Otterton To High Peak Circular Walk

This 4.6mi/7.4km circular walk starts and ends in the village of Otterton. There are no car parks here, so find one of the quiet side roads to park on if arriving by car (Maunders Hill usually has plenty of roadside spaces). This walk takes you along quiet footpaths, past Ladram Bay, onto the coast path and up a steep track to High Peak. This walk is fairly strenuous in places, with rough terrain, especially the climb up to high peak (although this part is optional). Sturdy footwear with good grip is needed and parts of the coast path do get muddy after very wet weather. There is an honesty cafe at Stantyway Farm, as well as a chance to stop off for refreshments at The Three Rocks at Ladram Bay. Once back in Otterton you have the choice of The Kings Arms pub and Otterton Mill for food and drink. Dogs are welcome on the whole walk, just be aware of keeping them on the lead around any livestock and near the cliff edge.

After parking on Maunders Hill, walk up the road and turn left down ‘Behind Hayes’. Continue along this road until you see an ‘unmetalled footpath’ sign pointing right up Lea Lane. Take this track that will soon turn stony, and then becomes sheltered by trees leaning overhead. It’s a great area to spot fungi growing on the sides of the track before it turns into a gravel path. Ignore a footpath that you’ll pass on your right, instead continue round a bend to the left. Here I heard goldfinches flying over, then saw swallows dipping down over the fields on either side of the path. There were also several speckled wood butterflies flitting between the leaves along the hedgerows as I reached the end of the path. Have a quick look over at the sea ahead of you, before turning left up the lane where you’ll soon pass Stantyway Honesty Cafe on the left, a good refreshment stop before carrying on down the lane on the right with the T junction sign beside it.

When you arrive at Monks Cottage, take the public footpath to the right, where you’ll soon pass through a gate into a field with stunning sea views over Ladram Bay. Keep to the right and walk the trodden path through the field, on a clear day you’ll be able to see Sidmouth’s red cliffs as well as the white cliffs near Branscombe and Beer. At the bottom of the field, turn left and continue along the path towards Ladram Bay holiday park. Here a flock of linnet flew over the field calling out, I sometimes see rabbits popping out of the hedgerows here too, but not today. Be sure to notice the big hill ahead of you, encompassed by trees, this is Peak Hill and High Peak, which we will soon be climbing. Once passed through a kissing gate, you’ll enter into a field owned by the holiday park, leave this field at the other end and walk down the slope, taking the path on the right passing Ladram Thatched Cottage on your left. If you want a refreshment stop, you’ll soon be passing The Three Rocks on your left (check the opening times).

Pick up the path to the left of the play park, where you’ll soon see a coast path sign, opening up into a field. Walk straight ahead towards another gate, then up the dusty track and over a board walk. Parts of this track will be sheltered by hedges and trees, the shade very much welcome on a hot day, there were also lots of sloe berries growing on the blackthorn here. Listen out for buzzards, they can usually be spotted circling above the fields on the left, with views of the heaths in the distance. After an incline you’ll pass through a kissing gate (with lovely views of Ladram stacks if you look back behind you) and into a wooded area. This can be a bit of a workout walking up this hill whilst also dodging the tree roots underfoot, it was lovely hearing the goldcrests calling out in the trees here, and before long the track will soon open up again at the top. Continue ahead until you see a stony track on your right. This is the route to High Peak, if you’re fit and able, I always think it’s worth the steep climb up the uneven, stony track and wonky steps to the trig point at the top, for the panoramic views of the East Devon coast and countryside. There were so many swallows flying about at the top when I did this walk, as well as a family of buzzards hovering above. As I carefully walked back down the track, I heard Jays calling out in the woods below.

Don’t forget to look back as you leave through the kissing gate

Once back at the bottom of the track, turn right and walk the path with pine trees on either side of it. When you get to a crossroads, take the path to the left signposted ‘Bar’s Lane, Otterton’. This is a lovely leafy lane with teasing views of the rolling hills between the trees on the right. I usually hear blackbirds and wrens foraging in the brambles here, then hearing their alarm call when they think they’ve been spotted. Take the signposted path on the right down a shaded sunken lane (Radway Lane), the dappled light through the trees was gorgeous here on the moss covered tree roots. When you get to a choice of two paths, turn left and walk up a dirt track, again shaded by trees. When you reach the end of this part of the track, turn right and walk down a gravel path (Chockenhole Lane). Ignore a permissive footpath on your left at the end and turn right where you’ll now arrive onto Ottery Street.

Dappled light on the moss covered tree roots

Turn left and walk down the lane towards Otterton, being careful of any traffic that may pass you. You’ll soon pass a sign welcoming you back into the village, keep walking along this lane, passing beautiful thatched cottages as you do so. Turn right when you reach the main road through Otterton, passing a telephone box library on your right and soon a stream flowing through the village on your left. You’ll soon pass The Kings Arms pub on your right, another great place to stop off for lunch or a drink. When you arrive at the village green, cross the road opposite the bus stop and walk up Maunders Hill where we began the walk. Otterton Mill is also just down from the green for food, drink and a look around the Mill and gift shop. If you enjoyed this walk, be sure to keep an eye on other coast path walks I’ll be putting on here soon.

