The South West Coast Path - A Walker's Guidebook

The guidebook describes walking the South West Coast Path, Britain's longest waymarked trail. The route measures 1015km (630 miles) from Minehead to Poole along the north Devon, Cornish, south Devon and Dorset coastline. The route is divided into 45 day-stages, and could be completed within four weeks. With accommodation advice and local information.

View Sample Route Map

Day 3 - Lynmouth to Combe Martin

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Start: Lynmouth Harbour (723496)
Finish: Combe Martin (576473)
Distance: 21km (13 miles)
Cumulative Distance: 56km (35 miles)
Maps: OS Landranger 180, OS Outdoor Leisure 9
Terrain: An initial steep climb from Lynmouth leads to an easy walk to the Valley of Rocks, Lee Bay and Woody Bay. Good cliff paths give way to a couple of deep valleys and a stretch of moorland walking. There is an ascent of Great Hangman before a final descent to Combe Martin.
Refreshments: There is a café at Lee Bay and a hotel offering food and drink at Woody Bay. The Hunter’s Inn is available off-route at Heddon’s Mouth.   

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The Coast Path climbs from Lynmouth and heads for the popular Valley of Rocks. A road is followed down past Lee Abbey, but a new stretch of path has been opened round Crock Point. After working round the wooded slopes of Woody Bay, the path traverses steep slopes before crossing a deep, steep-sided valley at Heddon’s Mouth. Although it returns to the cliffs,  the path drifts inland across the slopes of Holdstone Down and climbs to the summit of Great Hangman, the highest point on the South West Coast Path. Most walkers will be happy to finish at Combe Martin, though some may prefer to walk on to the bigger, bustling town of Ilfracombe.

Leave the harbour at Lynmouth and look for a gap between the Exmoor National Park Visitor Centre and the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway. Turn left up a flight of steps signposted for the Coast Path, Lynton, Valley of Rocks and Combe Martin. A zigzag tarmac path crosses the Cliff Railway twice, then a narrow road running between the Fairholme Hotel and North Cliff Hotel crosses it again. If you are tempted to use the Cliff Railway to avoid the ascent, it is necessary to walk back down to this road to continue. The road is the North Walk, a Victorian perambulation that narrows on a wooded slope before running out onto steep and rocky slopes as an easy tarmac path. When the path forks, keep low to the right and there are suddenly fine views of Castle Rock towering above the sea. Look out for feral goats as the path heads for a road and turning circle at the popular Valley of Rocks.

There is a signpost for the beach, but the Coast Path runs along the road. Up to the left is Mother Meldrum’s Cave, while later off to the right is a view of the ‘White Lady’, a shape formed by an irregular hole near the top of Castle Rock. The road is a toll road and leads through the Lee Abbey Estate. Lee Abbey is to the right and is a Christian conference centre. There are toilets at the bottom of the road and the Lee Abbey Tea Cottage is on the next uphill stretch.

Watch out for a Coast Path sign on the right, where a new stretch of path leads out of the woods, around Crock Point, then back into the woods. When the path climbs back up to the road, turn right to continue to Woody Bay, keeping right at a fork. A sharp left turn leads downhill, then either walk up to the Woody Bay Hotel, or turn right into the woods before reaching it.

The area round Woody Bay is protected as an SSSI and is noted for its ‘hanging’ oakwoods, threatened by invasive rhododendron and home to red deer. A clear woodland track runs down to a narrow road at West Cottage. Turn left as signposted for the Coast Path (or for ‘America’ on another signpost!). Follow the road up to a bend and through a gate, then climb a stony woodland path. The trees later bend over the path as it runs downhill. Cross over Hollow Brook at a little waterfall and leave the valley to cross a more open slope above the cliffs. Look out for razorbills and guillemots on the rocks. Follow a stony path across a steep slope of heather, rising past a couple of fine rocky viewpoints.

One rocky outcrop overlooks Heddon’s Mouth. The path slices down across a steep, scrubby, stony slope into woods below. Turn left inland and upstream alongside a river, signposted as the Coast Path for Combe Martin. (This track eventually leads to the Hunter’s Inn.) Turn right across a stone footbridge, walk downstream a little, then turn sharp left along a clear track, upstream and inland.

Watch for a sharp right turn uphill, signposted as the Coast Path for Combe Martin, leading up a wooded slope and through a gate. Zigzag up a steep slope of bracken, then head to the right along a path that contours back towards the coast high above Heddon’s Mouth. The path swings left and later climbs up a steep slope of heather and rock. When a fence is reached on a stone-and-earth bank, turn right as signposted for the Coast Path. Cliffs fall steeply to the sea and there are fine views ahead, but the path is generally easy, using a grassy strip at the top of East Cleave. There are fields of sheep inland, then the path steps back from the cliff to avoid a landslip.

The path continues along the top of North Cleave and later runs down towards a patch of woodland, but avoids it by crossing a stile and heading inland across a field. The path climbs onto a more rugged moorland slope, running up through gorse and heather to reach a broad track. In the 19th century there was a plan to build a settlement in this exposed place. Turn right to follow the track across the slopes of Holdstone Down, later descending towards a valley with the broad dome of Great Hangman beyond. The track climbs uphill and heads inland, then is signposted down to a stream and footbridge in the valley of Sherrycombe.

Follow a path steeply up the other side of the valley, clipping a patch of woodland, then continuing up a slope of gorse and round a corner of a field. When a path junction is reached, walk straight onwards and uphill at a gentler gradient, following a good track to a sprawling cairn on the top of Great Hangman. This stands at 318m (1043ft), the highest point on the South West Coast Path. Enjoy the views back across Exmoor, as the route will leave the National Park by the end of the day. The coast of South Wales and Lundy Island are also in view.

Keep to the left of the cairn to follow a good path downhill. The path runs towards the smaller bump of Little Hangman. A climb to a bench on the summit is an optional extra, but the path roller-coasts along a cliff often covered in bushes, featuring only occasional views. Finally, the path is swallowed into the trees, passes a shelter and swings left downhill. Turn right at the bottom to enter Combe Martin.

Combe Martin
Combe Martin stretches far inland from its little bay at the extreme western end of the Exmoor National Park. There were once schemes to develop a harbour, and even link the village with the former railway at Ilfracombe, but those plans were abandoned, along with its lead-mining industry. It might seem sensible to skip Combe Martin and head onwards to Ilfracombe, with its greater range of services, but the way is fiddly and could take you longer than expected.

Facilities include: B&B accommodation and a nearby campsite; post office; shops; toilets; pubs and restaurants. Transport links include buses to Lynmouth, Porlock, Minehead and Taunton, as well as to Ilfracombe, Braunton and Barnstaple via the Exmoor Coastlink service.

Tourist Information Centre, Sea Cottage, Cross Street, Combe Martin, Devon EX34 0DH, tel: 01271-883319, email: combemartintic@visit.org.uk