Westward Ho! was founded in 1863 as a result of the Charles Kingsley's book of the same name. It is the only place in the country with an !
Behind the beach's pebble ridge lies Northam Burrows Country Park (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) - 1000 acres of common land for you to explore and walk your dog!
Although primarily a tourism centre, Westward Ho! is a site of much planned development including plans for a multi million pound hotel complex.
The closest town to Westward Ho! is Bideford which provides high street shops, supermarkets and sport venues.
A bit of history:
Westward Ho! boasts the oldest golf course in England – the Royal North Devon Course – which was founded in 1864 and is regarded as the St Andrews of England.
More information:
Local history
northdevon.com - Westward Ho!