Things to do in Westward Ho!, Devon
The seaside resort of Westward Ho! is a popular North Devon holiday destination with a long sandy beach.
This came about as the town was named after a book of the same name, written by Charles Kingsley in the mid-19th century, based in nearby Bideford.
Keen to cash in on the book's success, developers built a hotel and villas along the two mile sandy beach to attract sea-bathing visitors, and so the Victorian town of Westward Ho! was born.
However Surfbay Holiday Park and Braddick's Holiday Centre still continue the holiday camp tradition in the area.
Present Day Westward Ho!
Westward Ho! is ideal for family vacations surrounded by unspoilt Devon coastal scenery, best explored on long walks.
The golden sandy beach stretches for two miles and is known for its excellent surf. The inland area is protected by a natural pebble ridge.
The Northam Burrows Country Park, behind the pebble ridge, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The old railway was closed in 1917 but the flat railbed is now part of the South West Coast Path which runs around the coastline.
During the summer there is a ferry link from neighbouring Appledore, a pretty shipbuilding town, across to Instow.
Things to do in Westward Ho!
Besides family beach activities such as fishing for shrimp and crabs in the rock pools and enjoying the tidal lido known as the Rock Pool, Westward Ho! has some traditional arcades and a go-kart track.
The sandy beach is ideal for swimming in the Blue Flag waters under the watchful eye of local lifeguards.
The North Devon Surf School on the beach offers equipment hire and surf lessons.
Keen golfers will already know that Westward Ho! is home to the Royal North Devon Golf Club, the oldest golf club in England and Wales and still considered an excellent golf course.
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Days Out in Westward Ho!
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Elliot Gallery (6 Miles)*
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RHS Garden Rosemoor (7 Miles)*
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Marwood Hill Gardens (9 Miles)*
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North Devon Farm Park (11 Miles)*
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Cobbaton Combat Collection (11 Miles)*
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Hartland Abbey and Gardens (12 Miles)*
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Docton Mill (12 Miles)*
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Chambercombe Manor (13 Miles)*
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Old Cornmill & Tearoom (13 Miles)*
Places to Visit near Westward Ho!
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Bideford (1 Mile)*
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Abbotsham (1 Mile)*
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Appledore (2 Miles)*
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Instow (3 Miles)*
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Braunton (6 Miles)*
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Croyde (7 Miles)*
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Great Torrington (7 Miles)*
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Clovelly (7 Miles)*
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Barnstaple (8 Miles)*
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Woolacombe (9 Miles)*
Also near Westward Ho! |
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