Westward Ho!
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Westward Ho! is a seaside town in Torridge, Devon, England, near Bideford. The town can be found to the north of the A39 road, providing easy access from the towns of Barnstaple, Bideford and Bude. It lies at the south end of Northam Burrows, and faces westward into Bideford Bay, opposite Saunton Sands and Braunton Burrows.
Westwardho.beach.arp.750pix.jpg
History
The town's name comes from the title of Charles Kingsley's novel Westward Ho!. The exclamation mark is therefore an intentional part of the town's name, the only such place name in the United Kingdom.
The town has recently become more residential as holiday camps closed and houses, flats and apartments were erected. One well known former camp was Torville Camp. The two major holiday camps still running are Surfbay Holiday Park and Braddicks Holiday Centre.
Westward Ho! is well known for its surfing seas and the long expanse of clean sand backed by a pebble ridge which extends for about three miles. Other attractions of the town include the arcades, go kart track and the grasslands behind the pebble ridge.
External links
- historic photographs of Westward Ho! (http://www.francisfrith.com/pageloader.asp?page=/search/viewphotos.asp&townid=64276&cid=10)
- Info from BBC site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/discovering/information/westward_ho_facts.shtml)
- Surfbay Holiday park (http://www.surfbay.co.uk/)
- Braddicks Holiday Centre (http://www.braddicksholidaycentre.co.uk/)