Lydford Gorge

Devon

The deepest river gorge in the South West, with 30m high waterfall

Lydford, near Tavistock, Devon, EX20 4BH

Opening times
Prices
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View of the River Lyd flowing through a narrow slit in the rock walls of Lydford Gorge and foaming white in the Devil's Cauldron

M	T	W	T	F	S	S

Open

Closed

Opening times for 9 September 2026
Asset	Opening time
Waterfall car park	10:00 - Dusk
Waterfall trail	10:00 - 16:30
Waterfall tea-room	10:00 - 16:00
Waterfall pop-up bookshop	10:00 - 16:30
Devil's Cauldron car park	10:00 - Dusk
Devil’s Cauldron trail	10:00 - 16:30
Devil's Cauldron tea-room	10:30 - 16:30
Second-hand bookshop	10:00 - 16:30
Toilets	10:00 - 17:00

There are long-term path changes, please see the 'our work' article for more information. We may occasionally need to close Lydford Gorge for safety, due to forecast high winds or flooding, please check the website before travelling.

Lydford Gorge
Ticket type	With Gift Aid	Without Gift Aid
Adult (18+)	£14.30	£13.00
Child (5-17) under 5s free	£7.20	£6.50
Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children)	£35.80	£32.50
Family (1 Adult and up to 3 children)	£21.50	£19.50
Group (Adult 18+)		£12.35
Group (Child 5-17)		£6.18

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Bookshop
Second-hand bookshop at Devil's Cauldron entrance. Pop-up bookshop at Waterfall entrance
Car park
Limited spaces for long vehicles and not suitable for caravans. Free parking, no overnight parking allowed
Cycle parking
Available at both entrances, outside and to the right of visitor welcome
Dogs allowed
Dogs welcome - please keep them on a short lead at all times and out of the river
Dogs allowed - more information
Electric vehicle charging point
Two 11kw & two 50kw electric vehicle charging points available in waterfall car park. Chargers can be accessed using mobile app, RFID card, or contactless payment device. Chargers only available to visitors during opening hours. Visit our EV charging provider RAW Charging’s website to download the app in advance of your visit.
Electric vehicle charging point - more information
Picnic area
At Devil's Cauldron entrance in the orchard, 3 picnic tables and space for blankets. At Waterfall entrance, 5 picnic tables on a grass bank next to the car park, plus 3 tables undercover in pop-up bookshop
Tea-room
Devil's Cauldron tea-room serving hot and cold drinks, light bites, hot lunches, bakes, and cream teas. Waterfall tea-room, a takeaway offer including hot and cold drinks, snacks, and bakes
Tea-room - more information
Toilet
In the courtyard behind visitor welcome at the Devil's Cauldron entrance, and on the rear of the building in the Waterfall car park
Steep routes and rugged steps. Narrow paths with uneven surfaces by deep fast-flowing water. Patchy phone signal. Blue Badge parking. Accessible toilets. Induction loop. Bookable Tramper. Please get in touch to discuss access arrangements - email lydfordgorge@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01822 820320.
Click here for the full accessibility guide for Lydford Gorge - AccessAble.co.uk
Accessible toilet
Partly accessible toilet in the courtyard behind visitor welcome at the Devil's Cauldron entrance, and on the rear of the building in the Waterfall car park
Designated parking
Two accessible parking spaces at Devil's Cauldron entrance and three accessible parking spaces at Waterfall entrance
Induction loop
Fixed induction loops at all till points
Large print (guide or menu)
Large print menu for Devil's Cauldron tea-room
Level access to food outlet
Devil's Cauldron tea-room is through visitor welcome, across a section of rough stone paving then 15 metres down a sloped gravel path. Waterfall tea-room is 10 metres from the Waterfall entrance car park along a gently sloping paved path
Level access to shop
Second-hand bookshop is 15 metres from accessible parking spaces in the Devil's Cauldron car park. Pop-up bookshop is 5 metres from accessible parking spaces in Waterfall car park, there's a slope on the entrance
Powered mobility vehicle available
Tramper available to hire March to October, please book in advance
Powered mobility vehicle available - more information
Seating available
Seating available at visitor welcome, inside and outside both tea-rooms and in the bookshops. Benches, well spaced, at points around the Devil's Cauldron and Waterfall walking trails
Steps/uneven terrain
Step-free route to bird hide and Whitelady Waterfall - rough ground and steep slopes in places. Please get in touch to discuss visiting with your own mobility aid or any other access arrangements
Wheelchairs available
Available from Devil's Cauldron and Waterfall visitor welcome for transfer to tea-rooms and toilets, not suitable to take into the gorge
Map
Directions via Google Maps
By road
From Exeter and Okehampton. Follow brown signs to exit the A30 at Sourton Down and take A386 towards Tavistock, turn off onto unnamed road for Lydford village. The Devil's Cauldron entrance is on your right just after leaving the village, the Waterfall entrance is one mile further on.

From Tavistock. Either take the A386 and follow brown signs to turn off onto unnamed road for Lydford village and reach the Devil's Cauldron entrance first. Or head out of Tavistock on Drake Road past Brentor and and reach the Waterfall entrance first.

