Short answer: Croyde is a small bay and it overwhelms on a hot day. Saunton Sands five minutes south is three miles of open sand that never feels full. Putsborough to the north is quieter still, and allows dogs all year unlike Croyde in summer.
Croyde bay is compact, sheltered between two headlands, and that is exactly why the surf is good and why it fills so fast. One thatched street and a handful of car parks cannot absorb an August Saturday. The good news is that two much bigger beaches are within five minutes.
Three miles of open sand backed by the Braunton Burrows dunes, five minutes south. Contactless parking that does not need an app, a beach kiosk, surf shop and restaurant above. Reviewers describe it going on for miles and being breathtakingly beautiful — and crucially, it is big enough that it never feels crowded.
It also allows dogs all year round, where Croyde restricts them over the summer. The car park does fill and close on bank holidays, so arrive before ten.
North through the lanes, and the southern end of the Woolacombe sands. Firm sand, its own car park, café and shop, and considerably fewer people than either Croyde or Woolacombe. Reviewers call it dog friendly, quiet and clean, and one describes it as a favourite beach in the world.
No lifeguards, and the lanes down are single-track and genuinely tight.
The clifftop above the southern end of Croyde bay, with its own car park and the Beach Cafe and Sunset Bar. Most people drive past it heading for the main beach. It is the best sunset seat in Croyde and a good spot to sit out the busiest part of the afternoon.
The general rule on this coast: ten minutes of walking removes ninety per cent of people. Almost every crowded Devon beach empties out within a short walk of the car park, because most visitors will not carry a windbreak further than they have to.
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