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Reviews of Ruda Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts )
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Ruda Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts )
Croyde Bay
Croyde
North Devon (Browse area)
EX33 1NY
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Pitches: 593
Open: 04/03/2024 to 11/11/2024
04/03/2025 to 11/11/2025
Rating: 
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| Who's it for |
 Families Welcome |
 Not Members Only |
 No Rallies |
 Not Naturist Site |
 Dogs Welcome |
 No Dogs Allowed |
 Groups Welcome |
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| Facilities |
 Toilet Facilities |
 Hot Showers |
 Washing Up |
 Bathroom |
 Baby Changing Facilities |
 Laundry On Site |
 Drinking Water |
 Disabled Friendly |
 Chemical Disposal |
 No Battery Charging |
 No Gas Exchange |
 Recycling Facilities |
 Kitchen Facilities |
 Freezer / Fridge |
 No Motorhome Point |
 Wifi Access |
 Shop On Site |
 Bar On Site |
 Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway On Site |
| Activities |
 Kids Playground |
 No TV Room |
 Games Room |
 Evening Entertainment |
 Fishing On Site |
 No Wild Swimming |
 Indoor Pool On Site |
 No Outdoor Pool |
 No Horse Riding |
 Cycle Hire <5 miles |
 Golf <5 miles |
 Tennis <5 miles |
 Beach On Site |
 Watersports <1 mile |
 No Boat Launch |
| Other Features |
 Sea Views |
 Not Working Farm |
 No Campfires Allowed |
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 Coastside Pitches |
 Public Transport |
 No Dog Walk |
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Reviews:
91 in total, now showing 21 to 30
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| Date of Visit: September 2012 |
Unit: Campervan |
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| Reviewer: Jane1875 |
2 reviews from this member |
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 Croyde is one of my favourite places in the UK, and we have taken our camper van to Ruda twice (so far!) this year.
Pitches have plenty of space for us, although some of the larger tents plus cars plus 'outside space' seemed more cramped. It's not cheap but you are paying for the location.
The campsite areas, as opposed to the caravan park, are definitely aimed at the surfing crowd, whether families, couples or groups. The showers are full of sand even though there is an outdoor surf suit shower, but take your flip flops in and you'll be fine. The toilet and sink areas are clean and tidy and have plenty of hot water. Although the hot water doesn't always stretch to the showers but even a luke warm shower feels hot when you've been in the sea!
The site shop is useful for fresh bread (get in there before 10am though) and the inevitable item that you've forgotten and not stupidly over priced.
But, the main reason for stopping here is the beach - it is difficult to get a campsite with facilities much closer to the sea, the surf hire shop is next to the beach, along with public toilets (filthy but needs must) and a cafe. Everything you could want within a 2 minute walk of the site.
Croyde Village has a fabulous pasty shop and ice cream parlour, couple of good pubs and surf shops.
If you want a quiet, relaxing, calm break - this is not a site for you. If you want a fun break revolving around the sea / beach / BBQ etc then you'll struggle to get much closer.
Tip - if you are in a camper van - Ruda charge half the day rate (£24 when we stopped) to extend from a 10am check out to 6pm in the evening. Take your van over the road into the public car park (on a field) and pay £4 instead for the extra day. 
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| Date of Visit: August 2012 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: CampingKales |
3 reviews from this member |
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Stayed for a week 6-13th August, with my husband and 2 girls aged 8 and 12.
CHECK IN
We arrived at 11:00am. Check in time for tourers is 2pm. But we were allowed on to pitch at 11:15am. Reception said they try to allow people on to set up from 11:30am. So if you are coming, it's worth arriving a tad early!
PITCHES
Pitch was adequate size. But fairly cosy with our Vermont XLP tent.
We were lucky to get a dry setting up day, but the rain came down the first 2 days. And we found we were not on a well drained pitch!
Outside the front of our tent became very muddy, and underfoot in the front porch was positively squelchy for the rest of our stay. Our girls thought this was very amusing as it was ike kneading dough with your feet, but my OH and I were not so amused, dreading what state we would find the groundsheet in on strike day!
