Ruda Holiday Park
Ruda is a large self-catering holiday park on the North Devon coast, set right behind Croyde Bay with its own stretch of the beach, so guests walk from the caravans and lodges across the dunes onto the sand without crossing a road. It's run by John Fowler Holidays and sits on the company's top ‘Big & Lively’ entertainment tier, so there's a full programme of children's clubs and evening shows through the season. You stay in a caravan, a lodge, a glamping tent or your own tent or tourer, with an indoor pool, a Blue Flag beach and days out along the surf coast on the doorstep.
On this page
Is it worth it?
Who Ruda suits, what's on the park and the facts to skim before the detail.
What families come to Ruda for is the beach. The park owns Croyde Bay, so you cross the dunes from your caravan or lodge straight onto the sand, and reviews put that access above everything else. On the park there's the Cascades Tropical Adventure Pool, indoor and heated, a free children's club and a full evening programme on John Fowler's top entertainment tier, so you needn't leave the gate if you don't want to. It's self-catering, so you cook in your caravan or eat at the outlets on the park, and there's no crèche or drop-off childcare. The main thing to weigh is the accommodation: John Fowler took the park over from Parkdean and is replacing older stock, but condition still varies by the grade you book, and the older caravans draw the most maintenance complaints. Prices at the on-park shop and outlets run high, and it gets busy at peak times.
Best for
You want to step straight from your caravan onto a sandy Blue Flag beach, in a park with an indoor pool, a free children's club and evening entertainment, and you're happy to self-cater.
Maybe not for
You want a catered or all-inclusive break, drop-off childcare, flat ground throughout or a guarantee of the newest accommodation.
Best ages
Babies upwards. The children's club welcomes all ages with a parent alongside, and the pool has a toddler area.
What stands out
Direct access to Croyde Bay: the sand is a short walk from your caravan, not a drive and a car-park walk away.
What to check
The grade of caravan or lodge you book, since older stock varies, and that a car suits you, as the park is remote.
Where is it?
Behind Croyde Bay on the North Devon coast, about 10 miles from Barnstaple and its nearest train station.
Quick facts for families
What the park is like
Where Ruda sits, how it's laid out over the hillside and dunes, and what getting around is like.
Ruda is a big park on a gentle slope above Croyde Bay. The main facilities, the Showbar, the Cascades pool, the Boardwalk restaurant and the shops, sit together on a level central area, with the caravans on the hillside above and the lodges lower down in Croyde Burrows, a section set among the sand dunes where several back straight onto them. Camping and glamping are on site too, and the touring field is across the road, with its own path to the beach. There are hundreds of caravans and lodges here, plus camping and touring pitches, which makes it one of John Fowler's largest parks and, on the ‘Big & Lively’ tier, its liveliest, so the full clubs-and-cabaret programme runs through the season.
The ground isn't flat. The centre sits on a level platform, but there are gradients between the hillside caravans and the middle of the park, and between the dune lodges and the sand. The main paved paths between the caravans, the centre and the beach access are manageable with a pram. The stretch through the dunes to the beach is sandy and uneven, where a sturdy all-terrain pushchair copes better than a lightweight stroller, and the touring field is grass that turns muddy after rain.
There's no on-park shuttle or golf-buggy service, so you walk to the central facilities from wherever you're staying, which most accommodation is close enough for. You park on grass next to your caravan or unit, which can get boggy when the ground is waterlogged, and the main car park by the central facilities has designated disabled bays. For accessibility, reception has ramped access, there's an accessible toilet in the main venue, the Cascades pool has a lift and disabled changing, some units are adapted with level access and a wet room, and there's a bus stop right outside.
The beach
Croyde Bay below the dunes, and the indoor pool for the days the weather turns.
Ruda's headline feature is that it owns Croyde Bay. From the caravans and lodges you walk across the dunes onto the sand, a shorter walk than most beach car parks, and the touring field across the road has its own access. Croyde is a wide, sandy bay of fine golden sand that firms up towards the water, wrapped by Baggy Point to the south and the Saunton headland to the north.
It's a famous surf beach, which is the thing to understand with young children. The waves are powerful, there are rip currents and shifting sandbars, and it can be gusty even though the headlands give some shelter. The fine sand is good for castles and paddling at the edge, but swimming is only safe inside the RNLI's red-and-yellow flags. The RNLI runs a seasonal lifeguard service, starting around Easter and building to a daily 10am to 6pm patrol through the main summer season.
