Boxing Day in Croyde: The Bay, and the Pub That Stays Open

Short answer: The bay is free and open, and the surf does not care what day it is. The Thatch is effectively the centre of the village and keeps going all winter. Baggy Point is the walk.

What is open regardless

Croyde Bay. West-facing, free, and with the summer dog restrictions lifted since October. If there is swell running, there will be surfers out on Boxing Day morning — it is one of the few places in Devon where that is a certainty.

The Boxing Day walk

Baggy Point

The National Trust headland out of the village. The full loop is about two and a half miles with some climbing, and the view back across the bay is the best thing in north Devon on a clear winter morning. Free for National Trust members; otherwise the car park charges.

The easier version

The bay itself at low tide, with the dunes behind for a bit of shelter if the wind is up. Flat, short, and enough to earn lunch.

Where to eat

• The Thatch — effectively the centre of the village, and it stays open when much of Croyde does not.
• Billy Budds — handmade pizzas and a covered area, the right answer when nobody wants to sit down properly.
• The Manor House Inn at the top of the village — book if you are bringing a dog.
• Cafe Croyde Bay — dog friendly, all-day breakfasts, with a sauna and cold plunge next door that make more sense in December than July.

Ring before you set off. Boxing Day hours are decided late, change year to year, and are the single thing most likely to be wrong online. A two-minute call beats a wasted drive.

What will be shut

The surf shops and most of the seasonal food vans. Croyde is a summer village and December strips it back.

Parking

Straightforward. The overflow fields that take the August crowds will not be open, so aim for the main car parks — and expect to need coins.

If you want to eat out, book now rather than in December. The pubs that do serve on Boxing Day fill weeks ahead, and the ones that do not take bookings have queues instead.