Found on the coastline south of Dartmoor national park, Burgh Island is an interesting and very picturesque place to visit. It caught my eye this summer after I’d seen a few pictures on google – an island you could walk to? We decided we had to go and check it out!
What it’s all about…
Accessible from Bigbury beach, Burgh Island is one of Englands few tidal islands. This means that if you time your visit right, at low tide you can walk across the sand to the island. Having the sea either side of you whilst walking across the beach is quite a sight!
It’s a fairly short flat walk along the sand, although there is some wet sections and a small stream to cross nearer the island so wear your boots!
What to do while you’re there…
Check out the remains of the chapel found near the centre of the island, take a walk around the islands footpaths and enjoy the beautiful Devon scenery! Bigbury beach is along the south west coast path making it a great spot to tie in if you’re walking this stretch.
Make sure you check the tide times before your visit if you want to walk to the island, there is also a ‘sea tractor’ that can take you to or from the island if the tide is in whilst you’re there. We didn’t use it during our visit, but the sign said that it was £2 per trip and that you need to have the exact change with you to pay for it.
How to get there…
Burgh island is about 45 minutes from Plymouth and only half an hour from the edge of Dartmoor national park.
There are several car parks nearby, we parked in the one at the end of Marine Drive. The postcode for the car park is TQ7 4AS. It was a nice roomy car park with no height limits so good for those travelling in a camper or larger vehicle. It’s also got lovely views of the island and was a good spot for a picnic!
Nearest place to grab a bite…
There is a pub on the island called The Pilchard Inn which is run by the Burgh Island Hotel. We stopped here for a pint and to shelter from a downpour but be warned, it was pretty pricey!
There is also a cafe in bigbury on sea but again this is quite pricey. If you are travelling on a budget I’d advise bringing food and drink with you.
Where to stay…
Camping – We love to wild camp in our van however sadly this area of Devon is not the easiest for finding free park ups! So whilst we were here we stayed at Mount Folly Farm campsite, only a five minute drive up the road. It had lovely views and wasn’t too expensive.
Hotels and B&B’s – If you’re feeling flush you can actually stay on the island at the Burgh Island Hotel, but at around £500 a night it’s probably out of most people’s budgets! The Henley Hotel on the mainland is a slightly more affordable option (although still at the higher end of hotels, as is much of this area) with a double room with breakfast costing £159 a night.
Other places nearby…
The south of Devon has so much to offer, check out the beautiful Hope Cove and Salcombe whilst you’re in the area.
]]>This incredibly scenic place near the edge of the National Park has some seriously impressive rock formations that provide an amazing natural viewpoint of the ancient forest and valley below. If you’re looking for a picturesque spot on Dartmoor, Dewerstone will not disappoint!
What it’s all about…
Found less than 10 miles from the centre of Plymouth and overlooking the river Plym, Dewerstone rocks is a wonderful historic site that has been visited by people for centuries. It’s thought that there may have been a settlement around the rocks from as early as the Neolithic period and evidence can still be seen today of the Iron Age hill fort. Legend has it that the devil would gallop across the moors on horseback with his pack of hounds to the rocks and chase unsuspecting travellers over the cliff edge to their deaths. Hence the name ‘Dewer’ which is an old Celtic word for the Devil!
What to do while you’re there…
As well as the rocks there’s so much to explore around Dewerstone. The site is surrounded by beautiful woodland, waterfalls and wildlife.
The area is a popular spot with climbers and there are over 100 listed climbs nearby. There’s also loads of great spots for scrambling and bouldering if that’s more your thing!
The walk to Dewerstone takes you through ancient woodlands alongside the river Plym before detouring off up to the rocks. However the paths continue up stream alongside the river for miles and I definitely recommend taking some time out to have a wander through these beautiful woodlands. There is a lovely walk on the opposite side of the valley, we walked along this path after climbing up to Dewerstone and it was really interesting to see the rock faces from a different viewpoint! There’s also lots of lovely wild swimming spots further up stream.
How to get there…
As the site is on the South edge of the Moors it’s easily accessible from the city of Plymouth. There is free parking at the National Trust site of Dewerstone Woods near the village of Shaugh Prior which is a good place to start.