Croyde Bay holds a Blue Flag for 2026, and the Environment Agency rates its water quality ‘Excellent’, its top classification. Storm overflow spills at the local pumping station have been falling too, from 27 in 2023 to 23 in 2024 to 9 in 2025. The beach and the estate around it are part of the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the UK's only World Surf Reserve, as well as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and an inshore marine conservation zone, so it's a protected stretch of coast.
John Fowler's Beach Ranger team runs family activities on the sand through the season. There are accessible changing rooms on the beach where you can borrow a beach wheelchair or other mobility equipment. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach from 1 May to 30 September. If you want a change of sand, Saunton Sands is 1.2 miles away, Putsborough Sands is 1.3 miles and quieter with rock pools, and Woolacombe, one of England's best-known family beaches with its own Blue Flag and lifeguards, is 2.7 miles up the coast.
The Cascades pool
The Cascades Tropical Adventure Pool is the park's indoor pool, tropical-themed, fully heated and refurbished under John Fowler. It has a 200ft water slide, a lazy river and a jacuzzi, plus water rapids, jets and waterfalls. For the youngest there's a separate toddler area that families single out as one of the park's best bits for little ones.
Children must be accompanied in the water, and armbands are provided for younger ones. Pool sessions are pre-booked through the John Fowler app rather than turn-up-and-swim, and there are lockers for a refundable pound. Some water activities cost extra on top, among them Aqua Paddlers, inflatable jet skis, water walkers, pool parties and Aqua Jets.
The pool is wheelchair accessible, with disabled changing rooms and a pool lift, and there's a swimwear shop attached. It's useful cover for a wet day in North Devon, which gets more rain than the south of the county.
Accommodation
Every way to stay, what each grade gives you and which suit a family with a baby or toddler.
Everything at Ruda is self-catering; there's no board or catered option. Accommodation comes in five forms, caravans, lodges, glamping tents and camping or touring pitches, and the grades below, and how many each sleeps, are the guide to space. Most caravan and lodge grades have a pet-friendly version, so bringing a dog is straightforward outside the beach's summer dog ban.
Caravans
The caravans run from the entry-level Value grade up through Bronze, Classic, Silver, Gold and Platinum, and a ‘Plus’ in the name means the caravan has a veranda or decking.
| Grade | Bedrooms | Sleeps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 3 | 6–8 | Entry-level budget grade; pet version available |
| Bronze | 2 | 4–6 | Older but well-equipped; pet version |
| Bronze Plus | 2 or 3 | 4–8 | Veranda; pet version |
| Classic | 2 | 4–6 | Contemporary; pet version |
| Silver | 2 or 3 | 4–8 | Spacious and contemporary; pet version |
| Silver Plus | 2 or 3 | 4–8 | Veranda; pet version |
| 4 Bed Silver Plus | 4 | 8 | Largest silver grade; pet version |
| Gold | 2 | 4–6 | Newer and better insulated; pet version |
| Gold Plus | 2 or 3 | 4–8 | Private decking; a 3-bed with sea views is offered |
| Platinum | 2 | 4–6 | Top standard, with decking |
| Platinum Plus | 2 or 3 | 4–8 | Decking |
| Platinum Plus Hot Tub | 3 | 6–8 | Hot tub and decking; the top caravan grade |
All the caravans have a fully equipped kitchen, with a hob and oven, a fridge, a microwave, a kettle, a toaster and crockery, and the newer grades add double glazing. Central heating is confirmed for the lodges rather than across every caravan grade, so for a cooler shoulder-season stay the newer, better-insulated Gold and Platinum caravans are the more comfortable choice. Three-bedroom variants give young children their own room, and the ‘Plus’ grades come with a veranda or decking, which parents like for letting a toddler play outside within the pitch.
The one thing to weigh is condition. John Fowler took the park over from Parkdean and is progressively replacing older caravans, but the fleet is mid-transition, and the older Bronze and Value grades draw the most maintenance complaints in recent reviews, from mould on window seals to worn fixtures. Newer stock reviews much better, so the grade you book makes a difference, and it's worth paying up for a higher grade if condition matters to you.
