Three miles of gently sloping sand and long, rolling waves that gave North Devon its reputation as longboard country.
Long, mellow, rolling waves that glide rather than pitch. Saunton is the North Devon wave for walking a longboard and drawing out a smooth ride.
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The unhurried, gently sloping beach is a superb place to catch your first green waves, with plenty of room and no punchy, heavy sections to worry about.
Nearby: Woolacombe arrow_forward
The gently shelving sand holds a wave across a wide range of the tide, so Saunton is a dependable call when steeper beaches nearby have gone quiet.
All destinations arrow_forwardA vast, gently sloping beach where the waves roll in long and mellow.
Saunton is a huge, gently sloping beach that stretches for roughly three miles, and its waves are long, mellow and rolling rather than powerful. That drawn-out, forgiving shape is exactly what makes it a classic UK longboard wave: the swell folds over softly and the ride keeps going, giving you time to find your feet, trim along the wall and, once you've got the confidence for it, walk the board. You won't find the hollow, high-performance surfing you'd chase at a steeper beach break here, and that's precisely the appeal.
View on Google Maps open_in_newFor anyone learning, Saunton is a gift. The waves are forgiving and unhurried, so you've time to read what's coming, paddle onto it and stand up without being rushed or hammered. The beach is wide enough that it rarely feels crowded even on a busy day, and there's room to give other surfers a wide berth while you practise. It's the natural next step once the whitewater has stopped feeling like a battle and you want to start linking clean, unbroken rides.
View on Google Maps open_in_newBecause the sand shelves so gently, Saunton holds a rideable wave across a wide range of the tide, which makes it a reliable fallback when the punchier beaches nearby fall between tides. The shape and the length of the walk to the water shift through the cycle, so check the tide times before you head down. On the bigger days the wave has more push, but it stays a good deal more forgiving than the heavier breaks along this coast.
An ideal teaching beach, and just as good for a longboard refresher.
The gentle, rolling nature of Saunton makes it a favourite for surf schools and beginner lessons. Lessons begin in the whitewater on a soft foam board, with the safety basics and the beach flags covered first, and build towards your first green waves. Because the waves are so forgiving, progress here feels less daunting than at a steeper, heavier break. Our surf hub is a good place to prepare before a lesson.
Saunton is the ideal place to try a longer board. The extra length paddles into these gentle waves easily and glides beautifully along the mellow walls, which is why the beach draws so many longboarders. Local schools and shops hire out boards and wetsuits, so stepping up from a foamie to a longboard costs you nothing more than an afternoon.
A wild dune backdrop and a friendly village just up the road.
Saunton is backed by Braunton Burrows, one of the largest dune systems in the country and a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The dunes give the beach a wild, open feel with almost nothing but sand and marram grass behind the surf. It's a fine place to stretch your legs between sessions, and the scale of the setting is a big part of why a day at Saunton feels a world away from the busier resort beaches.
The village of Braunton, just up the road, is one of the largest in Devon and a proper little surf town, with shops, cafés, surf shops and places to stay. It makes a handy base for exploring the whole of North Devon's coast, with Saunton on the doorstep and Woolacombe and Croyde only a short drive away. Our Woolacombe guide covers the next beach along.
Easy to reach from the M5, with rail and bus options into Braunton.
Driving is the simplest option. Leave the M5 at Junction 27, follow the A361 to Barnstaple and then Braunton, and take the coast road out towards Croyde: Saunton is only a few miles beyond Braunton. There's a car park right above the beach, and like everywhere on this coast it fills quickly on sunny summer days, so an early start pays off.
The nearest station is Barnstaple, on the Tarka Line from Exeter. From there, local buses run out through Braunton towards Croyde and Saunton. Travelling with hired boards keeps things light, but with your own gear the car is far more practical.
Exeter is the closest airport, with Bristol a larger hub a little further along the M5. Both suit picking up a hire car for the run down to North Devon.
A year-round beach, with the same North Devon wetsuit guidance through the seasons.
Summer brings small, clean, mellow waves and the warmest water of the year, which is perfect for beginners and longboarders alike. A 3/2mm wetsuit is all you need. The beach is busy but so large that it never feels crowded on the water.
Autumn sends more regular Atlantic groundswell while the water still holds some warmth, and the crowds ease once the holidays finish. A 4/3mm covers most sessions. For many longboarders it's the sweet spot of the year, with cleaner, longer walls to draw out.
Winter is cold and can be sizeable, so a 5/4mm with boots, gloves and a hood is essential as the water drops to around 8 to 9°C. Even so, Saunton stays more forgiving than the heavier breaks nearby, which makes it a good cold-water option. Spring gradually warms and quietens down before summer. Always check the RNLI beach flags and pick your conditions honestly before you paddle out.
The questions surfers most often ask before heading to Saunton.
The waves are long, mellow and rolling rather than powerful, which lets a longboard glide and gives you time to walk the board and work on your trim. That gentle, drawn-out shape is exactly what makes it a classic UK longboard wave.
Yes. The forgiving, unhurried waves and the gently sloping beach make Saunton one of the best places in North Devon to catch your first green waves. Surf schools run lessons here through the season.
It handles a wide range of the tide well thanks to the gently sloping sand, though the shape and the walk to the water change through the cycle. It's a reliable option when steeper beaches nearby are between tides.
North Devon guidance applies: a 3/2mm through the summer and a 5/4mm with boots, gloves and a hood from late autumn into spring, when the water sits around 8 to 9°C. See our surf hub for more.
See how Saunton Sands compares to the rest of the region in our Cornwall & Devon surf guide.