Devon Coast to Coast
Walk coast to coast across Devon, from the English to the Bristol Channel, crossing Dartmoor and Exmoor on the way.
There’s something about a coast-to-coast walk that stirs the imagination and lifts it above other long-distance routes. And the Devon Coast to Coast Walk, which runs from the English Channel to the Bristol Channel through the National Parks of Exmoor and Dartmoor, is one of the finest in Britain. Not surprisingly, the Devon Coast to Coast Walk passes through some beautiful scenery. It starts with the golden sands and rock pools of Wembury Bay; crosses the wild heather moorland of Dartmoor with its dramatic granite tors, Bronze Age settlements, medieval crosses, ancient clapper bridges and hardy ponies; meanders through the unspoilt farmland of mid-Devon, a landscape of flower-filled hedgerows, scattered farmsteads and sleepy villages of cob and thatch cottages; and then explores the wooded valleys and grass moorland of the former royal hunting forest of Exmoor with it’s wild ponies and red deer before descending to finish at the attractive village of Lynmouth with its lovely little harbour.
Highlights of the Devon Coast to Coast Walk include the abundant prehistoric remains on Dartmoor which include cairns, cists, menhirs, barrows, stone rows, hut circles, hill forts and enclosures; the ancient waymarkers dotted over the moors such as Hobajohn’s Cross, Bennett’s Cross and Huntingdon Cross; the remains of Dartmoor’s tin industry including workings, tinners’ huts, blowing houses, mould and mortar stones; the stunted and contorted ancient oaks of Piles Copse; the Goreous Stone, an engraved stone over 1,400 years old which commemorates a British chieftain who embraced Christianity; the ancient "Shell" petrol pumps at Withypool; Castle Drogo, England’s newest castle, completed in 1930; the inviting wayside inns such as the Church House Inn at Holne, the Drewe Arms at Drewsteignton, and the Masons Arms at Knowstone; the wealth of medieval churches reflecting the county’s prosperity from the late Middle Ages to the seventeenth-century; the wide variety of bridges of all ages; the many attractive villages such as Wembury, Holne, Ponsworthy, Drewsteignton, Morchard Bishop, Witheridge, Knowstone, Lynmouth and Widecombe-in-the-Moor which has many interesting buildings Widecombe-in-the-Moor, which has many interesting buildings such as the Church of St Pancras which is known as the ‘Cathedral of the Moors’, the adjoining Sexton’s Cottages and the Church House; Chagford, one of the four Stannary towns to which all of the tin mined in Devon had to be brought for assay and stamping in medieval times: buildings of note include the Church of St Michael, St Catherine’s Guild House, the Bishop’s House and the Market House; the glorious views over the Teign Gorge from beneath the walls of Castle Drogo; and the wealth of wildlife which includes skylark, golden plover, raven, pergrine, buzzard, kingfisher, dipper, wheatear, ring ouzel, Dartmoor ponies, Exmoor ponies and red deer.
Holiday Highlights
- Strolling along Plymouth’s promenade and breathing in the Atlantic Ocean air.
- Exploring the eerie tors and Bronze Age remains on Dartmoor and the diverse glens and moorland of Exmoor.
- Crossing from South to North and arriving at the coast in Lynmouth, with its dramatic ‘hogs back’ cliffs.
Devon Coast to Coast
Wembury to Lynmouth through the Exmoor and Dartmoor National Parks.
| Total Distance | 117 miles (187.5 km) |
| Start and Finish | Wembury to Lynmouth |
| Availability | 1st March to 31st October |
| Tour Code | Itinerary | Tour Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCC1 | 8 nights, 7 days walking | £545 per person | More Information | Book Online | |
| DCC2 | 9 nights, 8 days walking | £610 per person | More Information | Book Online | |
| DCC3 | 12 nights, 11 days walking | £815 per person | More Information | Book Online | |
| Our prices are based upon two people sharing a room. If you are walking on your own, or are part of a group, but require a room of your own, the following charges apply: | |||||
| Solo Walker Supplement: | £28 per person / per night | ||||
| Single Supplement: | £15 per person / per night | ||||
| You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops. For each extra night add £48 per person. All of our prices are in British pounds (£). Use our currency converter to convert British pounds (£) to your country’s currency. | |||||
| The price that you pay includes accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, door to door luggage transfers for every day of your tour, maps, guidebooks and a tour pack detailing specific information about your holiday. | |||||
Don’t have the time for the complete walk?
We also offer The Devon Coast to Coast in two sections, giving those with less time the opportunity to complete the trail in stages.
Devon Coast to Coast - Dartmoor Section
Wembury to Morchard Bishop through the heart of the wild Dartmoor National Park.
| Total Distance | 69 miles (110.5 km) |
| Start and Finish | Wembury to Morchard Bishop |
| Availability | 1st March to 31st October |
The Dartmoor section of the Devon Coast to Coast starts in the coastal city of Plymouth and passes through the granite tors and wild moorland of Dartmoor as it makes its way to the lovely Devonshire village of Morchard Bishop.
