Saunton is a village located approximately two miles from

Braunton Braunton is a large village, civil parishes in England, civil parish, ecclesiastical parish and former Manorialism, manor in Devon. The village is situated west of Barnstaple. It is one of the largest villages in Devon with a population at th ...

on the

North Devon North Devon is a Non-metropolitan district, local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based just outside Barnstaple, the district's largest town. The district also includes the towns of Ilfracombe, Lynton and Lynmouth and Sout ...

coast in the South West of England. Several kilometres long, the village borders

Braunton Burrows Braunton Burrows is a sand dune system on the North Devon coast. It is privately owned and forms part of the Christie Devon Estates Trust (see Tapeley Park). Braunton Burrows is a prime British sand dune site, the largest sand dune system (psammo ...

, the heart of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve, the first "new style"

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

-designated

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

. Its beach

Saunton Sands Saunton Sands is a beach near the English village of Saunton on the North Devon coast near Braunton, popular for longboard surfing. Beyond its southern end, Crow Point, England is the mouth of the River Taw estuary. It is part of the Taw-Torri ...

is part of the Taw-Torridge Estuary. In 1994 termites, of the species Reticulitermes grassei, were identified in two bungalows in Saunton. Anecdotal evidence suggests the infestation could date back 70 years before the official identification. In 1998 Termite Eradication Programme was set-up, with the intention of containing and eradicating the colony. In 2021 the UK’s Termite Eradication Programme announced the eradication of the colony, the first time a country has eradicated termites. The Saunton Surf Life Saving Club is based here. The

South West Coast Path The South West Coast Path is England's longest waymarked Long-distance footpaths in the UK, long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harb ...

National Trail runs through the village, and gives access to walks along the rugged North Devon coast. Saunton Down lies within the

North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The North Devon Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Devon, England, designated in September 1959. The AONB contributes to a family of protected landscapes in the Southwest of England and a total of 38% of the region is cl ...

. Served by Stagecoach 308 bus service between Barnstaple, Croyde and Georgeham

References

External links

Villages in Devon Braunton {{Devon-geo-stub