A selection of a few adventures and days out around Devon and beyond.

Jonathon Cauchois 9/4/26 Jonathon Cauchois 9/4/26

Woodbury Castle to Stowford Woods Circular

This walk starts at Woodbury Castle car park (what3words ///icon.insulated.product) on the Pebblebed Heaths. Parking is free, and there is additional parking across the road if needed. It’s a fairly easy going 3.5mile/5.6km walk which is very dog friendly. There are lots of places for dogs and children to play in streams and enjoy the nature and wildlife that the Pebblebed Heaths has to offer. Sturdy footwear is advised, but in the drier months it’s easily doable in trainers or walking sandals. There aren’t any toilets or cafes along the walk, but Clyst Coffee do park their coffee van up in either car park each week (check their social media to find out which days they are there).

The first set of steps leading to Woodbury Castle Fort

From the car park, take the path to the left, past the Woodbury Castle information sign and walk down (and then up!) the steps in front of you which leads to the old castle fort. From here, take the path to the right and continue on ahead until you spot some more steps over a small bank. Once over these steps, turn right and walk down along the leafy path signposted as the East Devon Way.

The leafy path that opens up onto the heaths

When the end of this path opens up onto the heathland, take the pebbled track to the left and enjoy the views of East Devon as you continue on ahead. On a clear day it’s easy to spot Peak Hill, Fire Beacon Hill, as well as the sea. I last did this walk in late August when the heather and gorse had really popped with colour. It was also very dry at the time, so the boardwalks you’ll soon walk over weren't necessary that day, but in the wetter months they’re definitely needed to safely cross without getting wet feet! Following this track you’ll soon go down a hill then past a large puddle, again in winter this is much more impressive. Listen out for goldcrests in the trees here, we saw a couple on the right hand side, very well camouflaged in the trees.

When you get to a hill, take the path to the right where you’re treated to more views of Peak Hill ahead of you now. Don’t forget to look up too, we saw house martins flying over, still here before making their impressive journey back to Africa soon. There were also plenty of stonechats flying around and landing on the gorse around us. We always hear them before we see them, making their iconic ‘stone scratching’ calls. When you arrive at a crossroads on the track, go straight ahead up the hill. Turn left at the end of the path then turn right, Keep a look out for blank bullet cartridges on the ground, used by the Royal Marines when training on the heaths, we usually find some on this walk. Soon you’ll get an option of a path to the left or straight on, here we turned left, spotting a meadow pipit foraging in the long grass as we walked down the hill.

A blank bullet found on the heaths from Royal Marine training

Up ahead you should spot the Royal Marine Grenade Range as you carry on straight ahead, then passing a sign warning you about the Military training site. We stopped at one point to have a look in the stream on the right where we spotted plenty of pond skaters and water boatmen. Turn left at the end of this path and walk up the hill towards some pine trees. When you spot an opening in the trees on the right, find a path amongst them and take this route through the woodland of tall trees and towering bracken. Listen out for birds in here, we heard lots of coal tits calling out to each other and a buzzard continuously calling for food from its parents. At the end of this path you’ll meet a gate, turn right down the track, where you’ll soon spot a wooden bridge over a stream. Walk over this bridge then immediately turn right, taking the path into the woods alongside the stream. Here we heard a green woodpecker as we walked up the small bank on the left and continued following the leafy path straight on until it opened up onto a pebbled track. Turn right over some wooden boards then take the path on the right up the hill, continue along this track, where soon you can choose to take a quick detour down an opening on your right, (opposite a bench). Here there is a great stream hidden away, great for dogs and children to play in. After this detour, continue back along the path following the blue arrow sign pointing at the track straight ahead.

The stream we found water boatmen and pondskaters in

When you spot a small opening in the woods on your right, take this path between ferns and very old trees with roots wrapped around their trunks. The stream will once again be on your right now as you walk through this woodland. The path will become a little more uneven with tree roots underfoot, so be careful as you navigate along this route. Follow the path around, walking over branches on the ground used to help cross in wet, muddy weather. Look out for fungi as you turn another corner and walk between trees which then opens up again onto a pebbled track. Leaving the woods behind, turn right and walk up this pebbled track where you’ll pass a ‘pool’ on your right, a popular swimming spot for dogs. We heard long-tailed tits in this area as we continued on ahead, ignoring any paths that branch off of this main track.

The bridge crossing a stream at Stowford

Take a detour down to the stream amongst the trees

You might be able to spot the path we took earlier, on the right hand side of the heather and gorse where the grenade range is. This is a steady track you’re now walking, back to Woodbury Castle Fort, (the trees up ahead surround the fort). When you get a choice of paths to take by a blue arrow post, turn left and continue along this path, ignoring any paths on your right unless you want to walk back through the fort again. We’re taking the track around the outside of the hill fort where soon you’ll complete the walk, ending back at the car park we started in. If you liked this walk, keep an eye out on my instagram page for more walks going up soon in this area.

Nearing the end of the walk, looking back on the path we walked

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Jonathon Cauchois 8/10/26 Jonathon Cauchois 8/10/26

West Down Beacon Loop

This is a beautiful 4 mile walk along shaded footpaths and the South West Coast Path with stunning sea view along the Devon Coastline.

The walk starts at Castle Lane, just outside of Budleigh Salterton (what3words ///birds.muffin.thorax) and there’s plenty of roadside parking along the quiet lane here. Once parked up, walk down the road (opposite direction from the main road) where you’ll pass some houses on the left. Once you pass a house called ‘Oak Glade’ you’ll soon see a signpost ahead informing you of a public footpath. Take the path on the right which is signposted ‘West Down Beacon/Coast Path’ You’ll now be following a shaded path through East Devon Golf Club. As you walk along this path between the golf course, have a look to your left and enjoy the sea views in the distance, on a clear day you can see the white cliffs of Beer and Branscombe.