At the end of our walk by the village green

See full screen

Jonathon Cauchois 9/21/26 Jonathon Cauchois 9/21/26

Bicton Common Circular Walk

This 3.3mi/5.3km walk on the Pebblebed Heaths starts and ends in Four Firs free car park (what3words: ///leathers.taller.ruling). It takes you over the heaths, along rugged tracks, through woodland, over a stream and alongside an old quarry. Sturdy footwear is definitely advised for this walk due to the uneven terrain, with inclines in places, as well as the need to cross a stream. A dog friendly walk with dog bins in the car park. Cattle and ponies do graze on the heaths at certain times of the year, so dogs will need to be under control if you come across any livestock. There are no refreshment stops or toilets on this route, but Clyst Coffee do park up their mobile coffee van regularly in the car park (check their social media for updates), as well as Winkleigh Farm’s honesty cafe close by in Sanctuary lane. Kings Garden Centre is also just down the road towards Exmouth.

From the Four Firs car park, take the gate to the far left (left of the information sign), walking the track directly ahead of you. You should be able to see the beautiful views in the distance of rolling hills and the sea as you continue along this route, ignoring any paths that come away from this main track. You’ll soon be walking up a slight incline, listen out for the scratchy tone of the dartford warbler in this area, I heard one, then saw it perched on top of the yellow gorse as I walked down the hill. Once at the bottom, turn right and walk up the pebbled track, luckily avoiding the steeper hill on the left! At the top of the hill, turn left down a path that takes you to the Gibraltar Stone (a large rock brought over from Gibraltar to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines who train on the common). Here there are panoramic views of the heaths, sea views and East Devon countryside.

Heather and gorse bringing colour to the heaths

I then walked down the hill to the left of the Gibraltar Stone to pass one of the Royal Marines’ training routes. Feel free to take a look at this steep sided gully at the bottom of the hill, to the left, then turn right and continue along the track until you get to a bend, from here, take the trodden path to the right which will join up to the bottom of the Gibraltar Stone track. (Alternatively, you can just walk down the track on the right of the Gibraltar Stone if you don't want the detour to see the high sided gully). Turn left and walk the track towards trees in the distance. At the top you’ll come to a clearing with a beautiful pine tree standing alone, look back and enjoy the views before turning left down another hill. You’ll get a good view of Peak Hill in the distance as you walk down the slope, meeting a stream, used as a watering hole by the cattle and ponies that graze here. Carefully pass over the water via the stones and walk up the hill, keeping left as you then pass an area of trees where cattle are normally resting.

Ponies graze in this area at certain times of the year

Continue on straight ahead, ignoring any paths that come away from the main track. Eventually you’ll walk down a hill, then up a slope with a path to your right. Ignore this path (though it is a great place for den building), and carry on along the main path until it takes you into the woods. Here I heard so many birds calling and singing; great spotted woodpecker, long tailed tits, coal tits, blackbirds and goldcrests. This path will soon arrive at a stream, carefully cross over it (there is a little bridge made out of logs), then take the main track with the wire fence on your left. Turn right along this route, ignoring a gate on your left, then turning left at a bend to walk up a hill. Here it can get quite muddy from the trickling stream that runs down the hill. Take a track between two trees and turn left to join a grass path that opens up onto the heaths. Keep to this main path which will soon take you under tree coverage as you go down a hill, passing a beautiful tree with large moss covered roots on your left.

This path will then open up again onto the heaths, I heard goldcrests to the right of this track, flitting about in the pine trees. When you reach a gate, pass through it where you’ll get a glimpse of Blackhill Quarry through the trees on your right. It’s no longer a working quarry and is currently under restoration to encourage wildlife and nature back to it. Once at a crossroads (with a road on your left behind a metal barrier) turn right down the hill with the quarry now on your left. In the distance see if you can spot the Gibraltar Stone on your right. You’ll soon pass a board on your left, with more information about the work being undertaken to rewild the quarry site, as well as how successful it’s already been for wildlife. On the September day that I walked this route, I saw coots and tufted ducks on the water, as well as a cormorant perched on the old tree branches on an island on the water.

Once passed through the gate, continue on the track straight ahead of you, with the quarry still on you left, now behind some trees. This track will soon lead you up the last steep hill of the walk where you’ll see a bench at the top. Turn left before the bench walking with the trees on your right. When you spot a public bridleway sign through a track between the trees, turn right and walk down this route. You’ll get a good view of the sea and Otterton village on your right, as you follow this wide path back down towards the car park. I heard dartford warblers again in this area, as well as goldfinches flying over as I passed through a gate, arriving back at Four Firs Car Park. If you enjoyed this walk, I have.a few other walks on here that cover walks in this area of the Pebblebed Heaths, great for families, dog walkers and nature lovers.

See full screen