Saunton Sands
Three miles of Atlantic sand behind a UNESCO dune system — enormous space, real swell and serious rips.
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● Spot · shaded: the wind directions that work here. It is not a riding area or a permitted kite zone. Two fingers to move the map.
Location & launch
Know before you go.
- Launch
- Three miles of open sand backed by the Braunton Burrows dune system.
- Wind
- S · SSW · SW · WSW · W · WNW · NW · NNW · N winds work here.
The shaded area shows the wind directions recorded as working here. It is not a permitted kite zone or a safe launch boundary. Check local signs.
Local rules, hazards & spot guide
Need to know
The things that catch people out here.
- Braunton Burrows behind the beach is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Keep entirely off the dunes.
- Enormous beach and very few people once you walk north from the car park.
- Big rips, especially towards the estuary end. Know where they are before you ride.
- Military training uses parts of the Burrows — watch for flags.
Conditions
- Best
- Works
- Offshore
- Works in
- S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW, N
- Best in
- SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW
- Offshore (careful)
- NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE
- Wind quality
- clean
- Water
- Waves
- Depth
- mixed
- Best tide
- Low to mid
- Spring range
- 7.9 m
Sea breeze · May–Aug
- Beginner
- Workable
- Intermediate
- Good
- Advanced
- Good
Hazards
Most serious first. The level is in words as well as colour.
- high
current Rip currents are common, and the Taw–Torridge estuary mouth is at the southern end.
- high
wildlife Braunton Burrows is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and SSSI. Stay off the dunes.
- medium
military Parts of Braunton Burrows are used for military training; observe any flags and signage.
Access & rules
- Launch
- Three miles of open sand backed by the Braunton Burrows dune system.
- Permit
- Not required
- Insurance
- Third-party liability expected
- Tuition
- Permitted
- Facilities
- toilets, cafe
Parking
- Saunton Sands car park
paid
Seasonal restrictions
- May–Sep
RNLI bathing zones in season.
Safety
Who is around if it goes wrong. None of it makes the water safe.
- Lifeguards
- Seasonal RNLI cover on the main beach.
- RNLI
- Appledore RNLI
- Nearest A&E
- North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple (~20 min)
- Water quality
- Designated bathing water — excellent
The spot
Saunton is one of the biggest beaches in England: three miles of sand backed by Braunton Burrows, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Walk north from the car park for ten minutes and you will have it largely to yourself.
It is fully Atlantic-exposed, so expect real swell and real rip currents, particularly towards the Taw–Torridge estuary at the southern end. The dunes are strictly protected and partly used for military training — stay on the sand and watch for flags.
Nearby alternatives
Other launches around Bideford Bay, with different conditions.
- Westward Ho!
Small waves with flat sections between them, on a big Atlantic-facing beach.
Sources
Where this record came from, and how confident we are in it.
- Windfinder — Saunton Sands
Checked 2026-09-07 · coordinates, wind
- Exeter Windriders — Saunton Sands
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
- Kiteforum spot guide — Saunton Sands
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
- IKSURFMAG travel guide — Saunton Sands
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
Verify locally. Coordinates 51.1066, -4.2226. Conditions, access arrangements and beach rules change; check them on the day before you rely on anything on this page.