North Devon Walking Holidays and the King Charles III England Coast Path
If you’ve been searching for a reason to book a North Devon walking holiday, 2025 has just handed you one. The Devon section of the King Charles III England Coast Path is now fully open – and the stretch right on our doorstep, between Woolacombe and Ilfracombe, is among the most dramatic coastal walking in the entire country. For those of you planning North Devon walking holidays it is simply the perfect time.
What Is the King Charles III England Coast Path?
Renamed in May 2023 to mark the coronation of King Charles III, the England Coast Path will be the UK’s longest National Trail and – when complete – the world’s longest managed coastal walking route. At approximately 2,689 miles in total, the route will circumnavigate the entire English coastline, from the Solent to Northumberland, from the Cornish peninsula to the Essex marshes.
Work began back in 2009 following the Marine and Coastal Access Act. Although much of the route already existed, many new sections had to be built, with bridges installed, walkways resurfaced and stiles removed. As of March 2026, the path stands at around 80% complete, with the project on track for full completion by the end of 2026.
One of the most significant recent milestones for walkers planning a North Devon walking holiday: in December 2025, Natural England formally opened both the north and south Devon sections of the path – some 75 miles along the north coast and 78 miles on the south – completing the Devon stretch in its entirety.
The North Devon Section: World-Class Coastal Walking
The north Devon stretch runs from Combe Martin to Marsland Mouth on the Devon-Cornwall border, passing through the holiday centres of Ilfracombe, Woolacombe, Croyde, Saunton Sands, Appledore and Westward Ho! Along the way it takes in an extraordinary variety of landscape: the Taw-Torridge estuaries, a haven for wildfowl and waders; the sand dunes of Braunton Burrows, home to over 470 species of plants and wildflowers and used as a D-Day training beach in 1944; and the undulating Hartland Peninsula.
The path is set against the backdrop of Lundy Island throughout much of the route, and the improvement works undertaken as part of the KCIIIECP designation have already made a tangible difference for walkers – including a restored concrete causeway across Croyde beach and a new off-road section above the high tide line at Appledore.
This is not gentle walking. The section between Hartland Point and Marsland Mouth – around 10 miles – is considered one of the toughest stretches in the entire South West. But for those staying closer to Woolacombe, the walking is no less spectacular – just more accessible.
The Woolacombe to Ilfracombe Section: Our Local Stretch
For guests staying at Lower Campscott Farm, the jewel in the crown of any North Devon walking holiday lies almost literally on the doorstep. The stretch of coast path between Woolacombe and Ilfracombe is one of the most iconic walking routes in the region, showcasing towering cliffs, panoramic ocean views, and sheltered coves where seals often haul out to bask on the rocks.
The walk offers dramatic scenery throughout: tall cliffs, wildflowers growing along narrow paths, waves crashing onto rocky empty beaches, and an incredible turquoise shade of blue in the sea – along with plentiful sightings of seals and gannets.
Leaving Woolacombe, the path climbs past the tiny beaches of Barricane and Combesgate – both accessible via narrow, steep stairs tucked inside small bays between the cliffs – before continuing to Morte Point, where dramatic views open up across Woolacombe beach and Baggy Point, with regular Atlantic grey seal sightings around the rocky outcrop. Further on, Bull Point is another notable landmark along this stretch, where over time hundreds of vessels came to grief on the rocks below.
From Rockham Beach, the path climbs steeply before continuing towards Lee Bay – a sheltered hamlet – and then on into Ilfracombe, whose harbour is now home to Damien Hirst’s striking bronze statue of Verity, standing sentinel over the Bristol Channel. From the top of the Ilfracombe Torrs – a zig-zag path carved into the cliff face by the Victorians – you can see as far as Bull Point to the west and out to Exmoor to the east.
In spring and summer, the cliffs come alive with nesting seabirds, including guillemots, razorbills, and even the occasional puffin.
Lower Campscott Farm: Your Base for a North Devon Walking Holiday
Lower Campscott Farm sits in a quiet valley just inland from the coast between Woolacombe and Ilfracombe, making it an ideal base for exploring this remarkable section of the path. Our self-catering properties offer everything you need to make the most of a walking break: comfortable, well-equipped accommodation, space to dry kit and boots, and genuinely restorative surroundings after a day on the trail. North Devon walking holidays will never be the same.
We’re a working organic farm – certified by the Soil Association – with livestock including our own lambs in season. Returning from a long day’s walking to find yourself in a working farm landscape, rather than a car park or a busy resort, is a very different experience. Our guests frequently tell us it’s what they remember most.
The farm’s location means you can walk directly onto the coast path from nearby, pick up the Woolacombe to Ilfracombe route at either end, or use us as a base for the wider North Devon section – Croyde, Baggy Point, Braunton Burrows and beyond are all well within reach. A convenient bus service – the number 31 – also runs between Woolacombe and Ilfracombe via Mortehoe, which means there’s no need to double back on yourself: walk one direction, catch the bus back.
Planning Your Visit
Spring and early autumn are ideal times to walk the North Devon coast – the wildflowers are at their best, the wildlife is active, and the crowds that gather in August are absent. That said, the coast path here holds its own through the winter months too, when the light over the Bristol Channel can be extraordinary and you’ll often have the headlands entirely to yourself.
Whether you’re planning a dedicated walking week taking in the full North Devon section of the KCIIIECP, or simply want comfortable self-catering accommodation with easy access to a few memorable day walks, Lower Campscott Farm is well placed for both.
Check availability and book directly with us – we’d be delighted to help you plan your North Devon walking holiday.