The only place in UK with an exclamation mark in its name

The only place in the UK with an exclamation mark in its name: welcome to Westward Ho!

Yes, it really does have an exclamation mark at the end. And no, it’s not a typo. Westward Ho! is the only place in the UK with punctuation in its official name — and one of only two places in the world to do so (the other is Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha! in Quebec, Canada).

But how did a quiet corner of North Devon end up with such a shouty name?

Born from a book

Westward Ho! wasn’t named after a geographic feature, a saint, or a Saxon king. It was named after a novel.

In 1855, Charles Kingsley released a swashbuckling tale called Westward Ho! — a dramatic, patriotic story set during the Elizabethan era, featuring seafaring adventures from Bideford. The book sparked a Victorian travel craze.

Rather than miss out on the tourism boom, a group of developers decided to create a new seaside resort near Northam and call it Westward Ho! in honour of the novel. The place didn’t exist beforehand. It was literally built to attract literary-minded Victorians.

A seaside resort built from scratch

Today, Westward Ho! still feels like a purpose-built tourist town. It’s not subtle — expect arcades, ice cream stands, mini golf, and shops selling buckets and spades.

The long, pebbly beach becomes a huge stretch of sand at low tide — excellent for walking, sandcastle-building or surfing. Behind it lies the Northam Burrows Country Park, a saltmarsh and grassland area with wild ponies and sea birds.

On the other side of the beach, you’ll find amusement rides and go-karts, along with a bowling alley, pasty shops, and plenty of fish and chip takeaways. It’s a place where nothing needs to be polished.

Things to do in and around Westward Ho!

• Walk the South West Coast Path towards Clovelly or Instow
• Explore Northam Burrows for wildlife and sea views
• Learn to surf — the beach is ideal for beginners
• Play crazy golf at Pebble Ridge Adventure Golf
• Ride the go-karts or grab an ice cream from one of the seafront vendors
• Walk to Appledore — a quieter village just along the coast
• Visit Bideford — the town that inspired Kingsley’s novel, just inland

See my full guide to Westward Ho! here.

Getting there

Westward Ho! is well signposted from the A39 Atlantic Highway. If you’re not driving, the nearest train station is Barnstaple, with connecting buses via Bideford.

There are plenty of holiday parks, B&Bs and caravan sites nearby, and it’s easy to pair a visit with other North Devon highlights like Clovelly, Hartland Quay, or even Lundy Island if you’re up for a boat trip.