Devon

Doone Valley circular walk and ride

Riverside pathway in the Lorna Doone Valley, Exmoor — Riverside pathway in the Lorna Doone Valley | © National Trust Images/Mark Johnson

Take a wander, on foot or on horseback, along this circular riverside walk in the Lorna Doone Valley in Devon made famous by the novel of the same name. Discover woodlands, the medieval village of Badgworthy, and pass a memorial to Lorna Doone author, R.D. Blackmore.

Near to

Lorna Doone Valley

Start point

Lorna Doone Farm, grid ref: SS791478.

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 7 (km: 11.2)

Duration3 hours

Dog friendly***

*This route follows roads, paths and bridleways with uneven terrain with some steep sections. For further details, please see section marked Terrain.
**Mostly uneven and muddy terrain with some level ground. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dogs on leads are welcome. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Total stages: 5
Total stages: 5
Start point
Lorna Doone Farm, grid ref: SS791478.
Stage 1
From the car park walk behind the shop and up the road passing the old stable block to your left and barn on the right. Ignoring the toll gate which leads onto a permissive path. Continue up the road until it bends to the right. As the road bends to the right go through the gate on the left and follow the bridleway.
Stage 2
Continue along the bridleway following Badgworthry Water for 3km. Keep on the right hand side of the river passing the footbridge to Cloud Farm, the memorial to R.D.Blackmore and into the ancient woodland. Follow the bridleway through the woodland. The woodland opens into an area of bracken here take the central path and cross a wooden footbridge over a small waterfall. Continue along the path until you reach the abandoned medieval village of Badgworthy.
Medieval Village
The remains of the medieval village are the home of the fictional outlaws the Doones in the novel Lorna Doone. You can see some of the basic outlines of the homes that made up the village. Terraces were cut into the south face of the hill and can still be seen. This is where cereals and vegetables were grown, and livestock would graze on the moor. The village was largely abandoned sometime in the 15th century. With the last recorded residents being a grandfather and his granddaughter in the 19th century.
Stage 3
At the medieval village the bridleway bends around the hill and up onto Brendon Common. Follow the bridleway on to the moor itself for 2km passing through a stone wall field boundary. Then through a gate in a stone wall keeping to the defined path. Following the path it bends around into a small valley here go through a small ford and up a slope taking the right hand path to a crossroad on top of the ridge.
Stage 4
Turn right at the crossroad signposted towards Malmsmead along the stone track. Following the track until bridleway turns left off the stone track, this is indicated by a blue post marker. Passing through a ford and up a hill follow the clearly defined path until you reach the road.
Stage 5
At the road turn right and follow the road downhill back to the Lorna Doone Valley car park.
End point
Lorna Doone Farm, grid ref: SS791478.
Trail map
Doone Valley circular walk trail map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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