How long is the Exmoor & North Devon Coastal Loop route?

This route takes 5 days taking in 7 stops.

Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Minehead to Minehead in Somerset and Devon, England.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is May to September: quieter before July and after August.

How active is this route?

Activity level: Active. Moderately active — expect some walking and light physical activity.

What transport do I need for this route?

This route works best with a car or a campervan.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Mixed accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Balanced — a good mix of sightseeing and downtime.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Scenic, Coastal, Nature, Classic road trip, Adventure.

Exmoor & North Devon Coastal Loop

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The route · 7 stops

3 overnight bases · 2 day trips · 2 stops on the way

On the way

Minehead
Quick stop
Worth a stop on the drive: The route's eastern gateway: a working Victorian resort on the Bristol Channel with a long sandy beach and North Hill rising steeply behind it. Walk the promenade, climb North Hill for wide views across to Wales, and pick up a steam ride at the West Somerset Railway terminal on the edge of town.Worth a stop on the drive: The route's eastern gateway: a working Victorian resort on the Bristol Channel with a long sandy beach and North Hill rising steeply behind it. Walk the promenade, climb North Hill for wide views across to Wales, and pick up a steam ride at the West Somerset Railway terminal on the edge of town.
Recommendations

On to Lynton & Lynmouth

Lynton & Lynmouth

2 nights

Two villages 153 metres apart vertically, linked by a Victorian water-powered cliff railway. Lynmouth sits in the East Lyn gorge at sea level; Lynton stands above. Walk west from Lynton to the Valley of the Rocks, where feral goats patrol the tors above sheer coastal drops. Two nights here does it justice.Two villages 153 metres apart vertically, linked by a Victorian water-powered cliff railway. Lynmouth sits in the East Lyn gorge at sea level; Lynton stands above. Walk west from Lynton to the Valley of the Rocks, where feral goats patrol the tors above sheer coastal drops. Two nights here does it justice.

Recommendations

On to Ilfracombe

Ilfracombe

1 night

$Ilfracombe$

North Devon's largest resort, more characterful than its size suggests. Damien Hirst's 20-metre Verity sculpture watches over the harbour entrance. Tunnels Beaches, Victorian sea pools reached through hand-cut rock tunnels, are worth a half-morning. The Lundy Island ferry sails from here in season.North Devon's largest resort, more characterful than its size suggests. Damien Hirst's 20-metre Verity sculpture watches over the harbour entrance. Tunnels Beaches, Victorian sea pools reached through hand-cut rock tunnels, are worth a half-morning. The Lundy Island ferry sails from here in season.

Recommendations

Day trips from Ilfracombe

4
Croyde
England's premier surf village, compact and unspoiled. The beach picks up consistent Atlantic swell and beginner lessons are easy to arrange. Non-surfers take the 3-mile round trip to Baggy Point, a National Trust headland where grey seals haul out on the rocks and the north Devon coast stretches in both directions.England's premier surf village, compact and unspoiled. The beach picks up consistent Atlantic swell and beginner lessons are easy to arrange. Non-surfers take the 3-mile round trip to Baggy Point, a National Trust headland where grey seals haul out on the rocks and the north Devon coast stretches in both directions.

On to Dulverton

Dulverton

1 night

Exmoor's southern gateway, set where the wooded Barle Valley cuts through the southern edge of the moor. The National Park visitor centre here has the best maps on the route. Four miles north, Tarr Steps is a 55-metre prehistoric clapper bridge in ancient oak woodland — allow 2 hours from town if walking.Exmoor's southern gateway, set where the wooded Barle Valley cuts through the southern edge of the moor. The National Park visitor centre here has the best maps on the route. Four miles north, Tarr Steps is a 55-metre prehistoric clapper bridge in ancient oak woodland — allow 2 hours from town if walking.

Recommendations

On the way

Minehead
Quick stop
The loop closes with a 45-minute cross-moor drive from Dulverton on narrow B-roads through the eastern plateau of Exmoor. Arriving from above gives the best view of the town and the Bristol Channel laid out below — a satisfying end to the circuit.The loop closes with a 45-minute cross-moor drive from Dulverton on narrow B-roads through the eastern plateau of Exmoor. Arriving from above gives the best view of the town and the Bristol Channel laid out below — a satisfying end to the circuit.
Recommendations

Exmoor & North Devon Coastal Loop

The route · 7 stops