Some Essential Walks

HollerdayHill and the Valley of the Rocks

An easy walk, perfect for a stroll through the leafy woodland of Hollerday Hill. Not too steep, but there are plenty of slopes.  

There are various walks around Hollerday Hill so feel free to explore. There is the option of walking to the very top of Hollerday Hill, where the views are stunning, then walking back through the site of an old Iron Age Fort (no ruins) or take the path down to the Valley of the Rocks where you can get refreshments from Mother Meldrums and check out the white lady

Start this walk behind the Lynton Town Hall, this is the original driveway to the site of Hollerday House. Sadly, the house has long since gone but it’s a fascinating location with a memorial plaque that explains a little of the history of Hollerday House.

Another option is to take the coastal path by the Valley of the Rocks Hotel and walk right along into the heart of the valley.  The views from the Coast Path are breathtaking.

Watersmeet

Starting in Lynmouth, wa lk down or take the Cliff railway this walk follows the energetic waters of the East Lyn River all the way to the Watersmeet confluence – the joining of the East Lyn and Hoar Oak waters.  It’s quite the spectacle, and a wonderful place to be for a while or two.

Look out for the abundance of nature along the walk, butterflies, birds and fish love this place as much as we do.

When you’ve finished your time at Watersmeet, where there is a National Trust tearoom, you can head back the way you came, or take the higher woodland path on the other side of the river.  We love this wooded walk through Arnold’s Linhay, and from here you could walk to Countisbury Hill to really extend your day.

If you’re walking back along the wooded path then look out for the money tree! It’s loaded with coins from visitors of yesterday and yesteryear.

Things to know …

Approx. 2-3 hours / 8km
One of the deepest wooded gorges in England
Moderately easy, not flat underfoot
A few moderately steep areas, and some steps
National Trust Tearoom, Toilets and Gift Shop
Pay & Display Car Park just a few minutes walk from Watersmeet Tearooms
The beginning of many other short and long walks.

Things to remember

Any walk with tea and cake at the end, or midway!
The East Lyn River is wild and fascinating
Catching glimpses of the storks fishing for their supper

This is the start of many fantastic walks, extending the walk to Rockford adds a few more miles of glorious river walking, followed by a pub lunch at the Rockford Inn

Another option is to start at Lynton and go up Sinai Hill and take the lane to Lynbridge, go down past the pub, over the bridge and turn left up the hill, quite a few of these, avoid taking the signpost to Lymouth and keep going until the Iron Age Fort at Myrtlebury where there are steps down to Watersmeet carpark and then a zig zag to the tea room and the river path to Lynmouth, My favourite stopping for a cream tea and then a drink at the Rising Sun before catching the Cliff Ralway back

There are lots of variations