LOCAL WALKS
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There are some fantastic local walks for you to enjoy whilst staying at Blue Drift, based near Budleigh Salterton in East Devon. And there's nothing better than coming back to soak in the hot tub after a long day hiking in the fresh sea air.
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Here's our top 4 walks!
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woodbury common
3 miles away/ 7 minutes drive away
Park for free at Wheathill Plantation Car Park, EX9 7AS
A 4.6 mile circular trail perched high above the land surrounding it. Woodbury Common is a perfect place to revel in the beauty of East Devon. On a clear day you can see as far as Dartmoor and the views down to the estuary are quite simply breathtaking.
The heather and gorse that make up most of the Common give it a distinctly Mediterranean feel. Walking through it on a sunny day it would be easy to imagine yourself strolling through some distant Spanish plain rather than nestled a few minutes away from Budleigh Salterton.
Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 hours to complete. This is a popular trail for bird watching, hiking, and mountain biking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The best times to visit this trail are March through June. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas.
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budleigh salterton to exmouth
0.9 miles away/ 3 minutes drive away
Park for free at Budleigh Salterton Town Council Car Park (EX9 6RJ) or this is a 19 minute walk away from Blue Drift. Budleigh Salterton Beach is then a 9 minute walk from the car park or there are other pay & display car parks nearer the beach.
A 5 mile coastal walk along the South West Coast Path which takes around 2 hours to complete.
You will walk along the beach and ascend along a steep path towards Sandy Bay. The scenery and views are excellent on this walk with high red cliffs and beautiful beaches. From Sandy Bay, you can either walk along the clifftops towards Orcombe Point or, depending upon the tide, you may be able to walk along the 2 mile sandy beach all the way to Exmouth.
If you don’t feel like walking back, you can catch the 357 or 157 bus from Exmouth Town Centre (by the cinema) back to Budleigh Salterton which is about a 10 minute journey.
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budleigh salterton to otterton
1.6 miles away/ 6 minutes drive away
Park in the Lime Kiln pay & display car park (EX9 6JD)
A 4.7 mile walk from Budleigh Salterton along the River Otter Estuary and it takes about 3 hours to complete. A superb level walk not too energetic but very rewarding, offering excellent views and bird watching opportunities. The River Otter Estuary is a nature reserve and a site of special scientific interest. It consists of salt marshes, reed beds and low-lying meadows. At the start of the walk, there are a couple of bird hides and viewing areas. Otterton Mill has a great café where you can stop off for refreshments before heading back towards Budleigh.
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exmouth to topsham
4.5 miles away/ 12 minutes drive away
Park in the Imperial Road pay & display car park (EX8 1BY)
A 5 mile walk along the Exe Estuary from Exmouth to Topsham via Lympstone. The route runs for about 5 miles along a section of the Exe Estuary Trail. It's a nice flat path suitable for cyclists running alongside the train line, with lovely views over the saltmarsh and mud flats of the estuary. The area is also a nature reserve so great for wildlife spotting as over 10,000 wildfowl and 20,000 waders winter on the estuary.