Woolacombe

51 172 - 4.207Koordinaten: 51 ° 10 ' N, 4 ° 12' W

Woolacombe is a seaside resort of about 1000 inhabitants with a nearly 6 km long sandy beach on the north coast of the English county of Devon southwest of Ilfracombe between Mortehoe and Saunton.

Geography and landscape

The place is located in a broad valley cut between the treacherous rocks of Morte Point, which were the undoing since the Middle Ages shipwrecked, to the north and cliffs Peninsula Baggy Point in the south. The beach is with the eco - label Blue Flag for its good maintenance condition, water quality and infrastructural facilities were excellent.

The coastal landscape around Mortehoe and Woolacombe in 1949 by Rosalie Chichester ( Arlington Court ) bequeathed to the National Trust. The UK Environment Agency was established in 2006 Natural England has as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty under her special protection.

Behind the beaches are the dunes of Woolacombe Warren and extensive heaths; Links to this country it was before the Second World War, an 18- hole golf course. Behind the links extend through high hedges be distinct sheep pastures.

Woolacombe total has three beaches:

• The 5 km long main beach Woolacombe Sands, who is as busy in the high season that the parking capacity of the place are overloaded on a regular basis;
• The small quiet sandy coves Barricane Beach and Coombesgate Beach north of the town between the rocks with rock pools for swimming at low tide;
• Sands Putsborough the west then to the Woolacombe Sands, which are mainly used by surfers; the beach stretches to below the Baggy Point, often at the seals are to be found.

History

In the Domesday Book of the valley cut as Wolnecoma is ( allegedly " Wolfstal " ) mentioned; of a settlement is not mentioned.

Even in the 19th century is no longer detected as a belonging to the parish Mortehoe farm.

To resort to the Talmündung developed only with the connection Mortehoes to the 1874 -built railway line from Ilfracombe to Barnstaple ( Ilfracombe Branch Line); although the station was almost 4 km both from the center and from the Mortehoes Woolacombe Sands, the accessibility of the area for guests hereby compared to before was very relieved.

It originated Weekend family accommodation, utilities, pubs, shops and sports facilities.

During the Second World War was Woolacombe training camp by U.S. troops for D-Day. For this purpose, the golf course in the Woolacombe Warren had to be abandoned.

In the middle of the 20th century revitalized tourism. It created new hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation, camping site, several surf schools, riding stables and a web -golf ( crazy golf course).

Infrastructure, tourism, sport

The railway line Ilfracombe Branch Line was decommissioned in 1970; the station was home to 2005 the children's recreational park Once Upon a Time.

For the traffic Woolacombe is served by the B 3343 to North Devon's urban centers Ilfracombe, Braunton and Barnstaple. There is also a bus service to which a single-track branch line also Mortehoe is connected.

Due to the location - below the Esplanade - runs the South West Coast Path, the longest 1014 km of marked long-distance footpath of Britain; this coincides here with the Tarka Trail, a further approx. 290 km long distance hiking trail through Devon's inland moors and coasts with the logo of the animal protagonists in the novel by Henry Williamson.

Also trail riding in the area of ​​Woolacombe Sands is possible.