45miles/
72kms

Exe Valley Way

About this route

The Exe Valley Way is a long-distance route for walkers exploring the length of this beautiful river valley. The trail stretches from the South West Coast Path on the Exe Estuary to the village of Exford in Exmoor National Park. An additional 7.5miles/12km links Exford to Exe Head, the source of the River Exe, high upon the open moorland. Most of the routes follows beside the River Exe.

The Exe Valley Way can be divided up into a series of 10 stages, most of which can be walked comfortable by most walkers in half a day. The route is waymarked in both northbound and southbound directions.

Getting Around

Bampton, Tiverton, Bickleigh, Thorverton, Brampford Speke, Exeter and Starcross are all served by buses, the frequency of services does vary. You may like to walk a section of the Exe Valley Way and return to your starting point by bus.

The route passes the railway stations at Exeter St Davids and Starcross, see the Travel Devon website for the latest times.

Facilities

Exeter, Bickleigh, Tiverton, Bampton, Dulverton and Exford have all facilities.

Terrain

A mix of canal towpath, quiet country lanes, fields, woodlands and open moorland - some strenuous climbs..

Accessibility
Explore more, click to download pdf: Download

Interesting information

The Exe Valley is a beautiful and relatively unspoilt area of the Devon countryside. The River Exe, rising on Exmoor at a height of over 1450 feet/44 meters and within 5 miles of the Bristol Channel, then bends its way along an ever-changing route of over 60 miles to reach the sea on the South coast of Devon at Exmouth.

From the fast-flowing waters and steeply-wooded valleys of Exmoor and the area north of Tiverton, to the more gently flowing and meandering waters leading down to the coast, the Exe Valley offers an immense variety of flora and fauna as it flows through peaceful villages, busy market towns and cathedral city of Exeter.

Photo of a quiet lane between trees on the Exe Valley Way

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Photo along the South Devon coast showing fields, coastal cliffs and sea with the Daymark in the distance — 205miles/
329kms

South West Coast Path

Over the centuries fishermen, coastguards and smugglers have helped to create this historic path – now Britain’s longest National Trail

Photo of cyclists on the Tarka Trail alongside the estuary near Instow — 16.4miles/
26kms

Exe Estuary Trail

This newly constructed cycle trail offers an almost entirely traffic-free, wonderfully level route which forms part of the South Coast

Photo of the Grand Western Canal with walkers on the tow path — 16miles/
26kms

Grand Western Canal Walk

The Grand Western Canal Country Park is a popular place to enjoy a flat, easy walk in the countryside, with

Photo of the Two Moors Way path across moorland with a granite way marker in the foreground — 100miles/
160kms

Two Moors Way (Devon’s Coast to Co..

Running for just over 100 miles/160km between Ivybridge in the south and Lynmouth in the north, this famous path links

Exe Estuary Trail

This newly constructed cycle trail offers an almost entirely traffic-free, wonderfully level route which forms part of the South Coast

Grand Western Canal

This is a lovely, peaceful cycle route, often along the towpath, beside a tranquil stretch of the Grand Western Canal.

Photo of cyclists on the Tarka Trail alongside the estuary at Instow — 105miles/
168kms