Spectacular coastal walks in Devon

Put your best foot forward…

Explore a stunning coastline, discover hidden coves and walk along magical beaches… all on coastal walks in Devon. With its striking and enchanting Jurassic Coast, thousands of people are lured to the South Devon region each year to walk along the cliff tops, tackle the rugged, moorland peaks and venture through the lush, wooded valleys.

Oakdown Holiday Park boasts an ideal location for walking holidays in Devon, located close to the south coast and also the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are also only short drive from Dartmoor, to the West, and Exmoor to the North, for those who like nothing more than a bracing moorland hike.

Our favourite coastal walks in Devon

The Jurassic Coast was England’s first natural World Heritage Site, putting in the same category of importance as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the pyramids of Ancient Egypt. From our Devon holiday park you can explore the beautiful Jurassic Coast, with dozens of walks starting nearby. Below are just some of our favourites…

Sidmouth Coast and River – 10.1miles

Difficulty: Moderate – generally easy going but with one steep descent and one steep ascent.
This is a spectacular walk along the red cliffs of east Devon to the estuary at the mouth of the River Otter then following the river upstream before climbing out of the valley up onto Mutters Moor.

Mutters Moor – 7 miles

Difficulty: Challenging – Footpaths, tracks, quiet country roads. Some steep ascent and descent
A strenuous but rewarding walk through 185 million years of geological history, displayed in the towering red cliff at High Peak, and more than five thousand years of human history. Stone tools have been found here from the Stone Age, and there are the remains of an Iron Age hillfort up on the summit of High Peak, where there are tremendous views out over a landscape whose patterns of fields, strips and ancient trackways tell their own tale of agricultural methods over the centuries. A good walk in the springtime, when songbirds perch among the bright gorse flowers and colonies of rowdy seabirds nest on the red cliffs to the east of the estuary. Migrant waders joins the terns and sand martins around the shoreline and on the exposed hillsides above the bushes are clad in tumbling blossom.

Salcombe Hill – 4.7 miles

Difficulty: Moderate: Footpaths through woods and fields, tarmac paths, quiet roads. Some steep ascent and descent.
From Salcombe Hill, high above Sidmouth, you drop through woodland to the path running along beside the River Sid to the seafront, where a shingle ridge provides a buffer zone between the sea and the town. The Alma Bridge, with its nineteenth century origins, leads to the cliff-path zigzagging up the hill, above the towering red cliffs, to bring you up to a viewpoint with breathtaking views out over Lyme Bay and the famous cliffs of the Jurassic Coast. This is a dog friendly walk with a shingle beach, woodland and open fields.

Sidmouth Valley, Ridge and Jurassic Coast: 5.5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate – No stiles; the route climbs from sea level to 200m/650ft at the ridge top, but this is a long steady climb with no really steep lengths.
Sidmouth is an attractive seaside town nearby. Situated on the floor of the valley of the River Sid where it meets the sea, it is flanked on both sides by high ridges which both contain the town and give it its scenic backdrop.

Weston Plats – 2.3 miles

Difficulty: Moderate – Paths and tracks, some gentle descent before a short stretch of rather steep ascent. A short loop around Weston Plats, a haven for wildlife and the scene of a thriving market garden industry a hundred years ago. Today the ‘plats’ (or plots of land) have been unearthed from the scrub which covered them after they fell into disuse. Take time to go on down to the beach with its spectacular red and gold shingle and cliffs.

Passaford and Pavers: 6.4 miles

Difficulty: Challenging – Tracks, paths and bridleways, and quiet lanes, with some steep ascent and descent.
An inland walk exploring the history of a community which turned to farming when the river silted up and the maritime trade began to wane. Two of the farms featured are listed buildings, with thatch and cob farmhouses and brick and flint outbuildings. An optional shortcut bypasses some of the steep ascent and descent.

For more coastal walks in Devon and further details on all those mentioned above, visit the South West Coast Path’s website. Alternatively, Select Sidmouth also has details on