# Saunton Sands, North Devon



## butterfly child (Sep 10, 2007)

A little bit of heaven 

And to think I've never heard of it 

Anywhere else just as gorgeous, Deb'n urbs?

Was looking at the price of staying at the Saunton Sands Hotel - a bit pricey


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## secretsquirrel (Sep 10, 2007)

How funny. We went there on Saturday. Tis an amazing place. Miles and miles and miles of glorious beach…


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## King Biscuit Time (Sep 10, 2007)

When I passed my driving test, the first thing I did was drive up to that layby between Saunton and Croyde and park up. Such a lovely place.

Have you been to Putsborough? That's where I always used to go on sunny weekends with my parents. The non-tourist-tastic end of Woolacombe.


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## Geri (Sep 10, 2007)

A woman I used to work with was forever banging on about the Saunton Sands Hotel.

She lives in Southmead but she put her address down as Henleaze because she didn't want her kid to go to Southmead school.  (not that this is in anyway relevant to the thread!  )

I haven't been there personally but I do love Woolacombe. Actually the whole North Devon coastline is lovely. Have you ever been to Clovelly? It's really picturesque, although a bit of a killer walk back up the hill:







You should go on a trip on the Balmoral, they do a day trip to Ilfracombe from Clevedon.


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## bluestreak (Sep 10, 2007)

when i was a kid we stayed in croyde and then near staunton.  i remember the beaches still.  fucking massive, beautiful buggers.  lovely villages.  oh, i want to go again.


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## butterfly child (Sep 10, 2007)

We didn't get to Clovelly, although I did read they do a landrover service to get you up the hill at the end of your visit!

I gave it a miss due to me plantars 

Woolacombe is/was lovely, but FULL of people, whereas Saunton Sands was quite empty. 

Is North Devon "Jurassic"?


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## butterfly child (Sep 10, 2007)

King Biscuit Time said:
			
		

> When I passed my driving test, the first thing I did was drive up to that layby between Saunton and Croyde and park up. Such a lovely place.
> 
> Have you been to Putsborough? That's where I always used to go on sunny weekends with my parents. The non-tourist-tastic end of Woolacombe.



i took a photo on my phone from that layby, amazed how well it came out. Stunning view. 

I expect we were near Putsborough, but I don't seeing it.


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## Idaho (Sep 10, 2007)

There is tons of great places in Devon. If the weather is good it's got places to rival anywhere in the world... _if_ the weather is good.

Went to Lynmouth the other month. That was nice.


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## trashpony (Sep 10, 2007)

I went to Croyde last month on holiday. It was ace 

We never made it to Saunton - we decided to drive up there for one day for a bit of surfing variety but couldn't get into the car park (for the world's biggest beach, it's got a very titchy car park)


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## King Biscuit Time (Sep 10, 2007)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> We didn't get to Clovelly, although I did read they do a landrover service to get you up the hill at the end of your visit!
> 
> I gave it a miss due to me plantars
> 
> ...



I think it's Devonian, and South Devon is Jurassic.


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## butterfly child (Sep 10, 2007)

trashpony said:
			
		

> I went to Croyde last month on holiday. It was ace
> 
> We never made it to Saunton - we decided to drive up there for one day for a bit of surfing variety but couldn't get into the car park (for the world's biggest beach, it's got a very titchy car park)



It's a MASSIVE car park


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## Idaho (Sep 10, 2007)

The only problem with Saunton is the sheer quantity of dog shit on the sand dunes. Really pissed me off last time. There was tons of the stuff.


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## butterfly child (Sep 10, 2007)

Idaho said:
			
		

> There is tons of great places in Devon. If the weather is good it's got places to rival anywhere in the world... _if_ the weather is good.
> 
> Went to Lynmouth the other month. That was nice.



The reason we went to Devon was to go to Lynton/Lynmouth. It was where my husband went on honeymoon with his first wife, 1984. We visited it briefly last year, on the way home from a holiday in Newquay and I thought it would be good to visit it properly.

Besides, the holiday accomodation was only £165 so it was a win-win situation.


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## xes (Sep 10, 2007)

Was in south devon last week and can recomend Studland bay for a lovely beach. (and a bit further down it has a nudist section)


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## Donna Ferentes (Sep 10, 2007)

I once walked from Ilfracombe to - I think - Braunton via Mortehoe and Woolacombe Sands. I seem to remember Georgeham and Croyde. Might have been dark by the time I got near Saunton though.


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## King Biscuit Time (Sep 10, 2007)

Donna Ferentes said:
			
		

> I once walked from Ilfracombe to - I think - Braunton via Mortehoe and Woolacombe Sands. I seem to remember Georgeham and Croyde. Might have been dark by the time I got near Saunton though.