In the vibrant waterfront city of Plymouth, there are a variety of sights and sounds to enjoy as you prepare for your walk. Standing on Plymouth Hoe amid a backdrop of vast moorland on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the city offers a wide promenade, the iconic lighthouse of Smeaton’s Tower and Western Europe’s largest naval base at HMNB Devonport.
Leaving Plymouth, the trail follows the Erme-Plym trail through rolling pastoral countryside to Ivybridge, where it picks up the route of the Two Moors Way and glimpses views towards the edge of Dartmoor. The trail then heads onto open moorland, taking in the remnants of ancient huts and cairns, before passing through the lovely Dartmoor village of Scorriton. From here, the trail continues along the banks of the River Dart, through Holne and towards Dr Blackall’s Drive, where there are wonderful views of the countryside as you approach the intriguing Widecombe-in-the-Moor.
Continuing along the valleys and stone tors of Dartmoor, the trail encounters the settlement of Grimspound, a fascinating collection of Bronze Age huts and one of Dartmoor’s most popular prehistoric settlements. The trail then leaves Dartmoor through the village of Drewsteignton, where the wonderful Castle Drogo provides wonderful views over the dramatic Dartmoor landscape.
Finally, the trail arrives in Morchard Bishop, where there is a collection of stunning old buildings and thatched cottages. Resting in Mid-Devon, between the expanses of Dartmoor and Exmoor, Morchard Bishop is the perfect stop from which to rest after this section of the Devon Coast to Coast.
Holiday Highlights
- Discovering the history of Dartmoor, including Castle Drogo, Grimspound and the largest collection of Bronze Age structures in the UK.
- Spotting a wealth of plants and animals, including Dartmoor ponies, butterflies, birds of prey, otters and deer.
- Uncovering the ghost-tales of the intriguing village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor.
| Tour Code | Itinerary | Tour Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCCD1 | 6 nights, 5 days walking | £405 per person | More Information | Book Online | |
| DCCD2 | 7 nights, 6 days walking | £475 per person | More Information | Book Online | |
| Our prices are based upon two people sharing a room. If you are walking on your own, or are part of a group, but require a room of your own, the following charges apply: | |||||
| Solo Walker Supplement: | £28 per person / per night | ||||
| Single Supplement: | £15 per person / per night | ||||
| You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops. For each extra night add £48 per person. All of our prices are in British pounds (£). Use our currency converter to convert British pounds (£) to your country’s currency. | |||||
| The price that you pay includes accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, door to door luggage transfers for every day of your tour, maps, guidebooks and a tour pack detailing specific information about your holiday. | |||||
Devon Coast to Coast - Exmoor Section
Morchard Bishop to Lynmouth through the enchanting Exmoor National Park.
| Total Distance | 49 miles (78.5 km) |
| Start and Finish | Morchard Bishop to Lynmouth |
| Availability | 1st March to 31st October |
The Exmoor section of the Devon Coast to Coast starts in Morchard Bishop and passes through the rolling moorland and rugged coastline of the Exmoor National Park to the pretty coastal village of Lynmouth.
Starting in Morchard Bishop, the trail visits a series of lovely mid-Devon villages such as Black Dog and Witheridge as it approaches the more remote and high level section of the trail, where there are wonderful views over Dartmoor and Exmoor.
As the trail approaches the beautiful village of Knowstone, the trail follows the Little Dart River and encounters abundant plant and animal life as it passes along lush wetlands. The 15h century church and pretty thatched cottages make this village an especially picturesque stop on the trail.
After Knowstone, the trail enters the Exmoor National Park and crosses the River Barle into Withypool. On wild Exmoor, there is the chance to spot some of the wildlife that make this area so special, from the majestic red deer to the famous Exmoor ponies.
Finally, the trail makes a descent to Lynmouth, where the dramatic ‘hogs back cliffs’ and stunning coastline provide a wonderful conclusion to this section of the Devon Coast to Coast.
Holiday Highlights
- Visiting the pretty Devonshire villages of Morchard Bishop, Black Dog and Knowstone.
- Spotting the rare species scattered around Exmoor, including the Exmoor Pony, fritillary butterflies and Peregrine Falcons.
- Arriving in Lynmouth where the sea replaces the wild expanse of Exmoor.
| Tour Code | Itinerary | Tour Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCCE1 | 4 nights, 3 days walking | £270 per person | More Information | Book Online | |
| DCCE2 | 6 nights, 5 days walking | £400 per person | More Information | Book Online | |
| Our prices are based upon two people sharing a room. If you are walking on your own, or are part of a group, but require a room of your own, the following charges apply: | |||||
| Solo Walker Supplement: | £28 per person / per night | ||||
| Single Supplement: | £15 per person / per night | ||||
| You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops. For each extra night add £48 per person. All of our prices are in British pounds (£). Use our currency converter to convert British pounds (£) to your country’s currency. | |||||
| The price that you pay includes accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, door to door luggage transfers for every day of your tour, maps, guidebooks and a tour pack detailing specific information about your holiday. | |||||
