Explore Ilfracombe Beaches and Coastline

Ilfracombe is a seaside resort and lies within the North Devon Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is renowned for its dramatic coastal cliffs and landscape. Ilfracombe is a harbour town but has always been a popular holiday destination. One of the famous sites are the Tunnels Beach, there were no accessible beaches close to the town until a series of tunnels was dug in the 1820's which led to two, segregated by sex, bathing pools. Ilfracombe makes a good north Devon base with a terrific range of activities available to suit all ages and tastes. These include traditional beach visits, walking, fishing, horse riding, cycling, surfing, diving or simply exploring the beautiful coastline.


Why not check beaches nearby as we have 96 beaches in Devon. You can even take a look at our list of Devon dog friendly beaches or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.

Ilfracombe Devon Coast Map

Ilfracombe Devon Coast Search Bar

Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:

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Want some ideas on where to visit?

Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, and places to stay and eat:

Wildersmouth-beach

Wildersmouth Beach

Wildersmouth beach is one of Ilfracombe two beaches and is a small rocky bay with shingle and sand that all but disappears at high tide. This bay is sheltered and peaceful with high sided cliffs. Take the walk up the zig-zagging path to the top of Capstone Hill where you have great views along the coast and Ilfracombe itself. Car Read more…
Bull-Point-lighthouse

Bull Point Lighthouse

Bull Point lighthouse gives a guide to vessels navigating off the North Devon coast with a red sector light marking the Rockham Shoal and the Morte Stone. Bull Point Lighthouse gives a guide to vessels navigating off the North Devon Coast with a red sector light marking the Rockham Shoal and the Morte Stone off Morte Point. The light was Read more…
Broad-Sands-beach

Broad Sands Beach

Broad Sands is a beach near Watermouth between Ilfracombe and Combe Martin on Devon’s North Coast. The beach is a sand and shingle cove protected by high wooded cliffs with some rocks to climb and caves worth exploring with care. The high cliffs make this a sheltered beach for swimming. Although this is a hard beach to access you will find in Read more…
Ilfracombe-lifeboat-station

Ilfracombe lifeboat station

Ilfracombe lifeboat station was established in 1850 although the first boat was a pilot boated kitted out in 1828. The station now hosts two lifeboats. RNLI shop and station open to the public. Read more…
Hele-Bay-beach

Hele Bay Beach

Hele Bay beach is flat sand and shingle in a small cove in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty adjacent to Hillsborough Nature Reserve. At low tide, you have rocks on either side of the beach with rock pools. The beach has a car park, toilets, shops, cafe and pub all within walking distance. Read more…
Lee-Bay-beach

Lee Bay Beach

Lee Bay beach has a very gentle slope and the beach is also accessible from the coastal path via a National Trust maintained path and staircase down the cliff face. As the tide goes out you get more sand as it emerges from among the rocks. Lee Bay is located on a rugged stretch of coast between Ilfracombe and Woolacombe, Read more…
Landscape and Nature

West Exmoor Coast

The West Exmoor Coast, North East Devon, from Combe Martin to Woody Bay, west of Lynton has six miles of towering cliffs, secluded coves, wooded river valleys and heather moorland in Exmoor National Park. Excellent walking on the South West Coast Path and Tarka Trail with some of the highest sea cliffs in southern England, a haven for coastal and Read more…
Ilfracombe-Harbour

Ilfracombe Harbour

Ilfracombe harbour is the largest on the North Devon coast. The harbour has been critical to this are for several centuries. Ilfracombe harbour is an ideal location from which to explore North Devon, in particular areas like Lundy Island, and other harbours along the North Cornwall and Bristol Channel coasts. Read more…
Tunnels-beach

Tunnels Beach

Tunnels beach are formed by two segregated Victorian bathing pools – there were no accessible beaches close to the town until a series of tunnels was dug in the 1820’s – these led to two, segregated by sex, bathing pools. These were tidal pools that for many were the first chance to learn to swim. These are no longer maintained Read more…
Combe-Martin-Bay-beach

Combe Martin Bay Beach

Combe Martin Bay is a sandy and shingle sheltered cove on the edge of the Exmoor National Park. An ideal family beach. As the tide goes out a large area of sand is available with rock pools and safe swimming. The bay at Combe Martin is enclosed by high sea cliffs, the Great and Little Hangman, on either headland. The Read more…
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