The sign as you cross over the golf course to join the coast path

Ignore any footpaths branching off of this path, it won’t be long before this track opens up onto the golf course. Be aware of golfers as you take the gravel path, then turn right onto the grass path where you should spot a footpath sign ahead by some trees. That’s the direction you’re heading! Once across the golf course, take the path between the trees with the sign that states ‘To Coastal Path’. This wooded path will eventually open up onto the South West Coast Path and will treat you to sea views ahead, with Exmouth and Devon Cliffs holiday park over the fields on your right, and the golf course on your left.

Views of Exmouth and Devon Cliffs Holiday Park

You’ll soon pass a bench, to the right oh which is a narrow path leading to a trig point, this is West Down Beacon. It’s worth standing here for a moment to enjoy the panoramic views before heading back down onto the coast path. Once you reach the signpost at the end of this path, turn left, taking the route marked ‘Budleigh Salterton’. Follow this stoney path, but be sure to take in the views and wildlife along the way. When I did this walk recently in the summer I saw so many Swallows dipping down in front of me, I heard Stonechat amongst the gorse and ferns, a Bullfinch calling out in the distance and I was even lucky enough to spot a Dormouse amongst the grass on the path! Be sure to spot Budleigh Salterton’s famous Pine trees up ahead before they disappear when the path takes you under shaded tree coverage. Here, I normally hear lots of Goldfinches chatting away to each other.

We’re taking the path to Budleigh Salterton

When you reach a post with two yellow arrows, take the path on the left with some steps leading up, once again to the golf course. As this path opens up, keep the golf course on your left as you pass another post on your right, where soon this path leads you onto a residential street. From here, take the road on the left down Links road, passing the Golf Club entrance and car park on your left. This road will take you down between some trees, (there is no pavement on this stretch so be aware of any cars that may pass) where it will then open up onto a residential street again. At the end of this road you’ll meet the B3178, the main road through Budleigh Salterton. Cross this busy road and take the little steps into the green wooded area, by the end of summer the ground here is covered in pine cones. Once you meet the tarmac footpath, turn right and continue to the end of the green space.

The steps leading back onto the golf course footpath

Turn left down ‘Halse Hill’ where the first house you pass on the right has some cuddly toys greeting you on the fence! This lane soon becomes shaded by trees as you descend down the hill and then reach a ford. Cross the ford via the bridge (unless you don’t mind getting wet feet!), and carry on to the end of this road. At this point you can choose to carry on to the left down Knowle Road, or take a quick detour up ‘Dark Lane’, the lane that carries straight on. This sunken ‘Holloway’ is worth exploring, with impressive thick tree coverage and high walls of sandstone carved with people’s initials, it was believed to have once been a smugglers route. Once you’ve had a look round, turn around and go back down to the junction, turning right to carry on with our circular route. Note: Dark Lane has been temporarily closed by the council at the moment (Sept ‘26) but you can still have a quick peak of it over the barriers

Once back on Knowle Road, you’ll pass a quaint cottage on your right, continue up the hill past hedgerows then houses on your left, where you’ll then go down the hill passing houses on both sides before meeting a main road at the end.

Cross this busy road and turn left, then turn right down Dalditch Lane (The lane opposite Knowle Garage). You’ll soon be walking past The Ford Estate, with a stone boundary wall on your left. On your right, there are beautiful Lillies growing in the stream by the entrance to Lily Farm Vineyard, from which I assume the Vineyard got its name. This can feel like a long lane, but it’s peaceful listening to the birdsong and gentle trickling of the stream. It won’t be long until you walk under a very tall old railway bridge, which used to carry the railway line from Exmouth to Budleigh, and onto many other destinations. It’s now a shared cycle and footpath which we will be joining later.

After passing under this bridge, the stream on your right will sound louder as the lane turns off to the right. We aren’t going that way, instead take the gravel path on the left. At the right time of year a fair number of butterflies fly around this path, attracted to the Buddleia that grows here. Once you reach a gate at the end of this path, enter through it and turn right, joining the old railway line we walked under earlier. Be aware of any cyclist that will also be using this popular path between Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton.

This old railway line is a lovely walk in all seasons, especially in summer when the dappled light shines through the trees onto the path, and in autumn when the trees put on a show with their changing colours. This area is lovely for wildlife spotting, Robins hop along the path in front of you hopeful for any food you may have, Blackbirds and Wrens scurry across the undergrowth by the trickling water, and I sometimes hear a group of Long Tailed Tits calling out to each other in the trees above. In the past I've seen deer running across the path ahead and into the woods, as well as little mice doing the same thing but in a less obvious way!

This path is shaded from the heat in Summer

Leaving the old railway line at Castle Lane

Once you walk under the second (and last) bridge, look out for a blue sign pointing left saying ‘Castle Lane’. Take this path and you will soon be walking alongside the last bridge we just walked under. There’s an information board close to the roadside, detailing more on the disused railway line, explaining how it closed in 1967 and reopened as a cycleway in 1998. As you reach the road, you should recognise that this was where we first began the walk on Castle Lane.

If you enjoyed this walk, I have previously posted a different one that starts at the same location but loops round via Exmouth instead of Budleigh, which is equally lovely.

Hazel Dormouse nestled in the undergrowth — The Dormouse I saw on the coast path

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