Walking North Devon's Coast
North Devon's Atlantic-facing coast delivers a completely different walking experience to the sheltered South Devon coves. The cliffs are higher, the paths more rugged, the views longer. The South West Coast Path runs the full length of the coast from Marsland Mouth on the Cornwall border to Minehead in Somerset — over 100 miles of some of the finest coastal walking in Britain. Much of it is in North Devon, crossing the towering headlands at Hartland, the dune-backed beaches at Saunton and Croyde, and the geological spectacle of the Valley of Rocks above Lynton.
The North Devon AONB protects the coast and inland areas around Exmoor's northern fringe, while the Exmoor National Park itself extends east from Lynton — making the walking here not just coastal but moorland, woodland and estuary too. The variety is extraordinary for such a compact stretch of coastline.
⚠️ North Devon Walking Essentials
- Cliff paths: Many North Devon cliff paths are steep, exposed and unguarded — stay well back from edges, especially in wet weather or with children
- Tides: Several walks involve beach sections. Check tide times before setting out — some beaches become impassable at high tide
- OS Map: Explorer 139 (Bideford, Ilfracombe & Barnstaple) covers most North Devon coastal walks
- Hartland: Explorer 126 (Clovelly & Hartland) needed for the western section
- Parking: Popular spots (Croyde, Baggy Point, Mortehoe) fill fast in summer — arrive early or use the local bus
The Best North Devon Walks
01
Baggy Point
North Devon Coast · Croyde · The classic North Devon headland loop
Baggy Point is the great wedge of hard rock that juts into the Bristol Channel at the southern end of Croyde Bay — one of the finest short coastal walks in North Devon. The path climbs gently from Croyde village through gorse and bracken to the headland tip, where a slate seat marks the point and the views open out across the bay to Saunton Sands, the Taw-Torridge estuary and, on clear days, Lundy Island floating on the horizon. Seals haul out on the rocks below the point in autumn and winter, and peregrine falcons hunt the clifftops year-round. The return route drops down to Putsborough Sands and back via the beach at low tide — or stays on the coast path if the tide is in. An almost perfect short circular walk: dramatic enough to feel like a real coastal adventure.
Full Baggy Point walk guide →02
Morte Point
North Devon Coast · Mortehoe · Shipwrecks and Atlantic views
Morte Point translates roughly as "death headland" — named for the jagged offshore rocks that claimed hundreds of ships before the lighthouse era. The walk from Mortehoe village is one of the best circular coastal walks in North Devon: the path follows the SWCP westward along the clifftops above Bull Point lighthouse, rounds the rocky finger of Morte Point — where the rocks plunge dramatically into the sea — and returns via Grunta Beach and the back lanes through the village. The view from Morte Point on a clear day takes in Lundy, Baggy Point, the full sweep of Woolacombe Bay and the distant Welsh coast. In storm conditions, the sea here is among the most violent in Devon. Bring waterproofs and expect some steep sections on the descent to Grunta Beach.
Full Morte Point walk guide →03
Valley of Rocks
Exmoor Coast · Lynton · Rock towers above the Bristol Channel
The Valley of Rocks is one of the most otherworldly landscapes in the South West — a dry valley running parallel to the sea, its floor and sides strewn with dramatic rock towers, pinnacles and scree slopes. The valley sits just above the Bristol Channel on the Exmoor coast, reached by a short walk west along the Coast Path from Lynton. The most famous formations are Ragged Jack and the Devil's Cheesewring, but the real spectacle is the combination of rock shapes against the sea horizon. Wild goats have roamed here since at least the 18th century and are usually visible somewhere on the rock slopes. The walk from Lynton is easy, flat and suitable for most fitness levels. Combine with the Victorian Lynton-Lynmouth Cliff Railway — a water-powered funicular — for a full afternoon in one of Devon's most dramatic coastal villages.
