Coasting along

This is an exhilarating circular beach, cliff top and railway walk from Exmouth, ideal out of season. It's about seven miles, about 3.5 hours walking. Use the map OS Explorer 115, Exmouth & Sidmouth, grid ref:006 800. Park along the beach front at Exmouth. Park anywhere (free for the winter from Sept 30). We are walking along the front so it depends how much of this you want to walk, or drive.

F ind time for this great out-of-season walk along the beach and cliff top from Exmouth, circling back along an old railway line and through fields.

Pass a pub and thatched cream tea cafe, and back in Exmouth there are lots of cafes, of course.

I have revisited this walk, which I did years ago and have altered it slightly so it is even better than before.

En route we go through a large cliff top caravan site but out of season it should be very quiet or even closed.

There is a glorious beach, Sandy Bay, on the way, too, apart from the beautiful sands at Exmouth. Your dog can enjoy all the circle with no problems.

There is some climbing up on to the cliff top and for quite a way along the coast path, but nothing too steep, and then it is flat for the rest of the way.

Walking is mainly on good paths and dry tracks.

START

Turn left and, if you like, walk out along the beach with wonderful views across the estuary and along the coast. If you go after the end of September your dog can beach walk, too.

Go past the splendid new Lifeboat shed and continue on towards the red rocky cliffs at the end of the bay.

1. CLIFFTOP

At the end, follow the zig-zag path up on to the top and then join the coast path and continue with wide open views along the coast. Or there is a more dramatic alternative – if the tide is out, stay on the beach and a yard or two around the corner go up a metal staircase up the cliff to the same coast path, where you turn right. It is a recognised route.

You come into National Trust country, the High Land of Orcombe – sounds like something from Lord of the Rings!

2. GEONEEDLE

Reach a dramatic pyramid, the geoneedle on Orcombe Point, which marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

The geoneedle was unveiled by Prince Charles in 2002 to inaugurate the World Heritage Site. It is made from stone representing both the major building stones of the Jurassic Coast and the sequence of rocks deposited along the site.

Continue along the coast, climbing for a while and then it levels out. Ignore one footpath inland and continue on until a gate leads you into a caravan park.

3. CARAVAN PARK

This is a huge development, the Devon Cliffs Holiday Park, which shares this beautiful stretch of coast and Straight Point with an MOD rifle range.

Stay along the cliff edge and follow the coast path signs through kissing gates. Continue along the edge and past the Beachcomber cafe/bar. You seem to have to go across the terrace.

The coast path sign continues on a little and then as you reach the rifle range it turns left inland, still along the edge of the caravan park.

Take the Tarmac path which climbs up, passing the entrance to the range. Follow a hedge on your right and then bend left along the cliff top above Littleham Cove, where as you can see there has been significant cliff slippage. There is an information board here.

You are now climbing along the cliff top with the caravans on your left and eventually go through a hedge line and gate and leave the site. See Budleigh Salterton ahead in the distance.

Carry on along the coast and then the path drops down into a wooded valley. Climb up the other side through gorse.

4. MARKER POST

At the signpost, turn left inland towards Knowle. Here, tucked up in the gorse, is a trig point where you can get some slightly better panoramic views.

Reach the golf course and head across between greens. Keep on, don't turn right, and soon reach another Knowle footpath sign. The track becomes broader and leads out of the golf course under trees. Eventually, reach a Tarmac drive and turn down left to a road.

5. ROAD

Turn right and shortly reach a bridge over the old railway. Turn left down on to the track.

6. RAIL LINE

This was the old Budleigh Salterton line. It was locally sponsored and remained independent until 1912. It was in business from 1903, operated by the London and South West Railway, and mainly carried passengers and a lot of day trippers from London, particularly until World War II.

Passenger numbers remained healthy until the 1950s but then dwindled and as little freight was carried on the line, the writing was on the wall.

The last summer season was in 1966, the line closed the following year and shortly after that was taken up.

As you walk along you can imagine the many journeys taken by Londoners excited about coming down to the coast at Dorset.

Continue for about 1.25 miles on the track which is mainly Tarmac. Go through two narrow bridge sections and then come out into the open with fields on each side.

The old footpath off the line has been diverted, so continue on the track until your reach a metal kissing gate and footpath arrow on the left, shortly before a metal bridge.

7. FIELD

Go into the field and straight ahead, through another gate and on as before. Go through a gate on the right and reach the church at Littleham, which dates back to the 13th-century.

The area has many connections with the great seafaring families of Drake and Nelson. Lady Nelson is buried in the south-east corner of the churchyard and there is a memorial to her in the Chantry.

The church had a full restoration in 1847, mainly at the cost of the Rector J Lymebear Harding and his family. All the fine old oak seats were collected together from different parts of the parish, the old font was rescued from a farmyard, the high pews were reduced and the tower arch thrown open – in fact, everything was put in perfect order with new windows and all the old ones restored.

The screen itself was designed and constructed by the Rector and his village carpenter, who also did all the painting and gilding with his own hands.

8. LITTLEHAM

Go through the churchyard and out under the lychgate.

For the pub or a thatched cafe (or even public toilets), make a detour of a few yards left. Here is the Clinton Arms, which has a wide ranging menu, and opposite is the Old Tithe Cottage, where you can enjoy a cream tea. Return to the lychgate.

From the lychgate, cross and turn right and very shortly go left up Elm Lane. Take the footpath on the left and follow it along into a field. Keep straight on along the right hedge.

9. FARM

Leave the field and go on past a large farm. Continue ahead along the marked footpath, which may be a little overgrown in parts. Carry on through a field and go on through another kissing gate.

Stay along the bottom and then veer a little away and go through a gate in the hedge ahead, about half way along. A path takes you on.

At the end go through a gate and turn right on a permitted path. At the end of this, before you reach the road, turn left down a public footpath. It takes you into a field and continue on. Cross a footbridge over a stream and climb up the left edge of the field towards a farm up ahead. Come out on to Maer Lane.

10. MAER LANE

Turn right and follow this, soon walking on a pavement, all the way back to the seafront by the Lifeboat shed.

The Clinton Arms, Littleham, EX8 2RL. Tel: 01395 264054. Open daily with lunch from 11am-2pm. The Ye Olde Tythe Cottage, Littleham, EX8 2RQ. Tel: 01395 279925. Open from noon-9pm daily, and 9am-9pm Saturdays until end of October. Then closed for the season. As always, please call before setting out to confirm opening times.