8 best winter walks in Devon
Winter in Devon is not the season for cosying up indoors. Not until you’ve embraced the South West’s empty coastal paths and snow-capped tors, that is!
While crowds descend on Devon’s seaside towns and countryside villages during the summer, from November onwards, the southwestern county is virtually devoid of tourists.
Wrap up warm, and if you’re armed with a sturdy walking pole and a heavy pair of boots, then mystical temperate rainforests and salt-sprayed clifftops are just begging to be explored.
And more often than not, a cosy, fireside spot in the pub awaits you at the end of the hike. Keep reading, as we reveal the best winter walks in Devon.
Valley of the Rocks, Exmoor
With the winter sun low in the sky, the Valley of the Rocks feels at its most dramatic in the colder months. Stretching along the North Devon coastline, you’ll wander beneath jagged granite outcrops rising high above the Bristol Channel on the route from Lynton.
Following cliff-top paths through the Valley of the Rocks, the winter winds only add to the atmosphere; just watch out for the fierce gales that often whip in from the Atlantic Ocean!
The Valley of the Rocks is one of the South West Coast Path’s most exceptional sections, but the relatively flat 3-mile walk along largely tarmaced paths from Lynton Cliff Railway Station also makes this one of the most accessible.
See my guide to Valley of the Rocks here.
Hope Cove to Bolt Tail, South Devon
Head to the county’s southern coastline for a taste of the seafaring Devon of old. For centuries, fishers have worked out of Hope Cove’s stone harbours, and they still venture out in winter in search of crab, lobsters and pilchards.
Start your walk in Outer Hope, where you can park up by the Hope & Anchor. From the pub, it’s a 4-5 mile loop walk via Bolberry Down to Bolt Tail, where you’ll find an exposed headland offering sweeping views of the English Channel.
Head back to Hope Cove along a blustery yet beautiful section of the South West Coast Path, then settle in at the Hope & Anchor for a well-earned serving of locally-caught fish and chips.
Hartland Quay to Hartland Point, North Devon
The hike from Hartland Quay to Hartland Point is only around 3 miles each way, but it’s easily one of the most memorable sections of the South West Coast Path I’ve ever walked.
The clifftop scenery here is as dramatic as it is tough, but tackle this rollercoaster trail, and you’ll be rewarded with North Devon’s most spectacular winter views.
There’s parking in both Hartland Quay and Hartland Point, so you can start this hike in either direction. You’ll be following in the footsteps of smugglers and coastwatchers as you hike up, down, and inevitably up again, passing secluded coves, rusting shipwrecks and windswept granite rock formations on your way to the lighthouse at Hartland Point.
In winter, the cafe at Hartland Point won’t be open, so bring a thermos of hot soup or tea. There won’t be many other hikers around either. Given the remote nature of this hike, make sure you’re well prepared with robust winter gear in case the weather worsens.
Budleigh Salterton to Ladram Bay, East Devon
Budleigh Salterton’s pebble beach is beautiful in winter, when gulls hop amongst the rocks and lobster pots. Warm up with a pre-hike coffee and seafront vistas at Budleigh’s Fifty Degrees North cafe before heading off on an approximately 7-mile circular walk via Ladram Bay.
You’ll start by traversing the River Ottery’s boardwalks, where in winter, you’ll often spot geese and wading birds in the estuary. A riverside path brings you inland to Otterton, where a medieval mill offers yet more opportunities for refreshment. You’ll then walk cross-country down to Ladram Bay, where the Jurassic Coast’s millenia-old sandstone cliffs await you!
Ladram Bay beach isn’t open to the public in the summer (as it belongs to the caravan park). But in the winter, you’re able to get down onto the sands – if the tide’s out, enjoy!
Join the South West Coast Path at Ladram Bay, and it’s an often muddy 4-mile walk back to Budleigh.
Lydford Gorge, Dartmoor
In summer, Lydford Gorge – a steep ravine sheltering waterfalls and temperate rainforests on Dartmoor – is surprisingly humid, and often crowded with tourists.
In winter, it couldn’t be more different, as mist pools at the bottom of the gorge and frost clings to mossy boulders.
Tackle the 1.75-mile walk down into Lydford Gorge from the National Trust Visitor’s Centre, and you’ll find the 30-metre high Whitelady Waterfall at its most powerful. The trail can be slippery in winter, and some sections might be closed after heavy rainfall, so check the weather before setting off on this wonderful winter walk.
See my guide to Lydford Gorge here.
Haytor to Hound Tor, Dartmoor
The 3-mile walk (each way) from Haytor to Hound Tor is best experienced in winter, particularly when there’s a high chance of snowfall high up on Dartmoor. I’d recommend parking up at Haytor’s National Park Visitor Centre, where you’ll be immersed in the moody moors from the get-go.
Don’t forget to grab a map from the visitor centre before setting off towards Haytor Rocks, a distinct granite outcrop rising above the roadside. Despite cutting across Dartmoor, the trail is surprisingly flat as you follow an old tramway built to transport granite from Haytor Quarry.
You’ll soon find yourself amongst the eerie ruins of Hound Tor’s abandoned medieval village, from where you’ll see the 457-metre-high granite rocks of Hound Tor itself in the distance.
Around Wistman’s Woods, Dartmoor
Granite boulders glisten in the morning sunlight. Gnarled oaks are glazed with lichen, and fog seeps across the mossy forest floor. This isn’t a scene from Narnia (or any other fantasy world), but your average winter’s day in Wistman’s Woods.
Wistman’s Woods is one of my favourite walks on Dartmoor. In wintertime, you’ll skip the summer crowds that often plague this rare fragment of temperate rainforest, and instead, you’ll have the area largely to yourself.
But, please be aware before visiting: straying away from the paths (aka, into the woods themselves) is discouraged to protect the fragile habitat, so please keep to the marked trails and look at the woodland from there.
For a winter visit, start from the small car park at Two Bridges on the B3357. The out-and-back route to the woods is roughly 2 miles in total.
Exmouth to Orcombe Point, East Devon
And how could we miss Exmouth off a list of the best winter walks in Devon? Our adopted home town is glorious on a crisp winter’s day, and yes, the seafront pubs and cafes are open all year round.
I suggest arriving on the ‘Avocet Line’ from Exeter, a GWR branch line offering sweeping views of the Exe Estuary on its way south. Your walk conveniently starts at Exmouth Station, too. First, cross the car park to the Imperial Recreation Ground, where you’ll find a wildlife refuge welcoming migratory birds on their long winter journeys south from as far away as Siberia.
Follow the coast around to Exmouth Marina, where you’ll then enjoy a 2-mile-long seafront walk to Orcombe Point, where the red sandstone cliffs of the Jurassic Coast begin (or end).
Turn back around, and take your pick of Exmouth’s best beachside pubs and cafes for a winter warmer at the end of your hike.
