Sidmouth to Beer Coastal Walk

7.5 miles (12 km)

This walk follows a section of the wonderful Jurassic Coast from the town of Sidmouth to the village of Beer in Devon.
It's a popular coastal walk running for about 8 miles along an undulating path.
There's lovely cliff top views, attractive beaches and interesting geological features to see on the path. Also look out for Exmoor Ponies on the way!
Walk Report October 14th 2026 By Michael Bennett:
We set off from Sidmouth seafront and crossed the River Sid to join the coastal path heading east.... The views opened up quickly as we climbed above the shoreline, with the red cliffs and blue sea making a striking start to this section of the Jurassic Coast. It is a walk where the scenery keeps changing, from open clifftops to hidden coves and little valleys, and the ups and downs soon reminded us that the distance alone doesn't tell the whole story. I found it worth pausing regularly to look back towards Sidmouth and along the coastline ahead.
The stretch around Salcombe Hill Cliffs and Chapman's Rocks was particularly lovely, with the path high above the sea and wildflowers growing along the edges. Butterflies flitted around the flowers, and I was pleased to spot a kestrel hovering over the grassland before it swept away across the slope. The countryside here feels surprisingly peaceful once you leave the town behind. We continued past Salcombe Regis and on towards Weston Mouth, where the isolated shingle beach sits below the cliffs. It looked an inviting place to stop for a breather, although getting down to the beach and back up again adds extra effort to an already undulating walk.
As we approached Branscombe, the path took us through a landscape of fields, hedgerows and steep-sided valleys before the village and coast came into view. Branscombe is a lovely place to break the journey, with its thatched buildings and old village features giving it a very different character from Sidmouth. The National Trust properties here include the Old Bakery, Manor Mill and Forge, each offering a glimpse of traditional village life. Down at Branscombe Mouth, the beach is backed by impressive cliffs, and the huge anchor left from the container ship MSC Napoli is a reminder of the vessel that ran aground nearby in 2007. I enjoyed the change of pace here before tackling the final stretch towards Beer.
The approach to Beer is one of the most memorable parts of the walk. Hooken Cliffs have a remarkable, broken appearance, with pale chalk pinnacles rising above a densely vegetated undercliff created by a major landslip in 1790. The shapes of the cliffs and the sheltered greenery below make this stretch feel quite different from the more open headlands earlier in the day. The coastal path undulates again, but the views across Lyme Bay make the effort worthwhile. As Beer came into sight, we could see the small fishing boats gathered on the shingle beach beneath the white cliffs.
Beer itself is a charming place to finish, with its narrow streets leading down towards the beach and boats still hauled up on the pebbles. After the quieter coves and clifftop paths, the village makes a welcome place to relax and look around. We then continued our day with a visit to Beer Quarry Caves, a short distance inland from the village. The guided tour was a fascinating contrast to the coastal walk: instead of looking out over the sea, we were taken deep underground through vast chambers cut into the rock over centuries of quarrying. The scale of the caverns is impressive, with high vaulted spaces and pillars of Beer stone that make parts of the quarry feel almost like an underground cathedral.
I found the history of the quarry especially interesting once we learnt how the stone was extracted by hand and transported for use in important buildings, including churches and cathedrals. It gives you a new appreciation of the stonework seen throughout the region and beyond. The caves are naturally cool, even on a warm day, so a warm layer and sturdy footwear are well worth having. The guides help bring the working conditions and history to life, and the tour adds a memorable historical finish to a day that has already taken in some of Devon's finest coastal scenery.
This is a rewarding but fairly demanding walk, with repeated climbs and descents along the coast, so I would allow plenty of time for stops and for exploring Branscombe and Beer. Adding the quarry tour makes it a fuller day out, but it is well worth doing if you enjoy history as well as walking. From the views above Sidmouth and Weston Mouth to the unusual landscape of Hooken Cliffs and the fishing boats at Beer, there is plenty to remember long after the walk is over.
To extend your walking in the area you can continue along the coast path to Seaton where you can pick up the Lyme Regis to Seaton Undercliff Walk.
Pubs and More Info
On the route you can stop at The Anchor Inn in Beer to refresh yourself. The main draw here is a lovely garden area with views of the coast. It's a good place to relax with a drink on a summer day. The inn is also dog friendly with water bowls placed outside. You can find the pub on Fore Street with a postcode of EX12 3ET for your sat navs.
In Branscombe there's the Fountain Head. It dates all the way back to the 14th century and has a charming interior with real log fires. There's also outdoor seating with nice views of the surrounding countryside. They have a good selection local beers and a good menu if you are peckish. You can find the pub at postcode EX12 3BG for your sat navs.
To continue your walking in the area you could head in the other direction along the coastal path on the Sidmouth to Budleigh Salterton Walk. This visits the popular Ladram Bay and the beautiful Otter Estuary where there is lots of wildlife to see.
On the route you could take a detour to visit the lovely Donkey Sanctuary in Salcombe Regis. This free tourist attraction includes a series of walkways taking you around the site and providing plenty of opportunities to interact with the resident donkeys. There's also a fine restaurant with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Devon Walks page.