The postcode for the car park is PL7 5HE, if this car park is full there is another just around the corner over the bridge on the right hand side. This car park is also better if you have a larger vehicle as the first car park can get quite busy. Both car parks are free of charge and have no height barriers.
Nearest place to grab a bite…
The White Thorn Inn can be found in the village of Shaugh Prior nearby and is open 7 days a week, serving food from 12pm to 9pm.
Where to stay…
If you would like to explore the area for a little longer there are a range of accommodation options nearby.
Wild camping – It is possible to wild camp on many areas of Dartmoor with a tent but unfortunately you’re unable to park up overnight in a campervan. If you wish to wild camp you need to make sure that all of your equipment can fit in your backpack and you pitch your tent at least 100m away from any roads. Please don’t forget to treat the area with care and leave no trace. Full details on wild camping guidelines along with a map on which areas you can camp at can be found on the Dartmoor website.
Campsite goers – There are several campsites around 20 to 30 minutes drive away including Dartmoor caravan park and Magpie leisure park.
Hotels and B&B’s – The Moorland Hotel can be found less than five minutes drive away and offers room from £70 per night.
Other places nearby…
This part of Dartmoor is a great place to explore from with easy access to both the coastline and the moors further inland. If you’re planning to head further North into the depths of Dartmoor why not check out Venford Reservoir and Bench Tor.
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Tucked away in the wilds of Dartmoor, this beautiful reservoir is a nice place to stop off whilst exploring! Bench Tor and Venford Falls are both within easy reach of the reservoir.
What it’s all about…
Venford is a fairly small but beautiful reservoir originally built to supply water to the seaside town of Paignton. It provides a welcome sheltered spot on wild and windy days as well as being a great spot to explore Bench Tor, The Dart Gorge and Venford Falls nearby.
What to do while you’re there…
Head across the bridge that overlooks the dam for some lovely views of the lake. There is a circular walk around the perimeter of the reservoir which is just under a mile long and relatively flat. The reflection of the surrounding trees on the water on a clear day makes for some very picturesque views!
Bench Tor can also be found nearby, head from the parking area (details below) across the Dam and walk up to the left away from the road. Continue climbing up the slope and you’ll see the rocks ahead of you before too long. It is less than a mile from the Dam to the rocks and it’s a truly lovely walk. This area is a lovely spot for experiencing the wildness of Dartmoor with sheep and ponies in plentiful supply!
Once you reach the rocks the views of the gorge below are breathtaking. You can either head back the way you came, explore down into the gorge below or walk from the Tor down into the woods beneath the dam to find the hidden beauty of Venford waterfalls. The area surrounding Venford Reservoir is full of wildlife and makes up part of the Dart Valley Nature Reserve.
How to get there…
The nearest postcode for Venford Reservoir is PL20 6SE, the reservoir can be found along the Castles in the Dart Valley road.
There is parking available opposite the reservoir, the car park has toilet facilities and is open 24 hours a day. There is no height or time limit restrictions and it’s free of charge.
As with many roads around Dartmoor the access roads to Venford are very narrow in places. If you are travelling in a van or larger vehicle you will need to approach from the North via Hexworthy, there is only one narrow bridge from this direction which I managed fine in my Mercedes Sprinter! The road from the South is not suitable for larger vehicles.
Nearest places to grab a bite…
The Forest Inn can be found around 5 minutes drive away in the village of Hexworthy offering a range of home cooked food. Or alternatively if you’re fancying a treat, the Badgers Holt Tearooms in Dartmeet offer high tea for £17 per person down by the river.
Where to stay…
If you would like to explore this stunning area for long:
Wild camping – It is possible to wild camp on many areas on Dartmoor with a tent but unfortunately you’re unable to park up overnight in a campervan. However there is a very affordable campsite nearby (see below). If you wish to wild camp you need to make sure that all your equipment can fit in your backpack and you pitch your tent at least 100m away from any roads. Please don’t forget to treat the area with care and leave no trace. Full details on wild camping guidelines can be found on the Dartmoor website.
Campsite goers – Westoke Farm can be found between Holne Village and the reservoir and offer basic field camping for tents, caravans and campervans with a portaloo at the very reasonable price of £4 per adult per night! They also provide water at their farmhouse nearby.
Hotels and B&B’s – The Forest Inn mentioned earlier offer overnight accommodation from £60 and are dog friendly.
