# North Devon and Exmoor on the Atlantic Highway

> 3-day road trip of about 124 km (77 mi) with 8 stops, from Clovelly to Dunster. About 1 h 42 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b6-exmoor-coast/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 124 km (77 mi) with 8 stops, from Clovelly to Dunster. About 1 h 42 min of driving in total. A car-free fishing village, the high cliffs of Exmoor, a prehistoric clapper bridge and medieval Dunster.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 124 km (77 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 42 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Clovelly → Dunster |
| Countries | United Kingdom |
| Updated | July 2, 2026 |

## Route description

Clovelly is a car-free village of whitewashed cottages on a cobbled street that tumbles down to a tiny harbour; you enter through the visitor centre at the top. Follow the A39 through Bideford and Barnstaple, then turn north to Ilfracombe, a harbour town watched over by a giant modern statue.

The A399 and A39 run east into Exmoor. Just before Lynton, the Valley of Rocks is a dry valley of rock towers and wild goats above the sea. Below, Lynmouth sits at the mouth of a deep gorge, linked to Lynton above by a water-powered cliff railway.

The A39 then climbs Countisbury Hill and, further on, descends Porlock Hill, one of the steepest A-roads in Britain at up to 25%. Motorhomes and caravans should use the toll road through the woods instead. Porlock is a quiet village near a shingle bay.

Head inland to Dunkery Beacon, the roof of Exmoor, and on through Exford to Tarr Steps, a long stone clapper bridge over the river Barle. Finish in Dunster, with its medieval yarn market and castle. Exmoor is a dark-sky reserve, so stay a night for the stars; the lanes are narrow with high hedges everywhere.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Clovelly** (United Kingdom)
2. **Ilfracombe** (United Kingdom)
3. **Valley of Rocks** (Lynton, United Kingdom): A dry valley of rock towers above the sea just west of Lynton, grazed by wild goats. A short path climbs Castle Rock for the view.
4. **Lynmouth** (United Kingdom)
5. **Porlock** (United Kingdom)
6. **Dunkery Beacon** (Wheddon Cross, United Kingdom): The highest point on Exmoor at 519 m, a heather-covered summit reached by a walk of about 30 minutes from the road at Dunkery Gate.
7. **Tarr Steps** (Dulverton, United Kingdom): A clapper bridge of huge stone slabs across the river Barle in a wooded valley, the longest of its kind in Britain. Park at the top and walk down.
8. **Dunster** (United Kingdom)