South West Coast Path in Devon: A Beginner's Guide to Five Easy Day Walks

Devon's stretch of the South West Coast Path takes in everything from seaside promenades to exposed headlands, and that variety is both the appeal and the problem if you're new to it. Choose the wrong section and a pleasant morning turns into a long slog over stiles, steps and boulders. The five routes below are the ones to start with: each is short enough to walk in half a day, each has a reasonable way back to the start, and none of them asks you to scramble.

How Easy Is "Easy" on the Coast Path?

The path is waymarked with an acorn, but it doesn't flatten itself for you. An easy section still means steps cut into the cliff, short steep pulls and mud after rain. Four miles here can take two hours or more with a stop for coffee, so budget for roughly two miles an hour and you won't be hurrying at dusk. Good grip matters more than fancy kit.

1. Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton: Five Miles of Red Cliff

Start on Exmouth seafront and follow the promenade east. At Orcombe Point the Geoneedle marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast, and from there the path rolls along the top of red sandstone cliffs towards Budleigh Salterton. The going is firm underfoot with a couple of short climbs, and the views back over the Exe estuary are the reward. Budleigh has a pebble beach, cafes and a regular bus back to Exmouth, though the last one leaves in the early evening, so check the times before you set off.

One thing to note: if you walk the estuary side near Exmouth rather than the seafront, parts of the path flood at high tide. Take the inland route past the docks instead.

2. Beer to Seaton: A Short Walk with a Tidal Decision

Barely two and a half miles, but it asks a question. The high path climbs over Beer Head, with steps and wide views along the white cliffs. The alternative is the beach route underneath them, which is only passable for a few hours around low water and gets cut off at Seaton Hole. Check a tide table for Beer before you decide, and if in doubt take the cliff path. Beer itself, with its boats hauled up the shingle and the quarry caves behind the village, is worth an hour of anyone's afternoon.

3. Brixham to Berry Head: The Gentlest Option

From Brixham harbour, the path runs past the breakwater and along the cliff to Berry Head nature reserve. It's surfaced for most of the way, with slopes rather than steps, and no tide to worry about at all. The headland itself has a Napoleonic fort, a lighthouse, a cafe and some of the best seabird watching in Devon — guillemots and peregrines nest on the limestone. Walk back the same way, or loop through the lanes into town. Buses between Brixham, Paignton and Torquay run frequently through the day.

4. Wembury to Heybrook Bay: Rockpools and Plymouth Sound

Wembury is National Trust land, with a sandy beach, excellent rockpools and the Mewstone sitting offshore. The coast path heads east to Heybrook Bay and the old Wembury Point site, staying above the water on a route that's mostly gentle but includes a few steps and slippery patches in wet weather. The rockpools are at their best within an hour or two of low tide. Buses from Plymouth run roughly hourly on weekdays; check the last one back, as it's a long walk home otherwise.

5. Woolacombe to Croyde via Baggy Point: Sand and Surf

North Devon does this differently. Start on Woolacombe's long beach, then pick up the path over the dunes and around Baggy Point, which belongs to the National Trust and is grazed by sheep — dogs on leads, please. It's undulating rather than steep, with a few sandy climbs, and the stretch near the point is properly exposed when a westerly is blowing. The walk finishes at Croyde, another surfing village with a couple of pubs. Buses here are more seasonal than in the south of the county, so plan both directions before you leave the car behind.

Before You Go: Tides, Buses and Terrain

• Read the tide table, not just the forecast. Any route with a beach option depends on it. Aim to walk tidal sections on a falling tide, and give yourself a two-hour buffer either side of low water.
• Never let a headland get between you and your exit. If the way round is cut off, turn back and take the high path.
• Work out the return bus before the walk, not after it. Rural services often finish by early evening and run reduced timetables on Sundays.
• Wear shoes with grip. Trainers are fine in dry weather on surfaced paths; boots or trail shoes handle mud, roots and steep steps far better.
• Carry water and a waterproof, even in July. Sea fog and squalls arrive quickly, especially on the north coast.
• Tell someone your route and rough finish time. Mobile signal is patchy in coves and beneath cliffs, so download an offline map before you go.
• Check for diversions. Cliff falls and landslips are a fact of life in Devon, particularly after a wet winter, and the path is rerouted around them.
• If you have a heart, lung or balance condition, or you're recovering from an injury, speak to your GP or a physiotherapist before tackling cliff steps and uneven ground.

Start with the Shortest One

If you've never walked a coast path section before, do Beer to Seaton or Brixham to Berry Head first. Both are under three miles each way, both are easy to cut short, and neither will punish you for setting off late. Build up to Exmouth to Budleigh once you know how your legs cope with steps, and save the longer cliff sections for a day when you've got proper boots, a full day of daylight and a bus timetable in your pocket. The South West Coast Path Association publishes the official guides and posts route updates; a quick look the night before is never wasted.

Photo: ReneGossner / Pixabay