Short answer: Croyde Beach has summer dog restrictions but the dune paths stay open. Saunton Sands, five minutes south, allows dogs all year. In the village, Cafe Croyde Bay, Billy Budds and The Thatch all take dogs — book ahead at the Manor House Inn if you are bringing one.
Croyde Beach restricts dogs over the summer, which catches people out. The dune paths behind stay open, but if you want a proper beach day with a dog between May and September, drive five minutes south to Saunton Sands instead. Three miles of open sand, dog friendly all year round, contactless parking and a café on site.
Putsborough, the other way through the lanes, is also dog friendly and much quieter. No lifeguards there, and the lanes down are single track and tight.
Cafe Croyde Bay above the bay is dog friendly and has good all-day breakfasts, a proper view, and a sauna and cold plunge next door that people book after surfing. It is the natural stop at the end of the Baggy Point walk.
Billy Budds has a large sun-trap garden at the back and plenty of room, with handmade pizzas and a good cider list. The Thatch, the thatched pub that is effectively the centre of the village, is a warren of small rooms with live music — busy, but it takes dogs and families.
The Manor House Inn at the top of the village does a Sunday carvery worth planning around and welcomes dogs — but reviewers are specific that you should book if you are bringing one, as the dog-friendly tables are limited. Turning up on spec on a Sunday with a dog is how you end up eating elsewhere.
The Beach Cafe and Sunset Bar at Downend has the best sunset seat in Croyde, with coffee and crab sandwiches by day and Sri Lankan curries on curry nights. It is clifftop with its own car park and outdoor space — a good spot to end a walk with a dog.
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