Two Moors Way

The Two Moors Way is a 117 mi (188 km) long-distance walk from Wembury on the southern coast of Devon, through Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks, ending in Lynmouth on Devon's northern coast. Except for a couple of challenging sections, the trail is well-marked and the walking is easy.

Most hikers choose to walk from the south to the north, and hike about 15 miles a day, completing the walk in about 7–9 days.

There are many villages and inns along the route. Many inns will transfer your luggage onto your next stop (there are also a number of companies that will do this plus more).

You'll want a sturdy set of hiking shoes, some rain gear, and a few layers of clothing—temperatures and weather conditions can shift rapidly on the moors.

While the trail is generally well waymarked (look for the "MW" markers), the open moorland sections on Dartmoor and Exmoor cross wild, remote countryside where the path can be indistinct and the weather can change quickly. On these stretches, carrying a map and knowing how to take a bearing with a compass is strongly advisable, even if you don't expect to need it—a GPS app is a fine primary tool, but phone batteries and signal can both fail on the moors.

Villages along the route have limited options, and some waypoints have none at all—check ahead and stock up on supplies when you pass through a larger town. Cafes and pubs serving food are common in the larger villages, but many close early or aren't open every day, especially outside peak season.

Pubs are your best bet for a drink and are found in most of the larger villages on this route. Tap water is generally safe in towns; if you're relying on streams or other natural sources on the moors, treat or filter the water first.

Options range from campsites and bunkhouses to B&Bs and small inns, but availability can be limited in the smaller villages, so it's worth booking ahead, especially in summer. Wild camping is restricted in much of this area—check local rules (Dartmoor permits some wild camping; Exmoor generally does not) before you pitch a tent.

Weather on the moors is changeable and can turn from clear to foggy, windy, or wet with little warning, even in summer. Winters bring cold temperatures, and higher sections can see snow; summer days are milder but rain is possible year-round, so pack accordingly regardless of season.

There are two options for beginning the trail in the south. The first is the original trailhead, inland at Ivybridge. Your other option, a newer trail extension, begins in Wembury and adds 15 miles (24 km), but gives you coast-to-coast bragging rights.

Ivybridge's train station is served by Great Western Railway, and connects with both Plymouth and Exeter, which has service from London Paddington station.

Wembury lacks a train station, but has a regular bus service from Plymouth.

Walking is the main activity along this 117-mile coast-to-coast route, which links the south Devon coast at Wembury with the north Devon coast at Lynmouth, crossing both Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks along the way. Most walkers split it into a series of daily stages, described here south to north.

Wembury to Yealmpton

 7 mi

From 50.317919-4.0841141 Wembury, on the coast with views out to the Great Mew Stone, the route turns inland along the Erme-Plym Trail, crossing rolling South Hams farmland to 50.348581-3.9987812 Yealmpton.

Yealmpton to Ivybridge

 9 mi

The trail crosses the River Yealm and later the Erme, following riverside meadows past Ermington before reaching 50.390254-3.9196063 Ivybridge, a town at the foot of Dartmoor beneath Western Beacon.

Ivybridge to Holne

 15 mi

The first stage of the official Two Moors Way, and the most testing on the route: the trail follows the dismantled Redlake Railway across barren, open moorland, crosses the River Avon by a 19th-century clapper bridge, and passes the old rabbit warrens of Huntingdon Warren before dropping to the welcome shelter of 50.511131-3.8257914 Holne.

Holne to Hameldown

 7 mi

A picturesque stretch dropping through woodland to cross the River Dart at New Bridge, then climbing back onto open moor at 50.569058-3.8320085 Hameldown. 50.576914-3.8117411 Widecombe in the Moor. B&Bs in this village about 1.5 miles off trail from Hameldown.  

Hameldown to Chagford

 10 mi

The trail continues over high moorland before descending to the small town of 50.673066-3.8402656 Chagford on the edge of Dartmoor.

Chagford to Drewsteignton

 4 mi

A short stage through wooded valleys along the River Teign to 50.70394-3.7921027 Drewsteignton, where the route leaves Dartmoor National Park behind.

Drewsteignton to Morchard Bishop

 16 mi

The longest stage crosses the quiet, hilly farmland of Mid Devon, criss-crossed by narrow hedged lanes and scattered hamlets, to 50.854104-3.7487958 Morchard Bishop, the halfway point of the route, marked by one half of an inscribed granite boulder.

Morchard Bishop to Witheridge

 8 mi

The trail continues through Mid Devon's patchwork of farms and remote churches to 50.917512-3.7006269 Witheridge.

Witheridge to Knowstone

 8 mi

More gently rolling countryside leads to the small village of 50.994381-3.67462710 Knowstone, near the southern edge of Exmoor.

Knowstone to Hawkridge

 8 mi

The trail crosses into Exmoor National Park, with folded moorland slopes and steep-sided combes, reaching 51.064196-3.62714811 Hawkridge near the famous Tarr Steps clapper bridge.

Hawkridge to Withypool

 6 mi

A shorter stage over open Exmoor moorland to the village of 51.108187-3.64906312 Withypool on the River Barle.

Withypool to Simonsbath

 7 mi

The trail continues across remote moorland, historic farmsteads and pretty hamlets to 51.139332-3.75478413 Simonsbath, near where a second half of the inscribed granite boulder faces its twin at Morchard Bishop.

Simonsbath to Lynmouth

 12 mi

The final stage crosses Exmoor's sandstone moorland, dissected by picturesque rivers in steep-sided combes, before descending to towering sea cliffs and the dramatic coastal finish at 51.229575-3.8291714 Lynmouth.

The usual precautions of wilderness backpacking apply. Since you're likely sleeping in B&Bs along the way, you don't need to carry as many supplies and gear as when sleeping in the wild—however a sufficient supply of water and food for the day should always be carried, and you should restock on first opportunity. You should carry a few layers of warm and waterproof clothes with you, as well as a travel guide, map, and compass. A mobile phone is a good idea, but in remote areas there might be no coverage, so be warned.

There's no train service from Lynton and Lynmouth, where the trail ends. But you can catch the 309 or 310 buses to Barnstaple, which has train service onward to Exeter and bus connections to many other spots around Devon.