Baggy Point circular walk via Middleborough Hill
A circular, undulating walk along both sides of Baggy Point then over the top of the headland with far-reaching coastal, sea and farmland views. This is an excellent route for wild flowers, bird-watching and, at certain times of the year, you can also watch rock climbers scaling the cliffs. The area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geological features.
Dangerous cliff edges
Please keep dogs on leads and avoid getting to close to the steep cliff edges. They can be unstable and dangerous.
Total steps: 13
Total steps: 13
Start point
Baggy Point car park, EX33 1PA. grid ref: SS432397
Step 1
Go out of the car park by the kiosk and turn right up the asphalted lane, signed Baggy Point 1 mile. Be careful as there can be traffic on this section.
Step 2
Go through gate posts to the fingerpost at the fork in the path, go left here. On your left at this point is the only dog waste bin in this area. Follow the asphalted track past the houses.
Step 3
Follow the track, keeping to your left at the next fork – to your right here is a driveway to a modern house. About 28yd (25m) along here stop and look at the whale bones on the right side of the path.
Step 4
Follow this mostly level, graded track along to the end of the headland. Look out to your left across the bays to Hartland in the far distance.
Step 5
As the path curves slightly to your left, look for three steps up to your right where you'll find a pond that's been restored to create a valuable wildlife habitat.
Step 6
When you reach the headland, take time to stop and absorb the view it's magnificent at any time of year and in any weather.
Step 7
At the point of the headland, the path makes a sharp hairpin turn up to your right. Head up the hill and take the grassy path immediately to your left, following it along the fence line. It widens out into a grassy track that goes across a field at the top of the cliff past an old coastguard lookout post. Please do not go to the edge of the cliff and ensure you keep your dogs on a lead. As you walk across this field look to your right at Hoe Wall, a traditional North Devon dry stone wall that straddles the spine of the promontory. In the past it marked the limit of cultivation.
Step 8
Follow the grassy track as it passes out onto the eastern side of Baggy Point, where the panoramic vista across Woolacombe Bay comes into view. Stay on the path along the clifftop. In the spring and the summer listen out for the characteristic song of the stone chats, usually found sitting on the tops of the gorse and bramble bushes; in the winter you might hear robins. Go through the next gate and at the fingerpost follow the grassy path to your right, signed NT Car Park.
Step 9
Go over the first stile – look immediately to your left here at the remains of a dummy pillbox used in the Second World War for D-Day landing training; there are several of these on Baggy Point. Walk through a field, keeping the dry stone wall to the left. Go over the next stile and cross the field, still keeping the dry stone wall to your left. This is a good place to look at the sweeping views over Croyde and Bideford Bays all the way to Hartland Point in the far distance. Over to your right is Croyde Hoe Farm.
Step 10
In the left corner of the field, go over the stile and walk to your left, following the dry stone wall round the field to the gate in the corner of the field. You can now see Middleborough Hill rising up in front of you. Go through the gate and follow the fingerpost, signed NT car park, up the hill. As you walk up through the field have a look at the dry stone wall to your left. Close to the crest of the hill you'll come to another fingerpost pointing up and over the top. Follow this until you come to the bench – this is a wonderful place to stop and take in views across Croyde village and its world-famous surf beach.
Step 11
Walk round to your left, along the grassy track through the gorse and then, at the fingerpost, go right down between the gorse, signed NT car park. The gorse here, and at other places on the headland, is maintained by our tenant farmer, not only to keep the footpaths clear but also to create a mix of gorse of varying ages, providing a richer and more diverse wildlife habitat. This section of the walk can be muddy and slippery in wet weather.
Step 12
Go through the next gate and down through the field to the gate in between the buildings ahead of you.
Step 13
Go over the stile between the buildings to the road. Be careful of traffic here as you are now on a public road. Turn right, past the Sandleigh Tea Rooms and Garden, back to the car park.
End point
Baggy Point car park, EX33 1PA. grid ref: SS432397
Trail map
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