The towns & villages in North Devon that love dogs
Croyde
The crowds come to Croyde in summer for one thing mainly: the surf. This seaside village with its lovely sandy beach is North Devon’s main hub for wave riders. For dog owners, it’s more of a joy out of season, as dogs are banned from the beach from May through September.
Come outside of the summer months and you’ll find a delightful little village, cracking coastal access and plenty of dog-friendly pubs and restaurants, including the excellent New Coast Kitchen.
Clovelly
Tucked up against a steep hill right on the North Devon coast, Clovelly is the sort of place that’ll send you back in time several centuries. Very little has changed here over the years, the cobbled high street that leads down to the historic quay is all very similar to how it was when it was a thriving fishing village. The only “new” thing about Clovelly, in fact, is its visitor centre and the entry fee to visit.
While it is a working village with residents, it’s also a bit of a living museum and it’s well worth exploring. For the price of entry, you get access to a handful of small museums (all dog friendly) and to meet the donkeys who were instrumental in helping the fishermen bring their catch up to the top of the hill.
Ilfracombe
Lively little Ilfracombe is a favourite of holidaymakers in North Devon, and for good reason. It has some dramatic cliffs and fascinating rock formations, hidden beaches tucked away behind tunnels, and some fascinating history thanks to the oldest lighthouse in England perching high above its coast.
Bringing the dog to Ilfracombe is wonderful – you can head to Tunnels Beaches where you can walk through the tunnels to see where a group of Welsh miners created bathing areas for men and women in the 19th century (dogs can’t go on the beaches here though), or explore the rockpools that are left behind at low tide on Wildersmouth Beach. Cafés, pubs and restaurants welcoming dogs are everywhere, and as you might expect, the seafood here is exceptional.
Woolacombe
Woolacombe is a dog owner’s dream, with a huge sandy beach where our pets can run year-round, plenty of room to roam on the coastal path for morning and evening walks, and a smattering of foodie destinations. Sip freshly brewed coffee at the Meraki Coffee Co, dine out at the Beach House restaurant where the dog will get treats, too, or lunch out at the striking Red Barn which has excellent sea views.
Kids will love the amusements arcade and mini golf, and there’s plenty of family fun to be had on the beach if you bring a couple of bodyboards to catch some surf.
Mortehoe
Right next door to lovely Woolacombe, Mortehoe is a tiny little village on the North Devon coast. It may be small, but there’s plenty of intrigue here. It was listed in the Domesday Book so its history dates back at least 1,000 years, and it has been a hotspot for smugglers and wreckers throughout the ages.
Nip into the enlightening little museum where you can learn about the area (you’ll need to take turns going inside, as the dog won’t be allowed in due to space constraints) and visit the 13th-century St Mary Mortehoe church to see its impressive barrel-vaulted ceiling. The local pub, the Chichester Arms, is dog friendly, too.
Appledore
If it’s a quaint seaside village you’re craving, Appledore is the place to come. This pretty little waterfront community is tightly packed onto the shores of the Torridge estuary, with narrow lanes lined by pastel-painted homes and pubs perching right on the quay (dog-friendly pubs, of course).
It was once a ship-building hub, so expect to see evidence of its maritime history in the local museum where dogs are welcomed too. And don’t miss a stroll out to Northam Burrows Country Park, where coastal plain, salt marshes and the biggest dunes in the country create an unusual landscape.