Croyde

Croyde is everyone’s idea of Devon - with its picturesque thatched cottages, rolling hills and a little stream which winds its way through the village to the beautiful sandy bay below. Sheltered by Saunton Down to the south and Baggy Point to the north, Croyde Bay is famous for its surf. Baggy Point, owned by The National Trust, has many delightful walks.

The first settlers of Croyde village, over a thousand years ago, are believed to have been the Vikings. The oldest building, St Helen’s Chapel in Cott Lane, was established in the twelfth century by the Celtic saint, Endelentia, who brought Christianity to the village. Opposite the chapel is a tiny lane and behind St Helens Priory is the holy well, or Lady Well, which was blessed by St Endelentia and was a popular place of pilgrimage for centuries.

As you stroll through the village you will notice that many buildings date back to the 17th Century, including Myrtle Farm, built in 1600 AD. There are many picturesque cottages including ‘Sweets Cottage’, one of the prettiest thatched properties in the South-West.

The Whiteleaf at Croyde is a comfortable 1930s house of wonderful character standing in its own attractive gardens alongside the North Devon coastal path, only a few minutes walk from Croyde. This small family guesthouse not only offers comfortable, well equipped en-suite accommodation, but is a noteworthy restaurant, open to non-residents.

Dining at Whiteleaf is a real occasion, first relax in the lounge and enjoy a drink while you peruse the menu and then it’s into the a la carte restaurant for a meal that your taste buds will be thanking you about, for years to come. The a la carte menu combines traditional English cooking with exotic influence, and is created only from the freshest local ingredients and cooked by the proprietor David a professional chef with international experience. Booking is recommended.

The Fruit and Nut Trail is a nature trail with the best views over Croyde. It can be accessed from several points directly - from the village at the end of Cott lane, from Cloutmans Lane, from Mill Lane opposite the Manor, and from the cross opposite the Baptist Church. A map and a leaflet are available locally.

When in Croyde it’s a must to visit Chapel Farm, just up the hill from the famous Thatched Barn pub. Everyone is welcome to browse and explore their huge range of Art and Craft for sale, as well as everything you might need for your trip to the beach.

There is a wonderful range of work by North Devon artists, with original paintings in all types of media and styles, from traditional landscaped to modern abstract. You can buy originals, limited editions and fine art prints. Added to these is a huge range of framed and unframed photographs celebrating the unique beauty of Devon in a wide range of styles to suit all pockets.

An abundance of local pottery can also be found here in a wide range of styles and shapes, as well as ‘just the right gift’ for all occasions. Children of all ages will love the great range of wooden toys, robustly made, here in the UK and abroad, as well as stocking filler toys, games, rings and jewellery. A great range of jams and preserves, fudges and toffees are available - all produced by local companies and farms.

Croyde was once a small hamlet of Georgeham, its inland neighbour, but the one just grew and the other didn’t. Many of the visitors to Georgeham are seeking memories of the area’s best known author - Henry Williamson.

Although his best known books are ‘Tarka the Otter’ and ‘Salar the Salmon’, he also wrote lovingly of this small village where he lived for several years, in ‘Tales of a Devon Village’.

Williamson loved this area and if you do enjoy books about the countryside and village life in the early part of the 1900s, then we recommend that you look round some of the many excellent second hand bookshops in the area and try to find copies of his early books.

We are sure you will enjoy visiting Croyde and the surrounding area, whether your interests are the sea and the surf, quiet walks in the lovely inland countryside or simply sitting in delightful surroundings enjoying an excellent meal.

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