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Westward Ho! remains unique as the only town in the UK to officially include an exclamation mark in its name, stemming from the title of Charles Kingsley’s 1855 novel which spurred the Victorian development of the village. Geographically, it sits on a distinctive stretch of the North Devon coast where the long, sandy beach is backed by the Pebble Ridge - a natural barrier of grey stones that protects the Northam Burrows Country Park behind it. This open grassland is home to one of the oldest golf courses in the country and still provides common grazing land for local sheep and horses. Unlike the more sheltered harbour towns of the region, the layout here is open and linear, facing the Atlantic swells that make it a hub for surfing and kitesurfing. Life in the village centres on the promenade, where the tide dictates the daily pace; at high water, the sea reaches the rocks, but as it recedes, it reveals miles of firm sand stretching toward the estuary of the Taw and Torridge. It’s a practical spot for those who value being outdoors, with a clear, functional connection to Bideford just a few miles inland for broader amenities.