Crow Point: A Wild Walk to the Edge of the Estuary

Where the River Taw meets the sea at the edge of the Braunton Burrows, Crow Point offers one of the most serene and beautiful family walks in North Devon. The walk out along the sandy spit to the point itself is straightforward enough for children but rewarding enough to feel like a genuine expedition, and the landscape along the way is consistently stunning in that understated, quietly magnificent way that defines the best of Devon’s coast.

The estuary at this point is a nationally important habitat for wading birds and wildfowl, particularly during the autumn and winter months when thousands of migratory birds use the Taw and Torridge estuaries as a resting and feeding ground. In season, you can expect to see curlew, oystercatcher, dunlin, lapwing, and if you are fortunate, the occasional peregrine falcon hunting along the tideline. Bringing binoculars transforms the walk into a proper birdwatching adventure.

The route to Crow Point starts from the car park at the end of the lane at Broadsands, near Braunton, and follows a well-worn sandy path through the edge of the dunes. The whole walk out to the point and back is manageable in a couple of hours at a gentle pace with children. Dogs are welcome and absolutely love it here, particularly if you have taken advantage of Byron’s dog-friendly apartments and brought your four-legged companion along.

There is a wonderful sense of wildness and remoteness at Crow Point that is genuinely rare in southern England. The sound of the wind, the sight of the estuary stretching out on one side and the open sea on the other, and the feeling of being at the very edge of the land is something that stays with you.

No facilities at the point itself, so bring snacks, water, and a sense of adventure. Parking is free.