North Devon features a dramatic coastline with turquoise sea waters.
With dozens of hidden beaches, enchanting forests, and quaint hillside towns such as Lynton and Lynmouth, it’s no wonder that some of the best walks in North Devon are so popular.
After several trips to North Devon over the years and countless incredible hikes, this list is a round-up of the very best.
First, we’ll jump straight into all of North Devon’s best walks, many of which cover the lovely coastline and some of which discover impressive waterfalls.
We’ll then cover some need-to-know information like the best time to visit and where to stay.
At the end of the guide, you’ll also find an FAQ.
The best walks in North Devon
Valley Of The Rocks and Lynton Outer Loop
Distance: 8.9km | Elevation: 336m | Duration: 2-3 hours | Difficulty: easy | Best for: Coastal walks, rugged cliff edges, wildlife
Valley of the Rocks and Lynton Outer Loop is one of the most thrilling walks in North Devon that is certainly not for the faint-hearted with its pathways along the rugged cliff edge.
Beginning from the cobbled town of Lynton, the route follows a narrow trail that hugs the North Devon coastline – needless to say, the views across the sea are spectacular.
As you follow the stream of people toward the enormous boulders and impressive rubble of rock, it will quickly become clear why this walk is nicknamed ‘Valley of the Rocks’.
Upon arrival, the route takes you behind the rocks, however, you’ll almost certainly be tempted to scramble your way to the top to get some of the best views in North Devon.
And of course, some impressive pictures to commemorate your bravery!
Tip: This is a great spot to tuck into a packed lunch – there are also some cute little mountain goats that chill up there, basking in the sunshine all day...oh, goat life.
As you clamber back down the rocks, you’ll play follow the leader with a trip of goats, before ascending up and into the valley, and as the walk goes on, you’ll start to see fewer people.
It’s a steady incline through woodland and country roads for the remainder of the route – apart from the last kilometre which is a very steep descent back down to Lynton.
- Route: map
Speke’s Mill Mouth Waterfall via Hartland Quay and Blackpool Mill Beach
Speke’s Mill Mouth Waterfall via Hartland Quay and Blackpool Mill Beach has a little bit of everything to offer and gets better and better as the walk goes on.
Initially, the route leads a steady incline across fields before quickly arriving at a forest – which, on a hot day, is a welcome bit of shelter!
As the path begins to descend, the route finds Mill Leet, which it follows towards the sea.
Just before reaching the edge of the North Devon coastline, the impressive Speke’s Mill Mouth Waterfall appears – the main attraction of the walk for most! It’s at this point that walkers are also able to temporarily divert from the route by taking some steps down to Speke’s Mill Beach which is nothing too impressive, but still a nice spot to take a break.
As you continue on, the route follows the coastline from above and leads around a series of coves before eventually reaching Hartland Quay – a small and sandy bay with crystal clear waters; we definitely recommend heading down to this bay to discover the impressive hidden caves, too.
The remainder of the route sticks to the North Devon coastline until it reaches the final bay of the day – Black Pool Mill beach, before diverting back inland and arriving back in Stoke.
Tip: Hartland Abbey isn’t too far from Stoke – it’s full of history and a nice spot to swing by in the afternoon!
DISTANCE: 8.7km
ELEVATION: 250m
DURATION: 2-3 hours
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
BEST FOR: Coastal walks, beaches, waterfalls
COMBE MARTIN CIRCULAR (LITTLE AND GREAT HANGMAN)
The route begins from Kiln car park that sits just above Combe Martin bay.
As you leave the gates, the route wastes no time and gets straight into a steep incline along a sheltered woodland path – this goes on for quite some time and teases walkers with glimpses of the sparkling sea through the gaps in the trees.
Before long, you’ll have reached a bench upon a hilltop that overlooks a tropical-looking hidden beach – this is the perfect spot for a short break after an exhausting start to the hike. From here, you’ll also be able to see the first of the two peaks ahead.
As you continue on across moorland and besides plenty of grazing sheep, you’ll slowly begin to ascend towards Little Hangman – the first peak. The closer you get to the summit, the steeper the ascent becomes, but the views are worth every drop of sweat.
After you’ve spent some time soaking up the views of the North Devon coast, it’s time to descend before taking the undulating (but predominantly inclining) pathway towards the second summit – Great Hangman – although slightly less impressive than Little Hangman (in my opinion) it still offers fantastic views across the sea.
The trail then leads inland, down across fields and weaving through woodland pathways, before eventually arriving back in the village of Combe Martin.
Tip: Make sure you head down to Combe Martin bay – especially if the tide is out. If you follow the path to the right you’ll discover some hidden caves!
