This is a fantastic circular walk, taking in bits of Two Moors Way, Dartmoor Way and The south West Coast Path

Emma - CEO

South Hams Way

Overview

We’re thrilled to introduce The South Hams Way - a new circular walk that takes in sections of the South West Coast Path Dartmoor Way and Two Moors Way

This unique journey takes you on a 100 mile journey that showcases the best scenery that the South Hams have to offer and terrain that varies from roads and footpaths to woodland, open moorland and, of course, the South West Coast path.

Distance

100 miles / 161 Km

Days

10 days, 11 nights

Walking Grade

26 miles moderate, 74 miles strenuous

Accommodation Grade

Standard with upgrade options

Start Location

Totnes

End Location

Totnes

Pricing

Based on 2 people sharing a double room.

This walk features a really good mix of accommodation with some lovely upgrade options

From approx. £140 per person per day

Itinerary

7 miles. Grade - Moderate.

Spend a night in Totnes and then, the following morning, head out on your first day of walking to Buckfastleigh, passing through the Dartington Estate. Today's walking includes a real mixture of terrain, from footpaths and pavements to woodland and fields.

8 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

Breath taking views reveal themselves today, back to Burgh Island, Plymouth, inland to brooding Dartmoor and even into Cornwall and the Dodman. Climb and climb 440ft on up Bolberry Down and onto the top of the cliffs - a stunning section with kestrels, sparrow hawks and peregrine Falcons spotted from the heather, gorse and grasslands. Circumnavigate Starehole Bay on a rocky scramble to reach the spine of crags at Sharp Tor that thrust out towards the ocean, the path now ending the day along the Earl of Devon’s Courtenay Walk which is hewn out of the rocks to give access to Bolt Head from Salcombe. Around a corner suddenly a new world opens up in the mellow rounded creeks, sands and wooded hillsides of a very inviting looking Salcombe.

13 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

After yet another ferry ride the walk today quickly thrusts you back into the rocky South Devon Coastline with a switchback of ascents and descents along what we call the “swine trail”, passing Devon’s southernmost point at Prawle and the lighthouse out at exposed Start Point. After looking down on the tragic lost village of Hallsands your day ends with the promise of something very different to come as you arrive in Torcross on the shingle banks, ready to “walk the line”

Overnight Stops

Totnes, in South Devon, is a historic market town known for its independent spirit, creativity, and strong sense of community. Perched on the River Dart, it combines medieval charm with a vibrant modern culture. Its steep main street is lined with independent shops, cafés, and galleries, reflecting the town’s reputation for sustainability and alternative lifestyles.

Totnes has a rich history dating back to Saxon times and boasts landmarks such as Totnes Castle, a classic Norman motte-and-bailey fortress, and the Elizabethan House Museum. The town is also known for its eco-conscious initiatives — it was one of the first “Transition Towns,” promoting local resilience and environmental awareness.

With easy access to Dartmoor National Park and the South Devon coast, Totnes attracts artists, musicians, and nature lovers alike. It’s a place where heritage, community values, and creativity thrive side by side.

Most famous for its Benedictine Abbey at Buckfast, which was founded in 1018 by King Canute, and mentioned in the Domesday Book before becoming a place of peace for the monks of a Cistercian Monastery in 1148. That peace ended when it was "dissolved" by Henry VIII in the Reformation. Set just outside the town, the present buildings are well worth visiting set in stunning location on the River Dart - a favourite spot for the forest deer. The modern parts were constructed by a handful of French Benedictine monks in 1932 and Buckfastleigh Abbey is now funded by their production of stained glass, honey and their own recipe of tonic wine. The gardens are well worth exploring and are based on a Medieval design that includes purple lavender gardens and a sensory water garden intended to stimulate the senses of sight, smell, hearing and touch.

Today the Town provides a range of accommodation options for the walker from small B&B's to welcoming Inns, including The Abbey Inn, which has easy access for visiting the Abbey as well as a pleasant terrace beside the river if the weather is good enough to eat outside. The town with its narrow streets and tiny areas of park is a pleasing place to wander through, with a reasonable set of shops, including cafe's, tea shops, a chemist and three pubs.