Lodges
The lodges sit in Croyde Burrows among the dunes, more spacious and more widely spaced than the caravans. They have contemporary styling, double glazing, full central heating and mostly en-suites, which makes them the most comfortable option on the park, with proper beds in every room. The hot-tub grades have the tub on a private veranda, though reviews note the verandas are screened by hedging rather than fully private. Four-bedroom lodges sleep eight, and the dune setting means a sturdier pram handles the sandy path to the beach better than a lightweight one.
| Grade | Bedrooms | Sleeps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 3 | 6 | Backs onto the sand dunes; pet version |
| Ruda Lodge (Silver) | 3 | 6 | A park-specific silver grade |
| Gold | 3 or 4 | 6–8 | Modern and stylish; pet versions |
| Platinum | 3 | 6 | Luxury grade; pet version |
| Platinum Hot Tub | 3 | 6 | Hot tub on a veranda; pet version |
| 4 Bed Platinum Hot Tub Extra | 4 | 8 | The largest lodge |
| Diamond Hot Tub | 3 | 6 | The newest, top-of-range lodge |
Glamping
The glamping is in safari tents, in two tiers. The standard Safari Tent has two bedrooms, an en-suite with a flushing toilet and sink, a kitchen and an outdoor deck, with showers in a shared block nearby. The Safari+ Tent adds pre-made beds and better furniture. The en-suite loo helps with young children, but the shared showers and the chance of damp and mud in wet weather make a Safari+ or a low-grade caravan the easier pick with a baby.
Camping and touring
For camping and touring there are two areas. The main camping field takes tents and small motorhomes, with electric hook-ups around the perimeter and two toilet blocks, and the touring field across the road has 16-amp hook-ups, its own modern toilet block and direct beach access. There are no hardstandings. Pitches sit closer together than some like, the grass waterlogs in wet weather, you park one car per pitch on the grass, and the open Atlantic position makes it windier than more sheltered North Devon parks. The camping shower block is being upgraded under John Fowler.
There are also specially adapted units, with ramp access, low-level kitchen units, extra-wide doorways, a wet room and level access.
Food and drink
The places to eat, the children's club and pool, and everything included or extra on the park.
Since it's self-catering, most families cook in the caravan for at least some meals, but there's a row of places to eat on the park. The Boardwalk Bar & Restaurant is the main one, with an outdoor terrace, serving food and drink through the day, though reviews note service can be slow when the park is full. Around it are Roberto's Pizza, Hollerbird Fried Chicken, the Stateside American Grill, the Flying Scoop ice cream parlour and a Costa Coffee. The Showbar, the evening entertainment venue, has its own bar with indoor seating, sports TVs and a terrace, and queues build there during peak sports events, when the same staff serve food and drink.
Menus mark vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and staff will talk through other allergies. It's worth asking about high chairs when you book a table or as you arrive, especially at peak times when the Boardwalk gets busy. The on-park shop is a Nisa supermarket, well stocked but noticeably pricier than supermarkets off the park, so many families do a big shop before they arrive. Off site, Croyde village is a 10-minute walk with two pubs, restaurants and ice cream parlours, and Barnstaple's Pannier Market is 10 miles away.
Babies and toddlers
The children's programme is the Foxy Club, run by John Fowler's ‘Stripeys’ entertainment team around Freddy Fox and friends. Morning sessions from 10am are free, there's a Foxy Fun House from about 6.30pm, and parents stay with their children rather than dropping them off. Sessions cover things like Spy School, Nature Detectives and Superhero Training, and children of all ages are welcome, with a parent alongside the younger ones. There's also a Tots & Tunes session for young children listed on the park, and character dining in peak season.
John Fowler runs four-night Tots Breaks ‘specially designed for toddlers’ across its parks, and Ruda is one of them. On the park there's an indoor soft play area, small, and best for toddlers and under-eights, though parents of very young children note older ones throwing balls in the ball pit. There are two adventure playgrounds at the top and bottom of the park, a smaller one near the restaurant and big grassed areas for free play.
For the water, the Cascades pool has its toddler area and armbands for younger children, and on the beach the fine sand and shallow edge suit paddling inside the lifeguard flags. There's no crèche or drop-off childcare, and no babysitting service, so an evening out means taking little ones along or staying in. Cots and high chairs can be arranged free for guests who arrive by public transport, as one of the park's sustainability incentives, rather than as a general hire service.
On the parkThings to do
Plenty is included in a stay: the Cascades pool, the adventure playgrounds, the free Foxy Club sessions, a tennis court, wildlife and sand-dune trail walks in the park grounds and access to the South West Coast Path and the Baggy Point circular walk from the park. Other things cost extra, among them the amusement arcade, cash bingo, Craft Hub sessions and craft and party sessions like Sand Art, Build My Bear, Paint a Pot, a slime workshop, Aqua Slime, tie dye, hoverboards and Freddy's UV Party, along with the paid water activities at Cascades.
