Saunton Sands and Braunton Burrows Walk
Devon
This dog friendly North Devon walk threads together one of the country's grandest beaches and a UNESCO biosphere dune system. The route drops onto Saunton Sands and follows three miles of firm flat sand south to the Crow Point estuary, then loops back inland through the marram grass and slacks of Braunton Burrows, the largest sand dune system in England, before returning to the car park along Sandy Lane.
Dogs are welcome year round on Saunton Sands and the Burrows, with no seasonal beach ban, and the dunes are a long-standing favourite for off-lead running. The one rule to watch is the conservation grazing herd of Ruby Red cattle that move between three signed zones in the Burrows, so check the gate signs and lead up if cows are present. The terrain is mostly flat but the dunes can be soft going and easy to lose your bearings in, so keep a route in mind. There are toilets and a cafe at the Saunton Sands car park.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 9.5 km (5.9 miles)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 3 hr
- Walk Type
- Coastal, Forest
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- High
- Livestock Risk
- Moderate
- Facilities
- Cafe, toilets and ice cream kiosk at Saunton Sands; surf hire and beach shop at the car park; pubs in Braunton village.
- Parking
- Large pay and display car park at Saunton Sands (EX33 1LQ); smaller Sandy Lane car park (EX33 2NX) for direct dune access.
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