A pleasant town, population 2,800, that sits at the foot of the Moor with a reasonable range of facilities to make it a good overnight stop for those who want to split the long day between Ivybridge and Buckfastleigh. To reach it there is a gentle half mile walk off the Dartmoor Way route at Lydia Bridge following the peaceful river Avon into the town through the broadleaf trees to emerge at the impressive 12th Century Norman Church of St Petroc's.

In the town itself well-appointed cottages mix with pretty displays of flowers and a handful of shops, cafes - including The Station House and a couple of pubs the best known being the Pack Horse Inn, so you have everything you need for a restful night in the lowlands!

Although the nearby manor of Stowford is documented in the Domesday Book, first mention of Ivybridge was in the 13th century when the small granite packhorse “Ivy Bridge” was the only means of crossing the River Erme. Still in use today it was immortalised in paint by none other than Turner in 1813. You can still see the iron stave in the bridge wall which was lit at night to illuminate this vital crossing.

Ivybridge subsequently became an important staging post for carriages between Exeter and Plymouth for the next five hundred years until 1819 when other routes across the river became possible. This coincided with the Industrial Revolution, a growth of wool, corn and paper mills which, together with the arrival of the railway, brought jobs and expansion into the small town it is today.

There are a few B&B’s in the town and one large Inn, one or two more upmarket country house hotels are found in the nearby villages. The main shopping area of Fore Street has a number of independent businesses and evening meals can be found at any one of the six pubs or alternatively at a choice of restaurants from Indian and Greek to fish and chips.

Shortened by the residents to plain ‘Newton and Noss’, a small ferry links the villages with each other and the west bank of the Yealm to complete the Noss Triangle. The Yealm itself is a fine example of a “drowned river estuary” by virtue of its small river source but huge estuary, essentially the inland creek waters are the sea.

The estuary is stunning, set in gentle wooded glades and inlets, a perfect harbour from the storms of the sea, this is an area beloved by the landscape artists who have come throughout the years to capture the sleepy creek side villages and pubs of this remote and unspoilt spot. The heyday of the boatbuilding past here was as far back as the 14th century when the villages produced many ships used to lift the siege in Calais. Today it’s a popular spot, with modern leisure boats and an evening watching them gliding in and out of the waters is a pleasant foreground to the sunset.

Those staying here will be able to join the locals at the waterside Ship Inn and munch on local mussels in wine as they watch the latest arrivals from sea sail right up the quay for a drink. There are also several local shops, including a baker, butcher, post office and chemist. For those that fall in love with the place or are inspired to take to the waves there is a sailing school and boat hire available.

For those on more relaxed itineraries, the best way to deal with crossing the Erme Estuary, where there is no ferry, is to take a nights break at the nearby village of Holbeton. We use the excellent Ivy Barn B&B which is right in the centre of the village.

Set just inland of the estuary this is a classic Devon village, off the main tourist route a pub serving evening meals some of the wek.

Those staying here will walk the 9 miles on the coast path from Noss Mayo before turning inland at Mothecombe, where you can stop for refreshments at the old school cafe before the final 1.5 miles inland to Holberton. Next morning, we arrange to take you after breakfast around the estuary to drop you on the East side so you can continue on the coast path.

Hope Cove, on the South Devon coast near Salcombe, is a picturesque seaside village divided into Inner and Outer Hope. Once a traditional fishing and smuggling haven, it’s now a peaceful holiday spot known for its sandy beaches, sheltered bay, and dramatic coastal scenery.

The village’s heart lies around its small harbour and golden coves, popular for swimming, paddleboarding, and rock pooling. The South West Coast Path passes through, offering breathtaking walks along the cliffs towards Thurlestone and Bolt Tail.

Hope Cove retains a charming, unspoiled atmosphere, with cosy pubs, local seafood, and welcoming cottages. It’s a place where visitors can enjoy a slower pace of life, stunning sunsets, and the natural beauty of the South Hams coastline — a quintessential slice of Devon seaside charm.