DISTANCE: 7.1km
ELEVATION: 336m
DURATION: 2-3 hours
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
BEST FOR: Coastal walks, panoramic views
EAST LYN RIVER LOOP (WATERSMEET)
East Lyn River Loop is also known as the Watersmeet Loop and it’s one of the best woodland walks in North Devon that you can do. It starts in Lynton and follows the East Lyn river for the majority of the way – hence the name! Initially, the setting of this walk could be mistaken for Morzine in the French Alps – it’s almost a copy and paste of the area and undeniably serene!
As you move further away from Lynton alongside the river, the route heads deep into the woodland, making it perfect for super hot days as well as rainy days, given the fact that it’s sheltered for around 75% of the walk.
Before long, you’ll see signposts to a waterfall viewing point – make sure you take the extra few steps to the top to get the best view of the fall crashing down below.
Tip: Close to the waterfall is Watersmeet Tea-Room – a large house set among the forest, making it the perfect place for some refreshments.
The route gradually begins to climb and just after the halfway point, you will leave the East Lyn River behind to ascend further and discover views of the bright blue sea in the distance. The grass trail here is predominantly flat and at times, fairly overgrown – but it’s nothing too wild!
As the path descends, you will lose sight of the sea and wind your way through more woodland, before facing a surprisingly steep incline, only to steeply descend back to Lynton over the last kilometer.
DISTANCE: 7.7km
ELEVATION: 413m
DURATION: 2-3 hours
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
BEST FOR: Woodland walks, waterfalls, coastal views
TARKA TRAIL: CROYDE TO SAUNTON CIRCULAR
This fantastic walk in North Devon starts off by following the Tarka Trail – a well-known 180-mile route that is nicknamed after Tarka the otter, who is said to have swum the nearby rivers or Torridge and Taw around the same figure of 8 loop on a regular basis.
Although this route does not (thankfully) follow the Tarka trail for 180-miles, it does follow one of the best sections of it above the coastline of Croyde Bay – a popular surf spot.
Once the route departs from the Tarka Trail, it heads inland to the village of Croyde – a picturesque location for a spot of lunch and/or an ice cream!
Tip: If you opt for the ice cream as we did, then Croyde Ice Cream Parlour does some mouthwateringly fantastic flavours.
As you leave Croyde behind, the route follows a steep ascent out of the village and leads across the hilltops. As with every ascent, what goes up, must come down, so before long the route descends towards Saunton.
The walk continues along a grass-cut pathway above the main road, with spectacular views over Saunton Sands – another popular surf spot!
Tip: If want to walk down to Saunton Sands for something to eat, then head to the Beachside Grill. Once you’re in the car park you will be able to see it at the entrance point of the beach.
As you push on along the home straight, you will soon be back at the starting point.
DISTANCE: 6.9km
ELEVATION: 201m
DURATION: 1-2 hours
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
BEST FOR: Coastal walks, wildlife, tasty ice cream
MORTE POINT AND BULL POINT CIRCULAR
And last but not least of our list of the best walks in North Devon is Morte Point and Bull Point Circular. In my opinion, this is the best walk in North Devon – purely based on the fact that there is a high chance of spotting some seals splashing around in the waves! Surely that top trumps any other walk – right?!
The route starts from Martinhoe – a small seaside village with good public facilities, as well a few great places to eat. From here, the route almost instantly finds a steep downhill as it heads towards the coastline.
Tip: Although it is not the official starting point, we recommend starting from Martinhoe car park as there is plenty of places to park up.
Once the trail meets the North Devon coastal path you’ll soon be able to spot Morte Points dramatic rock erosion. It’s here that you may also spot some seals, so keep your eyes peeled!
As the route continues along the South West Coast Path, it’s an undulating walk, to say the least. Along the way, you’ll clamber up and down steps and discover a series of bays – some sandy, some rocky, but all worth visiting!
After a couple of challenging kilometers, you’ll spot a lighthouse in the distance – this signifies Bull Point, and as you look down below, you’ll see crystal clear waters, and possibly some more seals if you’re lucky!
The path goes on to wind round and slowly returns inland before eventually arriving back in Martinhoe.
DISTANCE: 7.7km
ELEVATION: 265m
DURATION: 2-3 hours
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
BEST FOR: Dramatic coastlines, sealife
DISCOVER MORE GREAT WALKS IN ENGLAND
If you loved our list of the best walks in North Devon then have you ever considered glamping in North Devon?
Alternatively, if you’re looking for more walks, then we really think that you’d also love exploring the Brecon Beacons too.
Below you can find some of our other guides:
- SEVEN SISTERS WALK: SHORT, MEDIUM AND LONG ROUTES
- 6 OF THE BEST WALKS IN THE BRECON BEACONS
- PEN Y FAN WALK (THAT AVOIDS THE CROWDS): FULL GUIDE
- FOUR WATERFALLS WALK (BRECON BEACONS): GUIDE & MAP
- SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN IN WALES: HIKING GUIDE
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