Atlantic Air & Classic Cliffs

Distance: 43 miles over 3 days  Difficulty: Challenging

A strenuous stretch of Coast Path taking in the North Devon Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Hartland Peninsula before crossing the county boundary into Cornwall. Having started off gently on the Tarka Trail, there are soon some dramatic headlands that contrast with numerous picturesque river valleys, making this one of the most diverse sections of Coast Path.

Highlights

This stretch of Coast Path begins in the historic town of Bideford, passes thorugh Clovelly, which sits on a glorious estate carved out of the cliff face with beautiful steep and cobbled streets. It then takes you through ancient woodland and on to the stunning contrasting landscapes of the Hartland Peninsula.

The third day’s walk is one of the toughest sections of Coast Path but worth the effort as it takes you past the tumbling waterfall at Speke’s Mill Mouth to secluded combes and sandy beaches on the approach to Bude.

To help you plan your trip, click on the Itinerary links or the diamonds on the map to link to the relevant section guide for further information about each day's walk.

Suggested Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Bideford to Clovelly ( 18 miles)
  • Day 2 - Clovelly to Hartland Quay (10 miles)
  • Day 3 - Hartland Quay to Bude (15 miles)

Relevant section guides

We have split the path into 52 sections, and for each one have produced a section guide. These pages do not aim to replace the guidebooks, but aim to give a flavour of what each section is like, and show you about the highlights and places of interest along the route, along with links to accommodation information and much more. The relevant section guides for this walk are:

Travel

Trains run regularly between Exeter and Barnstaple.

The Stagecoach 319 service runs between Barnstaple and Hartland via Bideford and Clovelly.

At the end of your walk take the Western Greyhound 519 bus service which runs between Bude and Hartland. There you change to catch the Stagecoach 319 service back to Bideford. The whole journey should take approximately 2 hours from Bude to Bideford.

For further information visit Traveline or phone 0870 6082608.

Short breaks

Accommodation Finder