Devon’s southernmost harbour, Salcombe has it all for the weary walker: tranquil scenery, cosmopolitan facilities that earn it the ‘Kensington on Sea’ tag, and a rich maritime history. As such is a great choice (along with Dartmouth) for a rest day on this section of coastline. The scenery from the town, as it clings to the steep wooded hillside, is superb, looking across shimmering waters edged by jagged rocky coves and golden sands.

The climate here is amongst the best in the UK, as evidenced in the lemon trees which grow here, a link to the town’s fruit importing past which specialised in building and harbouring fast sailing schooners. In their heyday over 100 made lightning runs to the Mediterranean and Caribbean, returning laden with fruit to be landed quickly whilst still fresh.

Arriving at Torcross from the cliffs, you enter a new walking dimension at a peaceful village, hemmed in on a spit of shingle between Devon’s largest freshwater lake at Slapton Ley and the open sea. A rather unique spot where a beautiful nature reserve and first class beach are separated by a narrow but seemingly endless mound of stones!

The village itself is a restful overnight with a few rows of pretty cottages lining the shore, a store and post office, butchers, craft and art shop as well as a small pottery. In fact, the village has quite an artist colony and a choice of restaurants, cafes and pubs offering food and drink for the arriving coast path wanderer. Like Hallsands, the lost village further west, Torcross has had its battles with the sea, most recently in 1979 after which the current sea wall was hastily put in place to try and keep this village out of the sea.

Its most unusual feature is one you won’t find anywhere else on the 630 miles of coast path..... a Sherman Tank. Now standing as a solemn memorial, it was raised from the depths by a local man 40 years after it was sank by German E boats, and sited as a monument to the American GI soldiers who were stationed here to train for D-Day.

Dartmouth is well worth a second night and day off the main coast path to fully explore this fascinating natural harbour and town, which seems to trickle down the wooded slopes into the glistening waters of the tranquil River Dart.

From your arrival, Dartmouth enchants, and descending the woods from the harsh coastline you pass breathtaking views over the water from the Castle, before entering a maze of tiny narrow streets and alleys that reveal a network of Elizabethan half timber shops.

18th century waterfront houses surround old, cobbled quays and medieval stairwells. It is unspoilt and has been used for a host of films and dramas, from the ‘Onedin Line’ to the ‘French Lieutenants Women.’

Wander through the cobbled quay at the cove and the timber framed shops, boutiques and galleries at the Butterwalk furnished by ornate woodcarvings and granite columns that hang over the street. Or visit St Saviour’s church, rebuilt in 1630, and still furnished with medieval ironwork and trophy timbers rescued from the flagship of the doomed Armada.

Gallery

Travel To And From The Route

Fast and direct trains run from London Paddington to Totnes Station in around three hours.

For public transport information covering buses and trains use the useful Traveline South West website www.travelinesw.com which will give you up to date detail, times and directions. If you are already on the road you can call them on +44 (0) 871 200 2233.

Full details on train times and ordering tickets can be got from www.thetrainline.com If you are already travelling call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.
Arriving from Overseas - Those arriving from overseas will usually arrive in the UK at London Gatwick or London Heathrow airport from where you can catch direct trains to Totnes Station. Those arriving at London Heathrow will usually take a 1/2 hour underground train / overland train service into London Paddington to catch the fast inter city trains to Devon and Cornwall.

Internal Flights - Exeter airport allows easy access to the starting point at Totnes (45 minutes by taxi)
National Express Coaches from London run to Totnes
Long stay parking is available in the council run car parks in Totnes and we advise on the options with all our itineraries and quotes.

Reviews

+44 (0) 1208 871066

South Hams Way

South Hams Way

Overview

Itinerary

7 miles. Grade - Moderate.

9 miles. Grade - Strenuous

7 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

12 Miles. Grade - Moderate.

10 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

10 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

8 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

13 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

10.5 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

13.5 Miles. Grade - strenuous.

Overnight Stops

Gallery

Travel To And From The Route

Reviews

+44 (0) 1208 871066