5-Day Plymouth to Exmouth Itinerary — Fastpacker Pace (SWCP Section 5)

Beginning at Plymouth's Mayflower Steps, this stage offers a choice: a Mount Batten ferry whisks you across the Sound, bypassing urban stretches, or follow the route on foot through Cattedown and across Laira Bridge. Beyond Hooe Lake, climb through Turnchapel to Mount Batten Point, then ascend grassy slopes to Jennycliff Bay, where a seasonal café offers refreshments. Continue to Staddon Heights for commanding views before a steep descent to the Victorian fortress at Fort Bovisand. Rugged clifftop walking around Andurn Point and Westlake Brake leads to Heybrook Bay, with the Eddystone Inn providing sea views. Traverse Wembury Point, descend to Wembury Beach with its seasonal café, then follow the Victorian Revelstoke Drive with its panoramic vistas to High Cliff. After a gentle rise, reach Warren Point for a seasonal ferry crossing to Noss Mayo, a picturesque village where The Ship Inn awaits. From Noss Mayo, traverse Passage Wood and Brakehill Plantation, emerging onto the headland at Gara Point to rejoin the Revelstoke Drive. The path skirts The Warren, a National Trust area, before continuing past Blackstone Point and Stoke Point. The terrain becomes more challenging past Church Cove and Stoke Down, leading to exposed headlands with views towards Bigbury-on-Sea. Dramatic clifftops give way to the River Erme estuary, with a crucial tidal crossing at Hoist Point; detour inland via country lanes if tides are unfavourable. Beyond the Erme, an uphill path leads to Kingston village and the 16th-century Dolphin Inn for refreshments, before continuing the route to Wonwell Beach.

From Wonwell Beach, the South West Coast Path weaves through Brakehill Plantation before opening onto the dramatic headland of Gara Point, offering panoramic views. Following the renowned Revelstoke Drive, a Victorian carriage road, the route traverses maritime grassland on The Warren, a National Trust area rich with wildflowers. Past Blackstone Point and Saddle Cove's intricate ridges, the path becomes more strenuous, passing Stoke Point and descending past Church Cove before ascending Beacon Hill for exposed headland walking towards Bigbury-on-Sea, with views of Burgh Island. Challenging clifftops lead to the River Erme estuary, where crossing is only possible within an hour either side of low tide. After this crucial tidal crossing, a short inland detour leads to Kingston for refreshment at The Dolphin Inn. The path then climbs onto rugged, increasingly challenging clifftops, featuring striking slate and sandstone geology. Reaching the iconic Thurlestone Rock, the route continues past Beacon Point towards the twin fishing villages of Hope Cove, then steeply climbs to Bolt Tail's ancient fort. Descending to secluded Soar Mill Cove, the path then embarks on its most spectacular section around Bolt Head and Courtney Walk, a 19th-century cliff-face path, before descending past Starehole Bay and the treacherous Salcombe Bar sandbank to reach the sailing town of Salcombe.

The South West Coast Path begins in Salcombe with a short ferry crossing to East Portlemouth, then winds southeast past Mill Bay and Sunny Cove before emerging onto exposed clifftops at Limbury Point. The challenging terrain climbs high cliffs towards Gara Rock, a popular viewpoint with seasonal refreshments, before continuing past dramatic geological formations near Prawle Point. Beyond Start Point lighthouse and the poignant ruins of Hallsands, the route descends towards the fishing village of Beesands, where the Cricket Inn offers welcome respite before continuing north along the spectacular shingle beach towards Torcross. The path navigates the unique landscape of Slapton Ley, England’s largest natural freshwater lake, passing the Torcross memorial and the nature reserve before climbing steeply to Strete. Emerging onto clifftop paths above Blackpool Sands, the route offers sweeping panoramas across Start Bay before descending through rolling countryside to Stoke Fleming, where The Green Dragon pub provides refreshments. The final stretch leads past Blackstone Point and through coves like Compass and Sugary before culminating at Dartmouth Castle and the historic harbour, offering a rich variety of dining and exploration opportunities.

From Stoke Fleming, the South West Coast Path descends through farmland and lanes, passing Little Dartmouth Farm before reaching the coast and circling Blackstone Point. After marvelling at Dartmouth Castle, the path leads through woodland past Warfleet Creek and enters Dartmouth’s waterfront via South Town. A ferry crossing from Dartmouth’s historic harbour to Kingswear is required to rejoin the path on the eastern bank. Climbing through pine woods, the route offers intermittent views back towards Dartmouth, passing Kingswear Castle and National Trust land before reaching Froward Point with its WWII defence remains and the prominent Kingswear Daymark. The terrain becomes more challenging through a series of valleys towards Sharkham Point, continuing over Scabbacombe Head and through the spectacular cliffs of Berry Head National Nature Reserve, featuring its lighthouse and Napoleonic forts; the Guardhouse Café here offers refreshments. The path then descends sharply into the fishing port of Brixham. From Brixham harbour, the route traverses Battery Gardens to Churston Cove, then through ancient woodland to the secluded Elberry Cove. Crossing under the Broadsands railway viaduct, the path hugs the coast around Broadsands Beach and Goodrington Sands, past the South Sands Café, before arriving at Paignton harbour. Continuing along seafront promenades and beach-side paths past Preston Sands and Torre Abbey Sands, the route reaches Torquay. After passing Corbyn Head, where a beach café offers refreshments, the path follows the promenade before concluding at Torquay harbour.

Leaving Paignton, the route traces seaside pathways past Preston Sands and Torre Abbey Sands, briefly detouring inland towards the abbey before reaching Corbyn Head for refreshments. Torquay harbour beckons with ample amenities before a climb to Daddyhole Plain, passing London Bridge to descend to Meadfoot Beach. A renewed ascent leads to Thatcher Point and the Hope's Nose headland, winding through woodland to the sheltered Anstey's Cove. Steep climbs over Babbacombe Downs lead to Babbacombe, with its cliff railway to Oddicombe Beach, before descending through woods past Watcombe and Maidencombe, where The Thatched Tavern offers respite. Across Bundle Head, the path reveals The Ness before a descent to Shaldon for a historic ferry crossing over the River Teign to Teignmouth, which provides numerous food options. From Teignmouth, the famous railway sea wall unfolds, passing Hole Head and Sprey Point, before reaching Dawlish. Continuing along the sea wall, with its distinctive red cliffs, leads to Dawlish Warren and the Exe Estuary Trail, a level tarmac path through Eastdon and Cockwood, passing the Anchor Inn, before reaching Starcross and its historic pumping station. The Starcross-Exmouth ferry then completes the journey to Exmouth, bypassing a substantial road detour.