Sidmouth countryside

About

Sidmouth countryside is the National Trust's land around this Regency seaside town, centred on Salcombe Hill, whose red cliffs belong to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The car park faces the domes of the Norman Lockyer Observatory, built for the astronomer who retired to Salcombe Regis in 1911, and a gravel path leads to a clifftop toposcope and benches looking over Sidmouth to High Peak and Ladram Bay. East along the coast lie the steep valleys of Salcombe Mouth and Dunscombe and Weston Plats, 19th-century cliff allotments whose early potatoes once rivalled Jersey's. Reviewers love walking down into Sidmouth along the coast path, and warn that the steps to the pebbly beach at Salcombe Mouth make a hard climb back. Several Trust trails start from the car park, including a gentle loop suited to pushchairs and wheelchairs. Dogs are welcome on all the walks under close control, on leads where cattle graze.

CountrysideWalking routesDog friendlyCar parkPicnic tablesDogs allowedAccessible trail

Check today’s timesSee all times

CountrysideDawn to dusk
Sidmouth shop10am to 4pm

PricingFreeFree for all visitors

Free entry for everyone

Entry

Free for everyone

Pricing details

The countryside and walks are free to access for everyone. Parking charges for non-members apply separately.

ParkingFree for members

National Trust car park on Salcombe Hill; free for members, charge for non-members paid through the JustPark app

Parking details

Salcombe Hill car park, EX10 0NY, is opposite the Norman Lockyer Observatory. It uses a digital payment system through the JustPark app, so download and set up the app before the visit; no JustPark location code is published on the National Trust page. The Trust's Salcombe Views and Valleys trail page says the car park is free for National Trust members and costs non-members £3.

Alternatives: a free car park at Peak Hill and pay and display parking in Sidmouth town centre (neither National Trust), and parking at the Donkey Sanctuary and at Weston.

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Walking routes3 routes

Salcombe Hill accessible walk

WalkDog friendly1.3 km

Starts at Salcombe Hill car park (NT), EX10 0NY; 0.8 miles on gravel paths to the toposcope, suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Members park free.

Nearby

Branscombe

3.6 mi

Blackbury Camp

4.0 mi

A La Ronde

8.8 mi

Shute Barton

9.1 mi

Loughwood Meeting House

9.9 mi

Killerton

12.7 mi

The countryside is open from dawn to dusk on the National Trust calendar.

A section of the coast path at Salcombe Hill is closed after a significant cliff fall; follow the footpath diversion and keep away from the cliff edge.

The National Trust shop is on Fore Street in Sidmouth town, separate from the Salcombe Hill car park.

There are no toilets at Salcombe Hill; the nearest are in Sidmouth and Sidford.

An easy access trail of about 0.8 miles on gravel paths runs from the car park to the toposcope; other paths are steep, stepped and uneven.

Photo: Salcombe Hill Cliff, east of Sidmouth. David Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salcombe_Hill_Cliff,_east_of_Sidmouth_-_geograph.org.uk_-_7984863.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.

Dogs at the location: Allowed. Dogs are allowed in the Sidmouth countryside all year under close control.

Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed. Dogs under close control may use all the walks; leads where livestock or cattle grazing signs are present.

Leads: Under close control; on a lead where livestock graze the cliffland or cattle signs are displayed.

Seasonal dog restrictions: Seasonal signs show where livestock are present.