Westward Ho!

The seaside village of Westward Ho! sits on the north coast of the Torridge district of Devon, England, known for a long sandy beach backed by dunes and the salt marshes of Northam Burrows - an ecologically important coastal common and SSSI that draws birdwatchers and walkers. The village was essentially created as a Victorian resort after Charles Kingsley’s 1855 novel Westward Ho! and is famed for being the only UK place name that includes an exclamation mark.

Today the local economy is largely driven by tourism: surfing, family beach days, holiday cottages and caravan parks dominate, while the nearby Royal North Devon Golf Club (one of England’s oldest courses) adds a historic sporting draw. Social life is distinctly seasonal, with a lively summer atmosphere giving way to a quieter, community feel in the winter, and the area still mixes heritage buildings with practical seaside amenities.