It seemed other pitches had similar problems. And there was no rhyme or reason as to which pitches were well drained and which had problems.
We noticed that boggy pitches were not given time to 'recover' and new arrivals were having to pitch on muddy, soggy, water clogged areas.
CAMPING FACILTIES
The site was pretty full whilst we were there. So the shower blocks, toilets and washing up areas did get busy at times. But everyone was friendly and chatty when waiting!
We found the facilities were OK, but they could have been better. The showers had a problem with hot water a few times during our stay, and the toilets were sometimes closed for cleaning at 'prime times'. And on our first night many of the ladies loos were without toilet paper (a heinous crime if ever there was one!). There was more than one block though so you were never left completely stranded. You just had to walk a bit further.
The lower block was in need of updating with more hooks etc. The upper block was more modern and warm and had a lot more facilities.
Cleanliness. Could have been better. But I noticed people were not using the 'wet suit' shower located outside of the main showers, and adults and children were coming into the shower blocks in sand covered wet suits. Therefore keeping the floor area clean must have been a nighmare for staff!
PLAY AREA
There's a great big field and park at the top of the camping area. With a big area of swings, slides and adventure equipment for younger children, and a fabulous double assult course for older children to race side by side on (I would say 10 years and older). For our week there it was never busy! And as it was easy to get to, we were happy for our girls to go their without adult supervision (provided they went with at least one other child).
ON SITE FACILTIES
Well stocked shop with a good variety of goods - prices seemed to be around 20-30% higher than major supermarkets. They are open 8-8pm. Could have done with them opening a tad earlier! They bake bread, cakes and breakfast goods on site. And their croissants and pain au chocolat are gorgeous, especially when collected warm from the oven for breakfast! Some locally made frozen burgers which were good, but not much in the way of fresh meat though.
Amusement arcades are fun and lots of tuppenny falls to keep kids amused without breaking the bank.
We did venture into main clubhouse one night, but our girls didn't want to stay (interesting as they've grown up with holiday parks and evening entertainment, but up until this year we're always hired a static caravan. Somehow the disco thing just didn't sit so well with the camping experience!)
Pool - £1. 50 for residents, with a time limit of an hour when busy. But an hour was enough as the pool is small and not one to swim in! That said, we did all enjoy the rapids, the 'jacuzzi' bubbles, the water spurters and the big blue flume!
LOCATION
Well, the location is what makes this site!
Just a 5-10 minute walk to a fabulous sandy beach.
You can hear the waves crashing on the beach as you fall asleep.
You are also woken at 5:30 by the chorus of seagulls. Which although noisy, is a lovely reminder of the fact you are right by the sea!
BEACH
Brilliant!
Big and sandy (great for sand castle building), and good waves (most of the time) for surfing and body boarding.
Our girls had surfing lessons for 3 mornings which were fabulous (they were both standing on day 1!). Not cheap. But an amazing experience for our girls.
LOCAL AREA
Sorry, but we didn't venture into Croyde. But we did notice it has a good local shop, cafe, icecream parlour, pubs etc. And it looks lovely with thatched cottages and a river flowing through.
POSITIVES
The location. Can't beat it.
We didn't get in our car all week! So whilst the site may not be cheap, the fact you don't have to pay for parking or drive anywhere, does, in reality, bring the price down!
If you're happy with a good beach and lovely coastal walks, this site is perfect for you.
NEGATIVES
Drainage depending on your pitch.
Seagulls. NEVER leave a bag of rubbish outside your tent. The seagulls just rip them apart and leave a trail of devastation!
Some issues with hot water, queues for facilities, and cleanliness.
WOULD WE COME AGAIN?
Yes.
Our girls said this was 'the best holiday ever'. And happy children = happy parents = happy holiday!
We loved the location, found fellow campers friendly, and all-in-all had a great week despite the rain, thunder storms and mud!
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| Date of Visit: June 2012 |
Unit: Motorhome |
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| Reviewer: ClaireMike21 |
40 reviews from this member |
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Went with motorhome and 3 kids for a weekend age 9 to 13.
The reason we picked it was for the beach, location is just spot on, carried 5 wetsuits and bodyboards etc so easily from this site to the beach. Thats what made the weekend for us.