Croyde is one of the UK's best-known surf spots, and there's a surf shop and hire on the park and another at the beach, with local surf schools running lessons. The park also has lakes, which John Fowler manages as a county wildlife site and nature reserve.
In the evenings the ‘Big & Lively’ programme fills the Showbar with cabaret and disco, quizzes and gameshows and cash bingo, and in the summer holidays there are headline cabaret acts. There's a Fox Factor children's talent competition that builds to a Winners' Weekend, plus themed weekends through the season.
The area and days out
The village and days out nearby, how you get there and the North Devon weather by month.
Croyde village is a 10-minute walk, a small traditional Devon surf village with two pubs, cafés, restaurants, ice cream parlours and surf shops. Barnstaple, the nearest market town, is 10 miles away, about 20 to 25 minutes by car, with its Pannier Market open Tuesday to Saturday. Along the coast, Saunton Sands (1.2 miles) is a long, broad surf and family beach, and Woolacombe (2.7 miles, about 10 minutes' drive) has three miles of Blue Flag sand, lifeguards and a reputation as one of England's best family beaches. The Baggy Point circular walk starts from the park, an easy-to-moderate coastal path, though its cliff sections aren't pram-accessible.
For days out with young children, The Big Sheep, 20 to 30 minutes away, is a well-liked family attraction with a sheep race, pony rides, a roller coaster and indoor and outdoor play. Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park (30 to 40 minutes) has life-size dinosaurs and a wildlife collection, The Milky Way Adventure Park near Clovelly (25 to 30 minutes) is a family theme park suited to roughly two to twelves, and Diggerland Devon (40 minutes) lets children ride and drive diggers. The Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway (40 minutes) is a Victorian water-powered railway that goes down well with children, and the Ilfracombe Tunnels (20 minutes) are hand-carved passages to sheltered beaches and a Victorian tidal pool. Exmoor Zoo is about 45 minutes away, near Exmoor National Park. The North Devon Wake Park and a day trip to car-free Lundy Island, reached by ferry from Bideford or Ilfracombe, suit older children more than babies and toddlers. For the wider county, see our Devon guide.
Getting there and when to go
Most families drive. From the M5 you leave at Junction 27 and take the A361 to Braunton, then follow the signed roads to Croyde and Cascades, which narrow to single-track in places, so allow a little time near the end. The address for sat-navs is Croyde Bay, Croyde, North Devon, EX33 1NP. You park on grass next to your unit, and the main car park has disabled bays.
You'll want a car for the wider area, though you can manage without one. Croyde village is a 10-minute walk, there's a bus stop outside the park on the 21C service with a change at Barnstaple, and the nearest train station is Barnstaple, 10 miles away on the Tarka Line from Exeter St Davids. There's no airport shuttle, so families who fly still drive from the airport; Exeter is roughly 63 miles, about an hour and a half by road, and Bristol around 90 miles. Croyde Taxis serve the village, and Braunton Mobility, under 5 miles away, hires mobility equipment.
The main facilities, the pool, restaurants and entertainment, run roughly from mid-February to early November, with the self-catering booking window stretching further, and exact dates vary by accommodation type, so check for the type you book. July and August are the warmest and busiest, with lifeguards on the beach every day and the full programme running. June is a little quieter, and May and September are quieter still while staying pleasant for the beach and pool. Spring half-term is cooler, but the pool and entertainment are open.
Month by monthWeather
North Devon has a mild, damp maritime climate, wetter than the south of the county because of its exposure to the Atlantic, and Ruda's open position makes it windier than more sheltered parks. There's no real dry season, though July is the driest month, which is part of why the indoor pool is such useful cover. The sea is cool, peaking at around 16 to 17°C in August and September, so wetsuits are common, though families do swim in summer. The table below gives typical monthly figures for Barnstaple, 10 miles inland, across the park's main season.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | 10° | 4° | 99 mm | 13 | 9° |
| March | 11° | 5° | 86 mm | 12 | 9° |
| April | 13.5° | 6° | 69 mm | 10 | 10° |
| May | 16° | 8.5° | 64 mm | 9 | 12° |
| June | 19° | 11° | 63 mm | 9 | 15° |
| July | 21° | 13° | 67 mm | 8 | 17° |
| August | 21° | 13° | 76 mm | 10 | 17° |
| September | 19° | 11.5° | 70 mm | 9 | 17° |
| October | 16° | 10° | 130 mm | 14 | 16° |
| November | 12.5° | 6.5° | 129 mm | 15 | 14° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer. The park's main facilities run roughly mid-February to early November.
