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

Commencing at Plymouth's historic Barbican, the South West Coast Path route towards Noss Mayo offers an optional scenic ferry crossing from the Mayflower Steps to Mount Batten, bypassing urban outskirts. Alternatively, the landward path traverses industrial areas, crosses Laira Bridge, and skirts Hooe Lake before climbing through Turnchapel, reaching Mount Batten Point. Beyond, steep grassy ascents lead to Jennycliff Bay, with its seasonal café, and Staddon Heights, offering panoramic views, before a wooded descent to Fort Bovisand. Rugged clifftop walking then navigates Andurn Point and Westlake Brake, characterized by undulations and scrambles, before arriving at sheltered Heybrook Bay and the Eddystone Inn. Continuing over Wembury Point, now National Trust land, the path descends to Wembury Beach, featuring the Old Mill Cafe. Revelstoke Drive then provides easy, panoramic walking, passing through maritime grasslands, before a gentle rise to High Cliff and a descent towards Warren Point. Here, a seasonal ferry (April-September) connects to Noss Mayo, a picturesque village with The Ship Inn, completing this stage.

From Noss Mayo, the trail initially skirts Newton Creek, passing through Brakehill Plantation before emerging onto the dramatic headland of Gara Point. The route then follows the celebrated Revelstoke Drive, a wide Victorian carriage road offering exceptional panoramic views across to Cornwall and along the South Devon coast, passing through maritime grassland grazed by sheep. After traversing the distinctive ridged coastline near Blackstone Point and Saddle Cove, the path becomes more strenuous as it approaches the River Erme. A critical low-tide river crossing is essential before a steep climb towards Kingston, then continuing on dramatic, challenging clifftop paths past striking slate and sandstone geology, with views towards Dartmoor. After descending to beaches like Westcombe and Ayrmer Cove, the route moderates towards Challaborough before offering magnificent views of Burgh Island as it approaches Bigbury-on-Sea. A final, short seasonal ferry crossing over the River Avon brings you to Bantham village.

From Bantham, reached by a seasonal ferry, the South West Coast Path traverses impressive boathouses before heading west and climbing to Thurlestone, where refreshment options abound from the Village Inn to the Thurlestone Hotel's dining establishments. Continuing southwest, the route showcases spectacular clifftops above Bigbury Bay, passing Thurlestone Rock and Beacon Point, before descending to the charming Hope Cove, offering pub and café refreshments. A steep climb then leads to Bolt Tail, an Iron Age fort with panoramic views, before continuing to Bolberry Down, a site of wartime history and diverse wildlife. The path descends dramatically to Soar Mill Cove, renowned for its rock pooling and geological features, then ascends around Bolt Head, offering North Cornwall-esque ruggedness and the remarkable cliff-carved Courtney Walk before descending to Starehole Bay and finally arriving in Salcombe after a steep coastal descent through woods past historic Fort Charles, a bustling sailing centre.

Leaving Salcombe, a ferry whisks you across to East Portlemouth, from where the path skirts sheltered coves and woodland before emerging onto the dramatic, undeveloped coastline around Rickham Common. The terrain becomes increasingly demanding, climbing high cliffs towards Gara Rock, a welcome refreshment stop, before continuing past extraordinary geological formations near Prawle Point, Devon's most southerly headland. Navigating ancient raised beaches and passing beautiful sandy stretches like Lannacombe, the route offers views of Start Point lighthouse and the poignant ruins of Hallsands. After descending to the fishing village of Beesands, famed for the Cricket Inn, the path follows a spectacular shingle beach towards Torcross, positioned between the sea and Slapton Ley lake. Continuing along this unique shingle bar, offering a choice of road or nature reserve routes, the path eventually climbs steeply to Strete before offering magnificent views over Blackpool Sands. The final stretch involves country lanes and rolling Devonshire countryside, leading through Redlap Lane into the charming village of Stoke Fleming, where The Green Dragon pub awaits.

From Stoke Fleming, the route descends through farmland and lanes towards the coast, passing Blackstone Point before reaching Dartmouth Castle and continuing along Castle Road, then through woodland to Warfleet Creek. A ferry crossing from Dartmouth to Kingswear is then required. From Kingswear, the path climbs through wooded areas offering views back to Dartmouth Castle, passing Kingswear Castle and Froward Point with its Daymark. The terrain becomes challenging with a series of valleys before reaching Sharkham Point and then continuing along spectacular clifftops through Berry Head National Nature Reserve, home to Britain's shortest lighthouse and a large guillemot colony. The path then descends into the historic fishing port of Brixham.

From Dartmouth, a ferry to Kingswear provides access to a route winding through pines with glimpses of Dartmouth Castle, before reaching Froward Point and its WWII defences, marked by the Kingswear Daymark. The terrain becomes challenging, descending through valleys towards Sharkham Point and continuing along spectacular clifftops within Berry Head National Nature Reserve, home to Britain's shortest lighthouse and Napoleonic forts where the Guardhouse Café offers refreshments. Descending into Brixham, the path heads through Battery Gardens and along to the unspoiled Churston Cove and the hidden Elberry Cove, before crossing under the Broadsands railway viaduct and continuing to Goodrington Sands, passing the South Sands Café en route to Paignton harbour. From Paignton, seafront promenades and beach-side paths lead past Preston Sands and Torre Abbey Sands to Torquay harbour, then climbing to Daddyhole Plain past London Bridge and to Thatcher Point, before reaching Anstey's Cove and finally climbing steeply through woodland over Babbacombe Downs to reach Babbacombe, offering refreshments at Oddicombe Beach's Three Degrees West café, and Babbacombe Beach's Cary Arms.

Starting from Babbacombe, the path descends through dappled woodland, past Watcombe and Maidencombe Beaches with refreshment opportunities at The Thatched Tavern and Beach Cafe, before climbing again. After traversing numerous ascents and descents over headlands like Bundle Head, offering views back to Ness Cove, and reaching The Ness sandstone cliffs, the trail descends to Shaldon. Here, the historic passenger ferry, England's oldest, crosses the River Teign to Teignmouth, an alternative of 1.5km via Shaldon Bridge. Teignmouth offers abundant refreshments before the path joins the iconic South Devon Railway sea wall. This route, featuring red Permian breccia cliffs and rock stacks, passes Sprey Point and reaches Dawlish with its black swans, before continuing along the sea wall towards Dawlish Warren and the imposing Langstone Rock. The final stretch follows the tarmac Exe Estuary Trail, remaining level through Eastdon and Cockwood, home to The Anchor Inn, to Starcross, with its Brunel pumping station, before the essential Starcross-Exmouth ferry completes the stage.