.
Grunta Beach
Photo: Chris McAuley via Geograph.org.uk
Grunta Beach Near Mortehoe, on the Woolacombe side toward Morte Point, this small quiet cove sits a short drive northwest of Barnstaple. It is a rocky, west-facing shore, open to the full force of Atlantic weather, with the swell rolling in and little in the way of sand or facilities.
That makes it a much quieter alternative to the busy beach at Woolacombe close by. Reached only on foot along the coast, it stays little visited, a good choice if you want the wild coast to yourself for an hour or two.
Rockham Bay
Photo: Richard Croft via Geograph.org.uk
Rockham Bay Below steep cliffs near Mortehoe and the headland of Morte Point, this beach of sand and rock lies a short drive from Barnstaple, then a good walk beyond. There is no road down: the way in is on foot, over a mile from Mortehoe along the coast path and then down steep cliff steps, best timed for low tide when the sand and rock pools are uncovered.
This was a notorious wrecking coast, and the rusting remains of the steamship Collier, run aground here in 1914, still show among the rocks at low water. Bring what you need, as there are no facilities.
FAQs
Which beaches near Barnstaple are best for families?
For an easy family day out from Barnstaple, Barricane Bay at Woolacombe has sheltered sand, shells to collect and rock pools among the outcrops. Ilfracombe's Tunnel Beaches offer tidal pools and a historic bathing pool reached through the cliff tunnels.
How far is the coast from Barnstaple?
The North Devon coast is close to Barnstaple: most of these beaches lie between about 15 and 16 kilometres north or northwest of the town, an easy drive out to Combe Martin, Ilfracombe or Woolacombe.
Are there quiet beaches you can walk to near Barnstaple?
Yes. Grunta Beach and Rockham Bay near Mortehoe are reached only on foot along the coast path, and both stay wonderfully quiet. At Rockham, watch the tide, as the walk down the cliff steps is best around low water.
Conclusion
North Devon gives Barnstaple an unusually rich coastline for a day out, and these eight beaches show its range. You can comb for shells at Barricane, ride the reef break at Combesgate, wander the cliff-cut tunnels at Ilfracombe or pick your way down to the lonely sands of Rockham Bay.
Some sit within reach of a car park and a cafe, while others ask for a steep scramble or a long walk along the South West Coast Path. Remember the Bristol Channel's large tidal range, keep an eye on the water where there are no lifeguards, and time the rockier coves for low tide.
Whether you want busy family sand or a cove all to yourself, these are the beaches for a day trip from Barnstaple.
