4-Day Plymouth to Exmouth Itinerary — Trail Runner Pace (SWCP Section 5)

Starting from Plymouth's Mayflower Steps, the route skirts the historic Barbican, offering an optional scenic ferry crossing to Mount Batten Point to bypass urban stretches. Beyond, dramatic clifftop paths unfold, passing Jennycliff Bay with its seasonal café, Staddon Heights viewpoint, and the imposing Fort Bovisand. The footing becomes rugged around Andurn Point and Westlake Brake, offering challenging ascents and descents along jagged coastline, before reaching the haven of Heybrook Bay and its Eddystone Inn. The path continues past Wembury Point for views of the Great Mew Stone and the seasonally open Old Mill Café at Wembury Beach. Revelstoke Drive, a Victorian carriage road, offers gentler walking with expansive panoramas into the Yealm estuary, necessitating a seasonal ferry crossing from Warren Point to Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers. The journey then ventures westward through Brakehill Plantation, emerging at Gara Point before tracing the renowned Revelstoke Drive again. Beyond Hawkchurch Point, the coastline becomes more strenuous, culminating in the challenging River Erme crossing, passable only near low tide, with diversions via inland lanes for those unable to cross. After Kingston village, dramatic clifftops with steep ascents and descents lead past Fernycombe Point and Beacon Point, with views towards Dartmoor, before reaching Westcombe Beach. The terrain rises steeply again before descending towards Ayrmer Cove and Challaborough, ultimately leading to Bigbury-on-Sea with captivating views of Burgh Island. A further brief ferry crossing offers access to Bantham, before the path climbs cliff tops towards Thurlestone, the final destination of this stage, with ample refreshment options.

The walk from Thurlestone follows spectacular clifftops southwest, revealing Bigbury Bay and the iconic Thurlestone Rock, before descending into the twin villages of Hope Cove, where the Hope and Anchor pub and The Cove Café Bar offer refreshments. Climbing steeply towards Bolt Tail, an Iron Age fort, the route traverses Bolberry Down, a site of wartime history and rare wildlife before descending to the secluded Soar Mill Cove. The path then ascends dramatically around Bolt Head, carving a way along the cliff face via the historic Courtney Walk, before reaching Starehole Bay and the deceptive Salcombe Bar. A ferry crossing from Salcombe to East Portlemouth leads to a southeastward route past sheltered coves and exposed clifftops, culminating in the rugged ascent towards Gara Rock for seasonal refreshments. Continuing past extraordinary geological formations towards Prawle Point and the legendary Pig's Nose Inn in East Prawle, the path soon passes the poignant ruins of Hallsands before descending towards the charming fishing village of Beesands, with its mile-long shingle beach and the welcomed refreshment at The Cricket Inn.

From Beesands, a village known for its fishing heritage and the welcoming Cricket Inn, the South West Coast Path heads north along its shingle beach or nearby clifftops towards Torcross. The path then navigates the unique landscape of Slapton Ley, England's largest freshwater lake, where refreshment stops like the Start Bay Inn are available. Continuing north, the route rises steeply through Strete, before offering spectacular views above Blackpool Sands, a beloved beach. The path then winds through rolling countryside and charming villages like Stoke Fleming, with its pubs and restaurants, before skirting Blackstone Point and the historic Dartmouth Castle. After a ferry crossing over the Dart to Kingswear, the path climbs, adorned with pine trees, towards the prominent Kingswear Daymark, before traversing dramatic clifftops through Berry Head National Nature Reserve. Here, the award-winning Guardhouse Café offers refreshments near the lighthouse, and a large guillemot colony can be observed. Descending into the historic fishing port of Brixham, the path leads past Churston Cove and Elberry Cove, under the Broadsands railway viaduct, and along the sands of Goodrington and Broadsands, before culminating at Paignton harbour.

From Paignton, the path skirts Preston and Torre Abbey Sands, passing the Corbyn Head cafe before reaching Torquay harbour, a bustling hub of refreshments. Ascending to Daddyhole Plain, the route navigates limestone features like London Bridge before a descent to Meadfoot Beach and a climb to Thatcher Point, offering views of offshore islands. Following the Bishop's Walk, Anstey's Cove is reached before a steep woodland climb to Babbacombe Downs, with the option of cliff railway access to Oddicombe Beach, where a cafe awaits. Descending through wooded valleys past Watcombe and Maidencombe beaches, featuring The Thatched Tavern and a beach cafe, the path crosses open fields and passes Bundle Head before descending to Shaldon where the historic passenger ferry takes walkers across the River Teign to Teignmouth. From Teignmouth, the path follows the iconic sea wall of the South Devon Railway, passing Red Permian breccia cliffs and Sprey Point before reaching Dawlish, famed for its black swans and railway bridge. Continuing along the sea wall adjacent to the railway, sometimes requiring an alternative route at high tide, the path leads to Dawlish Warren and Langstone Rock. The route then turns onto the Exe Estuary Trail, a level tarmac path passing through Eastdon and Cockwood, with its Anchor Inn, to Starcross, home to Brunel's atmospheric pumping station. Finally, the Starcross-Exmouth ferry, operating seasonally, provides the essential crossing to Exmouth, completing the journey.