The two entrances to Lydford Gorge are just over one mile apart.

Parking. Free. Designated accessible parking available. No overnight parking allowed.

Sat Nav. EX20 4BH for the Devil's Cauldron entrance. EX20 4BL for the Waterfall entrance.
What3words.
To find the entrance of the Devil's Cauldron car park - what3words: ///port.turns.irrigated
To find the entrance of the Waterfall car park - what3words: ///summit.armrest.cubs
Parking: Four electric vehicle charging points are now available. See “Facilities” for more information. Drivers will require their own cables to charge.
On foot
Via Blackdown Moor from Mary Tavy or as road directions.

Please note the road from the Devil's Cauldron entrance to the Waterfall entrance is narrow with no footpath, so please avoid walking this if you can.
By train
Nearest train station is Okehampton, 10 miles from Lydford Gorge. Plan your train journey with the Dartmoor Line

Onward travel is possible by bus, the Stagecoach 118 bus picks up from the train station every two hours, or by bicycle on National Cycle Network 27. There is no taxi rank at Okehampton station.
By bus
Services between Okehampton (including train station) and Tavistock stop at both entrances to Lydford Gorge.

Stagecoach 118. Alight at Lydford Gorge main entrance for Devil's Cauldron entrance. Alight at Lydford Gorge lower entrance for Waterfall entrance. Plan your bus journey with traveline south west
Cycling
Cycle parking available at both entrances, outside and to the right of visitor welcome.

Both entrances to Lydford Gorge are on Route 27 of the National Cycle Network (NCN27). Approximately 10 miles from Okehampton and 7 miles from Tavistock. This route has some traffic-free sections and some road sections. Find out more about NCN27

Plan your route to Lydford Gorge using the CycleStreets journey planner. (This journey planner uses OpenStreetMap data which is generally excellent but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. If you come to a footpath or other cycle-prohibited track, please don’t ride on it).

Plan your CycleStreets journey to the Devil's Cauldron entrance
Plan your CycleStreets journey to the Waterfall entrance

Cycle hire is available from Devon Cycle Hire at Sourton Down and Granite Way Cycles in Okehampton by the train station.
Larger vehicles
We have limited spaces for long vehicles and we're unable to welcome caravans.

Due to narrow access, the Highways Agency recommends the maximum coach size is 43 seats, 10.5m x 2.4m. There is a 17-ton weight restriction on the old railway bridge near the Waterfall entrance (SX502831).
Lydford, near Tavistock, Devon, EX20 4BH
01822820320
lydfordgorge@nationaltrust.org.uk

Planning your visit

Lydford Gorge map 2026

Bringing your dog to Lydford Gorge

Lydford Gorge is a three pawprint rated place. Discover how to have a dog-friendly visit, including where to walk, what to be aware of and what facilities are available for your four-legged friend.

Close-up view of a brown and white dog, held on a lead, with fallen leaves on the ground, at Clent Hills, Worcestershire

Accessibility at Lydford Gorge

Find out about accessibility at Lydford Gorge and how to make the most of your visit to this deep river gorge filled with rare temperate rainforest habitat.

The all-terrain mobility Tramper in front of Whitelady Waterfall at Lydford Gorge, Devon

The Tramper at Lydford Gorge

A Tramper can be hired to access Whitelady Waterfall and the bird hide in the gorge, thanks to Countryside Mobility South West.

Visitor on all-terrain mobility Tramper viewing Whitelady Waterfall in the background, Lydford Gorge, Devon

Group and school visits

If you're looking to organise a group or educational visit please get in touch in advance by emailing lydfordgorge@nationaltrust.org.uk or calling 01822 820320.

Colourful autumn leaves fill the woodland with dark tree trunks interspersed.

No swimming at Lydford Gorge

We ask visitors not to swim, however tempting, as it's not safe. If something were to go wrong the area is very inaccessible. Please avoid disturbing the wildlife and special habitats of the gorge and don't go in.

Sun dappled waterfall at Lydford Gorge, Devon

Follow the Countryside Code

Help to look after National Trust places by observing a few simple guidelines during your visit and following the Countryside Code.

Women walking on a path through woodland tree trunk in foreground

Reduced opening in winter

The Devil’s Cauldron trail, Lyd Link path and seasonal trails are closed for safety and essential maintenance work every winter. From Monday 2 November 2026, only the waterfall trail and railway path will be open for walks, all other facilities - including the toilets - will be closed until we reopen in spring 2027.

Ranger in red top working with a pick axe to repair a path at Lydford Gorge

Plans for the future

Our work at Lydford Gorge

At Lydford Gorge in Devon we've closed a section of the gorge walking trail, which has become unsafe due to the effects of a changing climate, to help us protect the rare temperate rainforest it contains.

Three rangers working from ropes on the steep slopes of Lydford Gorge, Devon

Two visitors walking through the grounds of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal with the abbey ruins in the background

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Opening times

Prices

Facilities

Accessibility

Getting here

Map

Contact us

No swimming at Lydford Gorge

Reduced opening in winter

The Lyd Link path

Reduced opening in winter

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