Other places nearby…
There is so much to explore on Dartmoor! Combestone Tor and some stunning sections of the river Dart are all easily accessible from this spot.
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Today I’ll be giving you the lowdown on the stunning spot along the North Devon coastline called the Valley of the Rocks. You may have seen me post about this on my Instagram recently, it’s a place I discovered only a couple of weeks ago and really wish I’d known about sooner!
What it’s all about…
The Valley of the Rocks is an impressive section of coastline situated within the Exmoor National Park. A steep valley runs parallel to the cliffs and is home to some really impressive geology, some even more impressive views and a very cute herd of feral goats.
I don’t know about you but cute animals and stunning views = my idea of heaven!
What to do while you’re there…
Take a walk along the winding coast path right on the edge of the cliffs, it’s an easy stroll from the car parks located in the valley and the paths are well maintained. There are plenty of benches for perfect picnic spots. Soak up the views and take a look at the impressive rock formations; some of which appear so precariously balanced I wonder how they’re still standing!
Whilst you’re enjoying the views see if you can spot the goats that have called this valley their home for hundreds of years and can often be seen clambering about on the sheer cliff face.
For those of you that are more able footed and feeling a little like mountain goats yourselves, you can climb to the top of one of the rock stacks at the Western end of the valley for some truly incredible views.
If you prefer a slightly longer walk why not start in the seaside town of Lynton situated about a mile further down the coast, you can join the South West coast path here which leads you right to the valley.
How to get there…
The postcode for the valley is EX35 6JH and it’s situated about 30 minutes from Barnstaple or just over an hour from junction 27 of the M5.
There are three carparks in the valley itself, all of which are pay and display between the hours of 10am and 6pm. However, unlike some tourist hotspots, they are very reasonably priced at £1 for an hour or £2.20 for two hours. We parked in the “Upper Valley Car Park” which has handy larger designated parking spaces for motorhomes, none of the car parks in the valley have height limits.
If you’re planning to park in Lynton and walk to the valley, there are multiple parking options in the town including Castle Hill car park (EX35 6JD) which again is chargeable between 10am and 6pm and does not have a height limit.
If you fancy a longer walk and would rather not pay for parking, you can park above Lynmouth (see details in the wild camping section below) and walk along the coast path from there.
Nearest places to grab a bite…
Feeling peckish after your climb? The valley itself has a tearoom called Mother Meldrum’s Tea Gardens, I didn’t try it out on my visit but they offer a range of home cooked food and drink options and have some good reviews.
Where to stay…
For those of you that fancy sticking around a bit longer:
Wild camping – As many of you know I’m a sucker for a free parkup, preferably with a beautiful view. The car parks in the valley indicate that no overnight camping is allowed, however there are several gorgeous spots locally.
EX35 6NE – This park up is under 4 miles to the East of the valley above Lynmouth there is a decent sized park up with no restrictions and lovely views. It can be found just off the A39 on the left hand side when travelling from Lynmouth.
This spot is set nicely off the road and backs right onto the coast path which is frequently visited by the Exmoor ponies and deer. As mentioned earlier you can walk straight from here along the South West coast path to the Valley of the Rocks.
EX31 4QU – This parkup to the West is only 2.5 miles from the valley and again in a beautiful coastal spot, it has nicer sea views than the spot above Lynmouth and is closer to the coast but further from a pub! It can be found on the corner where the road connecting the A39 joins Berry Ground Lane.
Please be aware if you are travelling in a larger vehicle or van the road between here and the valley is very narrow with lots of low branches, I would strongly recommend taking the longer route further inland, I nearly got stuck in my MWB Sprinter which was rather entertaining (and stressful!) so best avoided.
The only downside with both these spots, as with all coastal views, is that they can be very windy.
Campsite goers – If you’re happier under canvas or prefer the facilities that come with a campsite Sunny Lyn Holiday Park and Caffyns Farm are both nearby.
Hotels and B&B’s – Both Lynton and Lynmouth have a range of accommodation options including Orchard House hotel in Lynmouth and The North Cliff hotel in Lynton which for those of you travelling with your furry companions, is also dog friendly!
Other places nearby…
The North Devon coastline is full of hidden gems.
Lynton and Lynmouth, Woolacombe, Porlock and the Exmoor National Park can all be found within easy reach of here and are lovely places to visit.
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