Our pitch was fine, showers were fine.
Had a game of bingo one night as the kids wanted to go and have a look at the entertainment room. They had a few pounds and night for the arcade machines. They went in the pool one afternoon and came back saying they enjoyed it. We ate there one night and thought the good very good inc a massive sharing platter, hubby said the burger he had was great.
It wasn't heaving when we went so maybe we had a better time because of that.
Would def go back for the beach.
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| Date of Visit: June 2012 |
Unit: Touring Caravan |
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| Reviewer: PercyVolvo |
13 reviews from this member |
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We are regular visitors to the beautiful beaches and countryside of North Devon. This was our fist visit to Ruda.
On the plus side, the site is amazingly close to the sea and Croyde beach. This means you could leave the car and not pay the exorbitant parking charges for the beach in high season.
The pitches were much bigger than we expected and the grass and grounds were fairly well maintained. We were up at the top near the toilets, glad that we were not at the bottom of the site away from the toilets. Pitches seemed more hemmed in at the bottom as well.
The Toilets themselves were clean enough, but so they should be for the expensive fees we paid for this site. The showers, whilst clean and serviceable were a little dated. The main issue was that the shower cubicles were small and cramped and no where to hang my clothes. There was a problem with hot water supply but this was soon fixed.
The swimming pool was always busy, especially on wet days. Not a relaxing pool though and could do with an adults only area.
On the positive, we would recommend opting for the breakfast option in the Ruda Cafe each morning at the main site. This filled us for the day. We also ate evening meals in the Restaurant and the food was of good quality.
Staff were all very friendly and helpful.
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| Date of Visit: May 2012 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Milo2711 |
2 reviews from this member |
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We starting using Ruda back 18 years ago and used to love it. After not going for a fair few years it has honestly gone downhill from what it was and the prices have rocketed!
The prices for camping have gone up and the caravans are very expensive! Could have a week abroad. It's used a lot by the surfers now and is an ideal location for surfers but it works out too expensive for families.
I also think the general site has gone downhill, a bit neglected unfortunately, it's such a shame as it was our favourite place to go.
Queues are bad for showers in the mornings there aren't enough staff to cater the needs of a full park
I'm really sad about this as it feels like the end of an era but it has led us on to trying new places and now have a new favourite
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| Date of Visit: April 2012 |
Unit: Touring Caravan |
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| Reviewer: Brolly |
4 reviews from this member |
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Awful weather, but made the most of it!
2nd time here - pitches are a generous size. We had our friend & 2 young children in a family tent next to us on same pitch (might not be so accommodating in high season, but suited us very nicely).
Showers, loos and washing up areas were always clean. Might be a bit of a wait washing up in high season, though.
Great site for kids and walking distance from the beach. We paid for entertainment passes which were OK for younger children. Factor in your daily beach car parking fees when you weigh up the cost against other sites. When we were here last year in a spell of amazing weather, we watched the carpark fees increase daily to approx £5 a day.
The on-site supermarket was ok for basics.
You take your chance with the traffic getting through the narrow part of Croyde by Thatch pub with a caravan. Hope for no oncoming traffic. !
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| Date of Visit: April 2012 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Skydax |
4 reviews from this member |
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We stayed at Ruda over the Easter holiday having stayed in Croyde previously. After reading the reviews on here I was to say the least a little dubious. However, despite the awful weather we had a really great week.
To start with we arrived early and there was no problem with checking in on our pitch. We were located in The field nearest to the main clubhouse/ shop etc. The pitch was a good size to accommodate our 8m x 5m tent, plus windbreak & car. You could hear the music/ entertainment from the clubhouse until closing time but it wasn't that obtrusive.
The facilities were really good especially the kids play area & arcade. The showers nearest to our field were ok & appeared to have been revamped recently but they were quite cramped & a bit grubby at times. The newer toilets/ showers located up the hill were much nicer & warmer although the floors were a bit dodgy sometimes. Wear flip flops!
The washing up facilities were adequate but the sinks had no plugs so take a washing up bowl !
