Braunton: Dune Landscape, Heritage and Museums

If you are considering Braunton as a destination, two main themes may shape your choice: its extensive dune landscape and traces of agricultural, social and cultural history. When choosing a hotel, you can use these themes to guide your interests: would you like to focus more on nature and biodiversity, or are you mainly interested in museums, historic land use and architectural history? These topics complement one another and reveal different aspects of Braunton.

Dune Landscape and Biodiversity

Braunton Burrows is one of the largest dune systems in the British Isles, covering about 1,000 hectares. The area contains extensive, species-rich calcareous dune grasslands. Braunton Burrows SAC is home to more than 470 plant species; populations of sand lizards and great crested newts can also be found at Braunton Burrows. You can consider landscape scale, habitat and species as distinct aspects of a nature-themed visit.

Trails and Historic Landscape

The Tarka Trail is a walking and cycling route in the North Devon Biosphere Reserve. This offers a specific type of route alongside landscape and museum themes: the trail is designated for walking and cycling. Braunton Great Field is one of only three medieval strip fields that have survived in England. Braunton Marshes reflect a different kind of historic landscape development: they were probably reclaimed from the tidal waters of the River Taw during the Middle Ages.

The Church of St Brannock also offers a specific connection to architectural history: the church’s chancel contains fabric dating from the 13th century. In terms of chronology, local history ranges from the Middle Ages to the railway station as it appeared in the 1950s. Agriculture, the development of the marshland and church architecture sit alongside a later depiction of transport; this lets you consider the historical connections by topic and period.

Museums and Getting Around

The Museum of British Surfing is located on Caen Street in Braunton. It was established as a national registered charity to preserve surfing heritage and displays historic surfboards. Individual displays may change. Its focus on surfing history is accompanied by a clear institutional purpose; at the same time, the collection provides a distinct perspective alongside local history themes.

The Braunton Museum covers Braunton’s agricultural, maritime, wartime and social history. A working model shows the railway station as it appeared in the 1950s. The range of topics and the model offer different emphases: the exhibition themes cover several aspects of local life, while the model depicts a particular version of the station from the 1950s.

The Braunton Museum & Information Centre offers exhibitions and information about the coastal and agricultural landscapes around Braunton. It also offers guided walks, illustrated talks and film screenings. Its programme therefore includes both insights into landscape themes and a range of ways to explore them. For directions to the Museum of British Surfing: the nearest railway station is in Barnstaple, six miles away.

Discover more destinations: Rackenford, Salcombe, Clovelly, Milton Abbot, Tavistock, Ipplepen, Bratton Fleming, Appledore

For the full travel guide: Devon.