Self-Launched: Walking South Devon's Coastal Path

Train into Plymouth (direct from London Paddington ~3h15, advance fares from ~£30; from Bristol ~2h). Check into a city hostel or budget guesthouse near the Barbican. Spend the afternoon walking Plymouth Hoe with its views over Plymouth Sound, drop down to the cobbled Barbican (where the Mayflower departed), peek at the Elizabethan House, and if the weather turns, the National Marine Aquarium is the classic rainy-day option (~£22). Tonight: pick up a South West Coast Path map/guidebook (Plymouth to Falmouth section) and sort tomorrow's Mount Batten ferry times. Eat on the Barbican or in a cheap city-centre pub — Plymouth is far better value than the villages ahead, so stock snacks here.

🚌Train to Plymouth (~£30 advance from London); everything on foot in town

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Plymouth (dorm ~£25, private budget room ~£45–60)

• →Walk Plymouth Hoe
• →Explore the Barbican
• →Elizabethan House
• →National Marine Aquarium (optional, ~£22)

Catch the little Mount Batten Ferry from Barbican Quay (~£4, 5 mins, runs from spring to autumn) and pick up the coast path on the far side of the Sound. Head out past Staddon Heights with its Victorian military defences, then follow the cliffs around to Heybrook Bay and Wembury, with Great Mewstone offshore and the Marine Conservation Area rockpools below at low tide. Roughly 9–10 km, easy-moderate. Wembury has a couple of pubs and a village shop; accommodation is thin, so many walkers base in Plymstock or take the No. 48 bus back into Plymouth for the night (~£3) and return in the morning.

🚌Mount Batten ferry from Barbican Quay ~£4; local bus back to Plymouth ~£3 if needed

🛏Small B&B/guesthouse in Wembury or Plymstock (~£50–65 private), or shuttle back to a Plymouth hostel (~£25 dorm)

• →Mount Batten ferry crossing
• →Staddon Heights defences
• →Coastal walk around Plymouth Sound
• →Wembury beach & rockpools

A big day, ~16–18 km. Walk the coast to Warren Point, then take the seasonal foot ferry across the Yealm to Noss Mayo (~£5, cash, Easter–October only — check tides and times the day before). Follow the path through Passage Wood along the river, contour around Mouthstone Point, and drop to Meadowsfoot Beach at Mothecombe. Then the Erme Estuary: at low water there's a marked wading route across the sand (knee-deep at most — time it with the tide); if the tide's wrong, either wait it out or take a local taxi around via the A379 (~£30–40). Finish at Kingston (~£3 bus to Modbury if you're staying there). Modbury has a co-op, a couple of pubs and more accommodation choice.

🚌Warren Point–Noss Mayo ferry ~£5; Erme wade free or taxi ~£35 split; local bus ~£3

🛏Village pub with rooms or B&B in Modbury (~£55–70 private); limited options in Kingston

• →Yealm estuary foot ferry
• →Passage Wood riverside walk
• →Mothecombe & Meadowsfoot Beach
• →Erme Estuary crossing

~17 km of superb walking. Cross Wonwell Beach and climb through Wrinkle Wood, then follow the cliff tops past Ayrmer Cove (a great swim spot) with the art-deco Burgh Island Hotel and its sea tractor in view across Bigbury Bay. Take the little ferry from Cockleridge Ham across the Avon to Bantham (~£4–6, tidal — check the timetable board at Bantham; outside season it doesn't run and you detour via Aveton Gifford, so look this up before you set out). Walk on through Thurlestone with its famous golf course and rock arch, past South Milton Ley nature reserve, into Hope Cove. Hope Cove has two pubs and a handful of B&Bs; the walk in is short enough to arrive before the kitchens close.

🚌Cockleridge Ham–Bantham ferry ~£5; local bus (No. 162 summer service) as backup ~£3

🛏B&B or pub room in Hope Cove (~£60–80 private); Outer Hope/Inner Hope both tiny so book early

• →Wonwell Beach & Wrinkle Wood
• →Burgh Island views
• →Avon estuary ferry to Bantham
• →Thurlestone Rock & South Milton Ley

A shorter, spectacular day of ~11 km over the two Bolts. Climb out of Hope Cove to Bolt Tail, walk the high ground of Bolberry Down (National Trust, easy underfoot), then out to Bolt Head where the cliffs get genuinely dramatic. Drop down to Soar Mill Cove for a swim and a cream tea at the cove's café, then continue into Salcombe. If you've got legs left, Overbeck's Garden (National Trust, ~£10 or free with NT membership) is a short detour above South Sands with lovely subtropical planting. Salcombe is expensive and fills up — book ahead, and consider the ferry to East Portlemouth tomorrow first thing. Plenty of pubs and a fishmonger for cheap self-catering.

🚌All on foot; local bus from Malborough/Salcombe ~£3 if you base slightly inland

🛏Bunkhouse/hostel or budget B&B in Salcombe (~£30–40 dorm, £70+ private); nearby Malborough is cheaper

• →Bolt Tail & Bolberry Down
• →Bolt Head cliffs
• →Soar Mill Cove
• →Overbeck's Garden (optional ~£10)
• →South Sands Beach

The wildest, most remote day of the route: ~20 km. Take the early Salcombe–East Portlemouth passenger ferry (~£4), then climb through Portlemouth Down and follow the coast past Gara Beach and the Swine Trail out to Prawle Point — the southernmost tip of Devon, with a bird observatory and a very welcome honesty-box café in season. Round the point to Start Point and its lighthouse, arguably the best stretch of the whole path, with big rolling cliffs and few people. Finish at Beesands (fish shack and pub on the beach) or Stokenham. Tired legs: the No. 162/164 buses run along the A379 back towards Kingsbridge/Salcombe.

🚌Salcombe–East Portlemouth ferry ~£4; local bus backup along the A379 ~£3

🛏B&B or pub-with-rooms in Beesands/Stokenham (~£55–70 private)

• →East Portlemouth ferry
• →Portlemouth Down & Gara Beach
• →Prawle Point
• →Start Point Lighthouse

~17 km to finish the walk. Head up through Beesands Quarry and over to Torcross, then the long shingle sweep of Slapton Sands (site of the 1944 Exercise Tiger landings — there's a memorial tank on the beach). Walk the inland side of Slapton Ley nature reserve if the shingle gets grim, then on through Strete and along the cliffs into Dartmouth past the castle. Dartmouth is a proper town: independent hostels/bunkhouses, plenty of pubs, and a good reward dinner. Walk the town's lanes and take the little lower ferry across to Kingswear if you want the view back.

🚌All on foot; Kingswear foot ferry ~£3 if you want the round-trip view

🛏Hostel or budget B&B in Dartmouth (~£30–40 dorm, £60–75 private)

• →Slapton Sands & Exercise Tiger memorial
• →Slapton Ley nature reserve
• →Dart estuary cliffs
• →Dartmouth Castle & town lanes

A slow morning: coffee on the embankment, maybe the Dartmouth Museum (free) or a last swim. Then take the No. 92 bus to Totnes (~£4.50, about 45 mins) and a train home from Totnes mainline station (direct to London Paddington ~3h, advance fares from ~£30). If you're flush and feeling celebratory, the Dartmouth Steam Railway + river cruise combo back to Totnes (~£30) is a lovely alternative. Buy your train ticket in advance — walk-up fares on this line are steep.

🚌No. 92 bus Dartmouth–Totnes ~£4.50; Totnes–London train from ~£30 advance (or steam railway + river cruise ~£30)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Dartmouth embankment & museum
• →No. 92 bus to Totnes
• →Optional Dartmouth Steam Railway