flowers | The Gallery Lodges

Take a short trip to the Braunton Burrows when you stay at The Gallery Lodges.

We have free maps of this area in the lodges so you can explore it all.

Set off up the big dune, akes a good landmark for finding your way back — Set off up the big dune, makes a good landmark for finding your way back

Sahara Desert in Braunton — Sahara Desert arrives in Braunton

One of the largest sand dune areas in Europe and a Unesco Biosphere reserve, its really worth a visit.

In the Dunes view over to Saunton Sands Hotel. Keep going and you get to a really deserted section of Saunton sands Beach – Beautiful.

You can walk, cycle or drive to the start where there is a reasonably priced car park, about 1.5 miles away.

Big Dune and the gun placement still there from WW2. Feels like you are in the Sahara Desert sometimes. The DDay landings were here in a big way before the real event in France.

Take a walk from the car park and walk to a deserted stretch of saunton sands beach or do a loop to Crow Point. On the way – wild flowers, water slacks, WW2 relics from the DDay landings and the odd real life army excersize.

Savannah grassscape everywhere with lots of tracks to get lost — Savannah grass-scape everywhere with lots of tracks to get lost

The area is home to a large number of resident and migratory birds along with the estuary. It is a superb place to bird-spot and hear the plethora of bird song. Throughout the seasons you will see all the different migratory birds as they pass through. Many of the birds you can also see at The Gallery Lodges as they feed in the meadows marshland and woodland which surround the lodges which encompasses 2 SSSI reserves. As if this wasn’t enough of Birds and wild flowers there is also the Braunton Marshes wetland system which adjoins the estuary and inlet to Braunton. More, there is more still, but that’s another blogg page.

Wild Flowers in abundance May June July depending on the weather

If you're a fan of orchids you will find them carpeting areas of the dunes and plenty of variety. — If you’re a fan of orchids you will find them carpeting areas of the dunes and plenty of variety.

You should end up like this if you get it right. take a drink with you and even a pic nic

The flowers even grow in the old gun emplacement in the middle of Big Dune

The Final Frontier as you reach the beach after the walk accross the Dunes — The Final Frontier as you reach the beach after the walk across the Dunes. We cheated and cycled but it is very tricky on the sand.

At Last the beach and you can see there is no one here usually. Cycle to Saunton Sands Hotel from here for coffee and then back to The Gallery Lodges along the road.Go the other way round Crow point, but the sand gets a bit hard going. Possible but hard work…..could be worth it though!