Good pubs in Devon

Lynmouth is a nice-looking town regarding coastal reach of Exmoor. (Photo: Exmoor National Park)

Inspirational walks through these places are included in my choice here, beginning and completing at bars oozing with West Country allure.

1. Porlock, Culbone Church: 4½ miles

Start/finish: Ship Inn, Porlock Weir (shipinnporlockweir.co.uk)
Explorer map OL9: OS Grid Reference SS864479

A highly atmospheric walk-through surroundings that probably influenced the imagery of Coleridge’s Kubla Khan. This path uses the woods, coombes and chasms associated with the Somerset coastline to medieval Culbone Church before continuing into the hills around Ash Farm where Coleridge wrote the poem and had been notoriously disrupted by a delivery guy from Porlock.

Culbone is England's tiniest parish church. (Picture: Exmoor National Park)

Change omitted of The Ship and follow the road west through fields and along a track toward Toll Gate at Worthy Combe. Keep west through heavy woods with glimpses of the water to 12th-century Culbone Church (The united kingdomt's littlest parish church) as well as on through Withy Combe to Silcombe Farm. Right here use the small lane that traverses Culbone Hill and passes Ash Farm. The return route falls down through woods to Worthy Combe and to Porlock Weir.

2. East Lyn River Valley: 4½ kilometers

Start/finish: Rockford Inn, Brendon (therockfordinn.co.uk)
Explorer chart OL9: OS Grid Reference SS757476

Exmoor’s north border is flanked by the East Lyn River, a thickly oaked gorge of old woodland. This walk includes area of the present extension into the Coleridge Way trail and loops around through woods to Watersmeet and straight back over the riverbank path.

• Exmoor: readers' guidelines

The East Lyn river flanks Exmoor's northern edge. (Picture: Exmoor National Park)

Through the pub, proceed with the road within the mountain and use the bridleway through the forests to lovely Watersmeet (with a National Trust beverage area), where the Simple Lyn and Farley liquid combine. Cross right back within the bridge and stick to the bridleway to Hillsford connection and back across the the top of ridge via two Iron Age forts (Myrtleberry North and Southern). Descend towards the river once again and back again to the Rockford Inn across the winding riverbank from the far part.

3. Countisbury Headland: 5 kilometers

Start/finish: Blue Ball Inn, Countisbury (bluballinn.com)
Explorer map OL9: OS Grid Reference SS747496

The ever-welcoming, dog-loving, Blue Ball Inn near Lynmouth in north Devon could be the perfect base for seaside strolls both east and west along the the west Coast Path (SWCP) including inland. Six exceptional walks (between 2.5 miles and 10 kilometers) tend to be detail by detail regarding the Blue Ball’s internet site but this variation heads out to Foreland aim and east across the large high cliffs toward ominously called Desolation Point.

Exmoor ponies is seen across the moorland. (Photo: Exmoor Nationwide Park)

Through the club use the SWCP north over the gorse and heather-covered moorland cliffs into the lighthouse on Foreland aim with views west over Sillery Sands to Lynmouth Bay. Skirt all over headland and stick to the coast path crossing the Devon-Somerset edge right before Desolation Point, while skirting right back along greater land past Kipscombe Farm to Countisbury.

4. Heddon Valley: 6½ miles

Start/finish: Hunters Inn, Heddon Valley (thehuntersinnexmoor.co.uk)
Explorer chart OL9: OS Grid Reference SS655482

Of all the seaside lake gorges and coombes in the area, the Heddon Valley could be the narrowest and steepest. The 600ft high cliffs at Heddon’s Mouth will be the greatest seaside cliffs in England without any landward use of the shore until Combe Martin six kilometers to your west. This stroll could easily be shortened or lengthened with numerous variations.

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