Saunton Sands, Braunton, Devon, EX33 1LQ
Saunton Sands is one of those places that takes your breath away on first sight and keeps on doing it every time you return. Three miles of golden sand backed by the Braunton Burrows dunes, with long rolling waves that are perfect for surfing at almost every level. The surf company based here is your gateway into making the most of this extraordinary beach.
Board hire, wetsuit hire and surf lessons are all available, with qualified instructors who know Saunton’s breaks as well as anyone alive. For beginners, the gentle slope and long rolling waves here make it a genuinely forgiving and encouraging environment to learn in. For more experienced surfers, the length and consistency of the waves offer something you simply cannot find at every beach.
Saunton sits about twenty minutes from Byron, making it very easy to build a surf day into your stay without eating up too much time in the car. Set off in the morning, sort your kit at the surf company, spend a few hours in the water and be back at Byron in time for an evening swim in the pool. That is a very good day indeed.
The wider Saunton environment is also home to the Braunton Burrows, a UNESCO designated biosphere reserve and one of the most significant dune systems in the UK. Even if surfing is not your thing, a walk through the dunes and onto the beach is an experience that feels genuinely wild and remote despite being so very close to the road.
The surf company staff are welcoming and knowledgeable and will quickly help you understand what the conditions are doing and what to expect in the water. There is a relaxed professionalism here that makes the whole experience feel easy and approachable from the very first moment.