Sounds right - along Woolacombe then up marine drive and over the top to Croyde.

We always used to go out in Woolacombe in the summer (unlike Barnstaple, there was an 'indie' night). A few of my mates would leave the club at 2 and then walk back the 15 or so miles to Barnstaple through the night. I favorued the stashing a sleeping bag in the dunes option myself.


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## Geri (Sep 10, 2007)

xes said:
			
		

> Was in south devon last week and can recomend Studland bay for a lovely beach. (and a bit further down it has a nudist section)



Studland is in Dorset, isn't it?

And the Jurassic coast is south Devon & Dorset, from Swange to Exmouth, roughly.


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## rubbershoes (Sep 10, 2007)

Geri said:
			
		

> And the Jurassic coast is south Devon & Dorset, from Swange to Exmouth, roughly.




east devon if you don't mind  

south devon's the other side of the exe. practically off the edge of the world


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## Geri (Sep 11, 2007)

rubbershoes said:
			
		

> east devon if you don't mind
> 
> south devon's the other side of the exe. practically off the edge of the world



Sorry, I only think of north = top and south = bottom.


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## trashpony (Sep 11, 2007)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> It's a MASSIVE car park



Is it? Looks tiny from the road.  Was full anyway


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## xes (Sep 11, 2007)

Geri said:
			
		

> Studland is in Dorset, isn't it?
> 
> And the Jurassic coast is south Devon & Dorset, from Swange to Exmouth, roughly.


yeah   ignore me,my geography is fucking baaaaad


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## Geri (Sep 11, 2007)

xes said:
			
		

> yeah   ignore me,my geography is fucking baaaaad



It's not *that* bad, they are next door to each other.


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## xes (Sep 11, 2007)

no,really it is,I once,for a moment thought that Everton and man City were a local derby  (this was only last year) I blame the parents.


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## Idaho (Sep 11, 2007)

rubbershoes said:
			
		

> east devon if you don't mind
> 
> south devon's the other side of the exe. practically off the edge of the world


South Devon is the interesting side


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## King Biscuit Time (Sep 11, 2007)

You red-soiled wrong-uns can argue all you like on your own thread. This 'ere thread is for God's own country - North Devon.


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## rubbershoes (Sep 11, 2007)

King Biscuit Time said:
			
		

> This 'ere thread is for God's own country - North Devon.




I would refer the honourable gentleman to Ilfracombe. God's own shithole would the only possible  description.

i rest my case


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## butterfly child (Sep 12, 2007)

rubbershoes said:
			
		

> I would refer the honourable gentleman to Ilfracombe. God's own shithole would the only possible  description.
> 
> i rest my case



The harbour is lovely 

North Devon is by the far the most interesting.


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## Donna Ferentes (Sep 13, 2007)

I can't remember the harbour.

I've been telling myself "come on, must have been a bit of sea near the land with a lot of boats on it" but it's no good I'm afraid.


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## Idaho (Sep 13, 2007)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> The harbour is lovely
> 
> North Devon is by the far the most interesting.



The South Devon Coast is damn fine - and practically deserted.


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## Dan U (Sep 13, 2007)

I had a wicked surf @ Saunton Sands last September  

it's a lovely beach.

avoid Croyde like the plague though in Summer. 

it's Clapham on Sea.


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## butterfly child (Sep 14, 2007)

Idaho said:
			
		

> The South Devon Coast is damn fine - and practically deserted.



I find a lot of it very boring


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## Donna Ferentes (Sep 14, 2007)

What were you expecting, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeeste...


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## Geri (Sep 14, 2007)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> I find a lot of it very boring



Me too, there are not enough waves crashing on rocks. It's all a bit too calm and genteel.


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## butterfly child (Sep 14, 2007)

Donna Ferentes said:
			
		

> What were you expecting, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeeste...



South Devon is a bit more "traditional" seaside, imo, than North Devon.


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## gentlegreen (Sep 14, 2007)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> South Devon is a bit more "traditional" seaside, imo, than North Devon.



I drove back from Cornwall the other week via Torbay to get a handle on why I prefer Cornwall. Paignton was quite enough - can't even see the sea for bathing huts - streets of amusement arcades and tat shops ... Torquay was the same but more tastefully done ....

I loved the beaches as a kid though - from Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton.... maybe I could try it for a short spring break.....

North Devon out of season sounds appealing though .... maybe I should invest in a wetsuit ....


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## Idaho (Sep 14, 2007)

Geri said:
			
		

> Me too, there are not enough waves crashing on rocks. It's all a bit too calm and genteel.