We experienced some really high winds & the site is quite exposed as it is so near to the sea. However, the hedges did offer some shelter although I wouldn't want to be pitched under the large trees near to the toilet block in windy conditions.
The clubhouse complex offers the usual holiday entertainment & was quite small. The shop was quite pricey & had a limited range but there is Tesco just down the road in Braunton.
Overall I think Ruda is a good site especially for families with young children. The location is great & we will be returning for another week next year.
Overall I would say that Ruda is great for the location to the beach & to the village. We will be returning sometime next yea
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| Date of Visit: April 2012 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Somebody2010 |
2 reviews from this member |
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One of our favourite sites, despite the site!
We've been camping at Ruda for around 25 years, and still love it despite the facilities. For us it's location, location, location. Right next to one of the UK's best surfing beaches, with the picture-postcard village of Croyde a few minutes' walk away.
There are plenty of things to do in the area for adults and children alike, and the local countryside is breathtakingly beautiful.
The site itself has never been perfect. The majority of (tent) pitches are slightly sloping, particularly those which are far enough up the hill to have a great view of the beach, and in wet weather we've found drainage to be poor in places.
The toilet and shower blocks could really do with some improvements, although they're generally clean (better at this time of year than in the summer).
Bingo and cabaret is the order of the day in the clubhouse. The quieter Coast bar now serves some fairly decent food at restaurant rather than pub grub prices, but the food is better than pub grub quality so I'm not complaining!
The shop carries a good range of products at sensible prices, although we found that the camping supplies (spare guy ropes) hadn't been stocked up this week. No problems - there's a good camping shop at the garden centre on the way to Barnstaple.
The 'swimming' pool isn't the sort of pool you could swim in, being a) circular, b) small, and c) packed. We tend to use the leisure centre in Barnstaple instead. There is a fishing lake and two weedy tennis courts, together with two outdoor children's play areas and an assault course.
The price keeps rising, the quality of the facilities keeps falling, and the reviewers keep pointing out the many flaws, but Ruda is still where it is, and we'll still keep coming back at least once a year.
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| Date of Visit: September 2010 |
Unit: Campervan |
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| Reviewer: The Clogger |
1 review from this member |
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4 nights in this site.
The good points first:-
We love the location of this site we have been going many years now (15+) close to fab beach, pitch sizes are good on the Burrows, you can walk to lots of lovely places, nice village, good surfing and cycling close by, your bin even gets emptied every day. It used to have the best security we have ever seen.
Bad points
Expensive, we don't go all week now we tend to move to Woolacombe for the weekends
Toilet blocks are worn out, no hooks etc, they are not as clean as you would expect for the money,
Pitches can soon become waterlogged in bad weather as there is no drainage. You can find yourself in the middle of a river as happened to us last year. It used to have lovely landscaped grounds which have now been neglected a bit. Security has all but gone. Anybody can and does walk round the site, go to the toilet block and use the showers. \Friends of ours had their wetsuits stolen one year
We enquired to go this year but were quoted £26. 50 a night midweek for the second week in Sept 2011 so we went to another site at Woolecombe for £18 a night instead.
Overall this sites location is the draw. The site used to be my favourite but Parkdean seem to be letting it run down but keep hiking the prices. Due to the prices, this is the first year we have not been.
Would I recommend. If the prices reflected the condition of the site then yes, as is No.
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| Date of Visit: September 2011 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Leece |
1 review from this member |
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Ruda's location is absolutely fantastic as it is walking distance to the beach.
We have quite a large tent and the pitch size was small. Once our van and tent were in place we didn't have much space left for table, chairs, BBQ etc, which was surprising as the site is fairly expensive in comparison to others we've been to.
The arcade was great for the kids and the shop was well stocked and not too expensive.
The showers weren't the worst I've been in but I'd give them a below average for cleanliness and warmth of water.
The fun pool was great although quite crowded as small.
We would go back to Ruda just for the beach, but not for longer than a few days.
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Common Questions
Is Ruda Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts ) child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Does Ruda Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts ) have a swimming pool? YES, there is a pool on site View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Ruda Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts )? There is a shop on site View all facilities
Is Ruda Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts ) dog friendly? YES View all facilities
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