Loves and gripes
What families rate and what they flag, how it compares with other Devon parks, and the questions parents ask.
Pulled together across the review sites, the picture is consistent, and it's worth knowing that many older reviews date from the Parkdean era before John Fowler's investment.
Visit England rates the park 4 stars, and it holds a David Bellamy Gold Award for environmental management. Guest ratings vary more by platform, so treat them as a general steer rather than a fixed score. As of mid-2026, John Fowler's own site shows 4.6 out of 5, Hoseasons 4.1 and UKCampsite 7 out of 10 from 92 reviews. TripAdvisor's 3 out of 5 from 3,127 reviews includes a lot of older Parkdean-era write-ups, and the reviews written since John Fowler took over read more mixed to positive.
What families love
- The beach access, the number-one draw in almost every review.
- The coastal setting and the North Devon scenery.
- The Cascades pool, especially the toddler area.
- The Foxy Club and the Stripeys team, often praised by name.
- The soft play for rainy days.
- The self-contained feel, so you needn't leave the park.
Common gripes
- Older-caravan maintenance, most often in the Bronze and Value grades.
- Prices at the on-park shop and food outlets.
- Slow service and queues at the bar and restaurant at peak times.
- The pool feeling crowded when busy, even with session booking.
- Touring pitches close together, and grass that waterlogs after rain.
- Most extra activities carrying a separate charge.
How it compares
Ruda's strength against the other big Devon parks is the beach. The Woolacombe Bay parks have a larger pool complex, bigger entertainment and a shuttle bus between sites, but you walk to their beach rather than owning it, and Ruda's accommodation reviews less consistently. Cofton Holidays, independent and rated five stars by VisitEngland, has the edge on accommodation quality and upkeep, while Ruda has the better beach. Challaborough Bay, another former Parkdean park now under John Fowler, is smaller and more low-key with a smaller pool, where Ruda is larger with more entertainment. Haven's Devon Cliffs has a bigger indoor waterpark with more slides, but Croyde is the better beach and Haven's activities carry more add-on costs. So Ruda is the one to choose when the beach matters most, and worth weighing against Cofton if accommodation quality is your priority.
The questions parents askQuestions
Is there a crèche or drop-off childcare?
No. The Foxy Club is free and busy, but a parent stays throughout, and there's no crèche and no babysitting service. If you want an evening or a few hours to yourselves, plan to bring another adult or take it in turns.
Can we hire a cot and high chair?
Cots and high chairs are free, but only for guests who arrive by public transport, as one of the park's green incentives. If you're driving, bring your own or hire from a local baby-equipment company, and don't count on getting them at the park.
Do we need to book pool sessions in advance?
Yes. Swimming is by pre-booked session on the John Fowler app rather than turning up, and the pool fills at peak times, so book your slots early in the day once you're on the park.
Do we need a car?
You can reach the park by train to Barnstaple and the bus outside the gate, and Croyde village is walkable, but the wider area and the days out are hard to reach without one. If you're not driving, choose accommodation close to the central facilities and the beach path.
Is Croyde Bay safe for toddlers to swim?
It's a surf beach with strong waves and rip currents, so paddling at the edge inside the RNLI's red-and-yellow flags is the safe approach. Lifeguards only patrol from spring into the main season, so check the flag times, and for calmer water Woolacombe up the coast has a marked family swimming zone.
Which caravan or lodge should we book?
For the best chance of a warm, well-kept unit, book a newer grade: Gold or Platinum among the caravans, or any of the lodges, which have full central heating. The older Bronze and Value caravans are the cheapest but the most variable, so book those with open eyes.
Is the on-park shop expensive?
The Nisa on the park is handy but priced above the supermarkets off site, so most families do a big shop before they arrive, or drive out to Braunton or Barnstaple to restock during the week.
When is the park open, and when's best with little ones?
The main facilities run roughly mid-February to early November, though the exact dates vary by accommodation type, so confirm for the type you book. For young children, June and September give quieter, pleasant beach-and-pool weather, while July and August are warmest and busiest with lifeguards on the beach every day.
See more Ruda Holiday Park photos
Open the Ruda Holiday Park photo gallery →Useful links
- Ruda Holiday Park: the park's own site for accommodation, the pool and the entertainment programme.
- RNLI Croyde Beach: the lifeguard patrol times and beach safety for Croyde Bay.
- Devon with little ones: our guide to the county, its coast and when to go.
Last updated 17 July 2026.