What are you talking about you nutters? 

Prawle Point:






Start Point and Hallsands:





You all seem to be talking about Torbay. That's not really South Devon. You need to get with the whole South Hams area and coast.


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## Geri (Sep 15, 2007)

Those places do look nice  but ideally I want a combination of beach (i.e. sand, that you can walk on) + huge waves. What I love about Newquay and other places on the Atlantic coast is that you can lie in bed and listen to the waves coming in and going out. It's so relaxing.


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## Idaho (Sep 16, 2007)

Bigbury Bay and Burgh Island:









Noss Mayo along the coast:


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## Idaho (Sep 16, 2007)

Going to be staying here in a few weeks so I'll let you know if it does the sandy beach and waves at night thing:

http://www.hopeandanchor.co.uk/


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## Geri (Sep 17, 2007)

Ooh, I've been to Bigbury on Sea and Burgh Island - a very long time ago, mind, but I seem to remember liking it a lot. There's a really fabulous looking Art Deco hotel on the island:

http://www.burghisland.com/

Check out those prices!  

Makes the Saunton Sands Hotel look like a Travelodge!


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## butterfly child (Sep 17, 2007)

Geri said:
			
		

> Ooh, I've been to Bigbury on Sea and Burgh Island - a very long time ago, mind, but I seem to remember liking it a lot. There's a really fabulous looking Art Deco hotel on the island:
> 
> http://www.burghisland.com/
> 
> ...



Fuck me 

Both Deco hotels


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## gentlegreen (Sep 17, 2007)

I may have to visit the area at some point - if only to work out what this is :-








http://maps.google.com/maps?q=50.23...F-8&rlz=1B2DVFC_enGB214GB215&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl


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## djbombscare (Sep 19, 2007)

gentlegreen said:
			
		

> I may have to visit the area at some point - if only to work out what this is :-
> 
> 
> 
> ...




looks like the remanants of a outdoor pig farm to me matey. They use the cake slices for the pigs to live in normally and get served ( shagged) and then they move em up to the Farrowing paddocks. which are the square-ish ones at the bottom of the pic.

Normally what heppens is the farmers comes along and ploughs the field up  after the pigs ahve been there. They use the pigs to put nitrate back into the soil and chrun it up after a feild has been intensivelly farmed.

It might be something else entirely different BUT thats a virtually identical layout to the pig farm I worked on one summer. ( I think its called a Dial system or something)


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## Idaho (Sep 19, 2007)

Top info Mr Scare


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## Lost Zoot (Sep 22, 2007)

Geri said:
			
		

> She lives in Southmead but she put her address down as Henleaze because she didn't want her kid to go to Southmead school.  (not that this is in anyway relevant to the thread!  )
> 
> I.




Hahahah, North Devon i live there.  Its alright. Southmead school!!!!!! she was very right not to sendf her child there!

Groks go home etc


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## SpookyFrank (Sep 27, 2007)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> A little bit of heaven
> 
> And to think I've never heard of it
> 
> ...



Woolacombe is better than saunton, FACT.


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## SpookyFrank (Sep 27, 2007)

rubbershoes said:
			
		

> I would refer the honourable gentleman to Ilfracombe. God's own shithole would the only possible  description.
> 
> i rest my case



My mum lives there. And I think its nice, being a proper victorian seaside town and looking like such a place should. Damien Hirst has a new restaurant there and seems determined to turn the place into a yuppie hell-hole nobody can actually afford to go to, but give me the greasy spoons, amusements, ramshackle old houses and fight-ridden pubs over that smarmy cunt's idea of 'regeneration' any day.


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## butterfly child (Oct 1, 2007)

SpookyFrank said:
			
		

> My mum lives there. And I think its nice, being a proper victorian seaside town and looking like such a place should. Damien Hirst has a new restaurant there and seems determined to turn the place into a yuppie hell-hole nobody can actually afford to go to, but give me the greasy spoons, amusements, ramshackle old houses and *fight-ridden pubs* over that smarmy cunt's idea of 'regeneration' any day.



You were doing so well until that bit...

<sigh>


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## SpookyFrank (Oct 6, 2007)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> You were doing so well until that bit...
> 
> <sigh>



Well if there's a friendly pub in ilfracombe I've never found it


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## butterfly child (Oct 9, 2007)

SpookyFrank said:
			
		

> Well if there's a friendly pub in ilfracombe I've never found it



Nah.. you got me wrong.

I like the greasy spoons, amusements, ramshackle old houses - just not "fightridden pubs" 

I love seaside towns, in all their faded glory.


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