South West Coast Path: Brixham to Exmouth | Stage 8

This stage of the SWCP is the perfect short break to dip your toes in the world of coastal walking: charming towns of the English Riviera, mainly easier and quieter walks (although demanding at times), delicious sea food and fantastic views. Walk this classic section of the South West Coast Path at a relaxed pace with plenty of time to see the sights.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

This tour is graded moderate. The path includes rugged cliffs, steep ascents and descents,especially between Torquay and Shaldon. However, there are also gentler stretches, such as promenades and lower coastal routes.

This is a moderately rated tour and to fully enjoy this section of the SWCP you should be in good physical shape. The walks are invigorating.

You’ll stay in a selection of B&Bs, guesthouses, coastal pubs, and small hotels, each offering a warm welcome and coastal charm. Breakfast is included to start your day.

Single Rooms

Single rooms are available upon request, subject to availability, with an additional single room supplement. 

Solo Walkers

Solo walkers are welcome, though a supplement applies to cover the additional cost of luggage transfers and single rooms.

The South West Coast Path is well established National Trail and waymarked throughout. Navigation is straightforward using the Macs Adventure App which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone.

Recommended Reading

If you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:

- Guidebook: Dorset & South Devon Coast Path by Henry Stedman & Joel Newton, published by Trailblazer
- Map: South West Coast Path 3, published by Harvey (scale 1:40 000)

This tour can be enjoyed from April to early October and you can start on any date that suits your travel plans. We also offer this tour in the quieter shoulder months of March and mid-to-late October. During these times, the local towns and villages will be more peaceful, and the trails less crowded. However, the weather and trail conditions have the potential to be more challenging. Be prepared for colder temperatures, wind, rain, and muddy paths!

We recommend April, May and June when the spring flowers are out and September and October when the summer holidaymakers have gone home. This area is very popular so it is best to book far in advance.

Please let us know if your dates are flexible when booking as there are a couple of overnight locations on this section where accommodation is quite limited and we may have to move your dates around to accommodate you. 

The start and end date may vary year on year due to mandatory ferry crossing timetables along the way.

The most convenient way to reach Brixham is by taking a train from London Paddington to Newton Abbot (which is the nearest major rail station to Brixham). The train usually takes 2 hours and 30min. Once at Newton Abbot, you can easily continue your journey by catching Stagecoach South West 12 bus, which provides a direct route to Brixham and typically takes around 1 hour and 30min.

For travellers coming from the North of England or Scotland, you can take a train to one of the major stations like Manchester, Leeds, or Edinburgh, and then connect to a service heading to Newton Abbot or Paignton. Depending on your starting point, you may need to transfer at other key stations like Birmingham or Bristol. Once in Newton Abbot or Paignton, you can complete your journey to Brixham by bus on Stagecoach South West Bus service 12. The train journey from cities like Manchester to Newton Abbot typically takes about 5 hours and a few changes, and from Edinburgh, it's roughly 8 hours but with no changes.

Alternatively, you can take a domestic flight to Exeter Airport from major UK airports via low-cost airlines. From Exeter St Davids Train station, you can take the train to Paignton (about 1 hour), and then transfer to Brixham on the 12 bus service noted above.

For train and bus schedules check the Traveline website. You can also check the Trainline website.

Leaving Exmouth, the most convenient option is to take a train from Exmouth to London Paddington, which typically takes around 3 hours. Trains are operated by South Western Railway, with frequent services available throughout the day. Alternatively, you can take a direct bus from Exmouth to Exeter Airport, which offers flights to UK destinations via low-cost airlines, while London is the nearest international airport.

For those traveling onward to Northern England or Scotland, you would first take a train from Exmouth to London Paddington, then transfer to one of the major London stations such as London Euston or London King's Cross to catch a long-distance service to cities like Manchester, Leeds, or Edinburgh. The overall journey time to places like Manchester is around 4 to 5 hours, and to Edinburgh, it’s roughly 6 to 7 hours, depending on the transfer times. For a longer, budget-friendly option, National Express and other coach services also provide travel to Northern England and Scotland.

For train and bus schedules check the Traveline website. You can also check the Trainline website.

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. 

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.