Full Valley of Rocks walk guide →04
Hartland Point to Clovelly
Far North Devon · Hartland · Devon's most dramatic 10-mile coastal stretch
The 10-mile stretch of coast from Hartland Point south to Clovelly is, by general consensus, the most spectacular — and most demanding — section of the South West Coast Path in Devon. The cliffs here reach 400 feet, the rocks below are folded into extraordinary contorted shapes, and the path rises and falls relentlessly in what walkers call the "roller coaster" section of the SWCP. Specific highlights include the waterfall at Speke's Mill Mouth (which drops straight onto the beach), Blackchurch Rock (a natural arch in twisted sandstone) and the Norman church at Hartland Abbey. The finish at Clovelly — England's most-photographed fishing village, a cobbled street tumbling steeply to a tiny harbour — is one of the great walk endings in Devon. You'll need to arrange a car shuttle or taxi back; carry plenty of water and food as there are no facilities between the two ends.
Full Hartland Point walk guide →05
Croyde to Saunton Sands
North Devon Beaches · Braunton Burrows · Dunes, surf beaches and estuary views
The walk south from Croyde to Saunton Sands is the gentlest of the North Devon coastal walks — a beach and dune path between two of Devon's finest surf beaches, with the Taw-Torridge estuary opening up ahead and the Braunton Burrows UNESCO biosphere dune system to the east. The first section crosses Saunton Down above the village before dropping to the beach, where you can walk the sand for three miles to Saunton (tide allowing) or take the coast path above. The Braunton Burrows dune system — at 900 hectares the largest in England — was one of the sites used for D-Day amphibious training in 1944. On a summer evening with the surf rolling in and the light turning gold on the dunes, this walk is about as good as Devon walking gets.
Saunton Sands beach guide →06
Westward Ho! to Northam Burrows
Torridge Estuary · Northam · Pebble ridge, estuary and dune country
Westward Ho! is the only town in Britain with an exclamation mark in its name — named after the Kingsley novel — and it sits at the northern end of a remarkable natural feature: a two-mile pebble ridge thrown up by Atlantic storms. The walk follows the ridge north to the edge of Northam Burrows Country Park, a coastal grassland and dune system at the mouth of the Taw-Torridge estuary. The return is through the Burrows, with views across the estuary to Instow and the distant Exmoor hills. The pebble ridge is extraordinary — boulders the size of cars at the southern end, graduating to smaller cobbles north. At the northern tip, the combined Taw and Torridge rivers meet the sea in a rush of water on an ebbing spring tide. Simple, enjoyable, and accessible to all fitness levels.
North Devon beaches guide →🎒 North Devon Walking Kit
- OS Explorer 139 — covers most of the North Devon coast from Westward Ho! to Lynton
- OS Explorer 126 — needed for Hartland and the far western cliff section
- Waterproofs — the Atlantic brings rain horizontally. Budget gear is not adequate for Hartland
- Cliff awareness — most paths have no fencing. Keep children and dogs under control near edges
- Tide tables — download from the Croyde tide gauge before any beach-section walks
- Parking strategy — Baggy Point, Croyde and Morte fill completely on summer weekends. Arrive before 9am
Getting to North Devon
North Devon is accessible via the A361 North Devon Link Road from Junction 27 of the M5 at Tiverton (about 45 minutes to Barnstaple). For Hartland and the far west, the A39 Atlantic Highway runs along the coast from Bideford through Bude. There is no railway to North Devon — the Tarka Line runs from Exeter to Barnstaple (about 1.5 hours), but most coastal walks require a car or local bus for access. The Coasthopper bus (services 21/21A/21B) links Barnstaple, Braunton, Croyde, Georgeham and Ilfracombe in summer, making car-free walking on the central section feasible.
🚌 Getting There Without a Car
The Tarka Line train from Exeter to Barnstaple connects with the local bus network for central North Devon walks. From Barnstaple, the Coasthopper services reach Croyde, Georgeham, Morte Point (Mortehoe), Lee Bay and Ilfracombe. Lynton and Lynmouth are reached by National Express coach from Taunton, or the 309/310 Barnstaple–Lynton bus. Hartland is the hardest to reach without a car — the only bus is infrequent and seasonal. Plan ahead using Traveline South West.