Valley Of The Rocks - North Devon
A Dramatic section of the South West Coast Path on the edge of Exmoor that will be sure to take your breath away. Located about 1/2 a mile from the village of Lynton, famous for its wild native goats, hair raising cliff edges, stunning views and geology.
I have been wanting to visit Valley Of The Rocks for a long time but have never been in the area. At the end of August I took a little camping trip up to North Devon for a couple of nights. This wonder of a place was number one on the itinerary of must places to visit! We camped at a great farm in Lynton called West Ilkerton Farm (seasonal pop up camping throughout the summer months)
Arrived at the official Valley Of The Rocks car park at around 10am - I'm glad we decided to start the day early, I can imagine this place does get incredibly busy and expect the car park to fill up very quickly. Parking price was very reasonable at just £5 all day. There is a car park further up the hill and you can always park at Lynton and walk just 10 mins here so plenty of options. Its part of the South West Coast path so if you are on an epic coastal trek, incorporate this place into your walk!
We took a short walk down in to the valley and then made the ascent up to our first epic view point. Blown away would be an understatement. Views for as far as the eyes could see and you really feel like you are on top of the world.
We took our swimmers in the hope we'd find a swim spot as part of our day out. While taking some photos on one of the many cliff edges, a private beach with our names on it appeared right before our eyes below. It was at this point the day went from an 8 to a 10!
Down the treacherous cliff path we went to spend the rest of the day on the beach, a beach that you could only dream of. Because of the difficulty getting down to the beach with the path not being the easiest to walk on, it doesn't attract the crowds. Bearing in mind we were here on the last Saturday in August on the most stunning weathered day it wasn't that busy at all, winner!
The weather was insane for us. It really felt like we could have been in Portugal or somewhere! I have heard though that this place is equally incredible on a gloomy day and can be even more dramatic and spectacular. Which I can believe.
North Devon is known for its epic sunsets, as the sun sets over the sea. If you feel that you could be in for a good sunset then watch it here to experience one of the most special sunsets you will ever witness.
Quite possibly one of the most amazing places I have been to in the South West! Definitely in one of my top 10 places to go!
Enjoy!