A North Devon stretch of coastline, including Croyde, has officially been declared as a World Surfing Reserve, making it one of only 12 spots on the planet to be awarded that title.
The reserve stretches for about 19 miles, starting at the longboarders’ heaven of Saunton, around Down End point and into Croyde, then onwards to Putsborough, Woolacombe and Lynmouth. This is the first time in the UK that any stretch of coast has been named a World Surfing Reserve and also the first cold water surfing reserve, making this award even more prestigious.
Gaining this recognition wasn’t a formality, and required a lot of hard work behind the scenes from local surfers and other supporters.
You may well be aware from the last post that Croyde has been under threat from excessive development by Parkdean, the company that run the Ruda holiday park, by a massive expansion in to the surrounding greenfield areas, made possible by an administrative error in a planning application made some years ago. The Croyde Area Residents Association (CARA) successfully challenging this erroneous decision thanks to generous support from local residents and Croyde lovers up and down the country, managing to secure enough donations to cover the considerable legal costs of the challenge. A judgment given at the High Court by Mrs Justice Lieven on 19 March 2021 quashed the harmful planning decision which unlawfully and mistakenly granted permission to expand the Holiday Park into green fields in the AONB. However, the latest update is that CARA must once again prepare to take on Parkdean who have been granted leave to appeal the judgment of the High Court. Please follow this link to read the latest case update (14), and follow CARA and their fight on Instagram.
No doubt you are on this site because you love Croyde and the surrounding area, which is a stunning landscape in the North Devon Coast AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). However, the area is under threat from a plan by Parkdean, who run the Ruda Holiday Park, to expand in to the surrounding greenfield sites without requirements for the usual assessments. This could mean vast expansion with potentially disastrous consequences for the area, which is already at its capacity in the summer with holidaymakers. What’s more, the planned expansion is only going ahead due to a mistake in a planning application some years ago! The Croyde Area Residents Association (CARA) are challenging this erroneous decision, however they need funds to cover the legal costs just so this issue can be given a hearing and hopefully the decision corrected. You can read more about the campaign here, and also pledge funds to help keep Croyde beautiful.
Local big wave surfing legend (and occasional plumber) Andrew “Cotty” Cotton is back in a new documentary called “Beneath the Surface”. The film is an amazing insight into what drives big wave surfers to chase the unknown. This time Cotty’s adventure started in 2013 off the West coast of Ireland, after he caught a glimpse of another potential giant wave which he could attempt to ride. Despite the fact that it sits in one of the stormiest seas on the planet, Cotty was not deterred, and the film follows him exploring the possibility that he might have just discovered the wave of his dreams (and everyone else’s nightmares).
Surfing GB put on the largest British Nationals event in recent years over the weekend of October 24th and 25th at Croyde Bay, Devon. Originally planned for September but postponed due to lack of surf, the rescheduled event enjoyed great surfing conditions and some Autumnal sunshine.
Croyde Bay is honoured to be hosting the 2015 British National Surf Championships. These were due to take place over the weekend of the 26th and 27th of September, but due to lack of forecast surf they will now take place on the 24th and 25th October 2015.
Highlights from last years competition at Fistral Beach, Newquay:
Andrew Cotton, the legendary Croyde big wave surfer, had the premiere of his new film “Behind The Lines: Deeper” at the Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe last week. As well as being attended by people from the surfing community, another legendary athlete joined the screening in the form of Victoria Pendleton, the Olympic gold medal winning track cyclist.
The film documents Andrew (aka “Cotty”) and his quest to catch some waves at the famous big wave spot at Nazaré in Portugal, it’s a must see for all serious surf fans.
Good Friday may have been a bit of a washout but the rest of Easter 2015 saw Croyde basking in sunshine, with warm weather and a series of colourful sunsets over the bay. Surfers and body boarders were out in force, with small but clean waves over the whole weekend. Some surfers combined the best of everything by enjoying an evening surf against the spectacular backdrop of the sun setting over Lundy Island. Fingers crossed the fine weather and clean waves will continue throughout Spring!
Sunset, Croyde Bay, Easter Sunday 2015Croyde Easter 2015: Sunset and surfers set against a backdrop of Lundy Island
Croyde based surfwear clothing company Saltrock have just opened a new store in the High Street of Exeter.
This means the old store in the Princesshay Centre has moved to the middle of the High Street next door to Jones Bootmakers.
“The interior of the store is attractively styled to reflect the Saltrock love of the Great British coastline with original artwork and photography, hand made wooden fittings and a skylight letting natural light in to the back of the store.”
Sounds good, so if you’re in Exeter why not drop in, the address is: Saltrock Exeter, 237 High Street, Exeter, EX4 3NZ.
Saltrock Exeter, now in the High Street!
Anchor Down holiday home available to rent in Croyde, North Devon
