Our North Devon holiday, the first leg of the 630 mile South West Coast Path, actually begins just over the border in Somerset, in the town of Minehead. From here, you’ll follow the coastal path for almost 90 miles to the village of Westward Ho! with overnight stays in popular locations such as Lynmouth, Ilfracombe, and Woolacombe.

This section of the South West Coast Path offers diverse and dramatic scenery. The first stretch takes you along some of the highest cliffs in England, where the wild beauty of Exmoor meets the sea. You’ll enjoy expansive views inland and north across the Bristol Channel, with the coast of Wales as a distant backdrop. The trail passes through coastal woodlands, stretches of sandy beaches popular with surfers, and the large estuary of the Taw and Torridge rivers, flanked by sand dunes and marshland. Here, the path follows the route of the former railway and the river estuary.

On your journey you’ll be greeted by the sight of numerous clifftop flowers, particularly the abundance of bluebells and primroses in spring. The Exmoor coast is home to a variety of wildlife and many rare species of flora and fauna. Look out for red deer, stag beetles, blackneck moths and the whitebeam trees which are unique to Exmoor.

There are Sites of Special Scientific Interest with their delightful heathland and grasses. Nature reserves too with sand dunes housing rare snails and lizards, as well designated areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty where you might spot grey seals, gannets, and in summer, even dolphins, sunfish and basking sharks.

This stretch of coastline is particularly valued for its birdlife. It also incorporates the Tarka Trail, a series of footpaths following the route of Tarka the Otter, as told in the book by Henry Williamson.