Sunflower 62 Braunton

Sunflower 62 is a well-kept holiday caravan on Tarka Holiday Park at Ashford, on the estuary road between Barnstaple and Braunton, and it works as an inexpensive base for a dog-led week on the north Devon coast. The park is dog-friendly throughout and quiet, and the caravan itself is consistently described as clean, warm and modern inside, with a good shower.

The beaches are the reason to come. Saunton Sands is the closest, with Croyde and Woolacombe both an easy drive, and all three give a dog room for a proper run. Most north Devon beaches apply seasonal dog restrictions through the summer months, so it is worth checking the current rules for whichever you are heading to. The Tarka Trail runs nearby for flat, traffic-free walking, which suits dogs that are happier away from roads, and the park's position off the main road keeps night-time noise down.

Guests travelling with dogs are positive almost without exception, and some bring more than one. The thing to check before you travel is the park's own dog exercise area, which has been closed during at least one recent stay. That is no great loss given how close the beaches are, but it is disappointing if you have chosen the park expecting it and arrive in poor weather.

Being a caravan rather than a cottage, space is tight and the facilities are practical rather than luxurious, so it suits a couple or small family travelling light with a settled dog. The booking listing publishes neither a pet fee nor a limit on dog numbers, so confirm both with the park directly. For cheap, clean and close to dog-friendly sand, Sunflower 62 earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.