Across the Torridge at Bideford's old bridge and on past historic Appledore to the pebble ridge of Westward Ho!.
Highlights
- Bideford Long Bridge
- Appledore
- Westward Ho! pebble ridge
Know before you go
- Road sections through the towns
Climbs 198 m and descends 193 m, topping out at 29 m and dropping to 0 m. Measured along the mapped route.
What you walk on, by distance (from OpenStreetMap way types).
Four axes rated 1–5 — the single rating above is only the headline.
Across the Torridge at Bideford's old bridge and on past historic Appledore to the pebble ridge of Westward Ho!.
This stage depends on 1 crossing. Check times before you set out — most are seasonal or tide-bound, and the inland detour is long.
Places on this leg with a full history, and free audio guides you can read or hear.
Instow to Westward Ho! is 12.2 miles (19.7 km). Allow about 6 h 42 min of walking, before stops.
Stage 7 climbs about 198 m and descends about 193 m, with a high point of about 29 m. On the South West Coast Path the ascent, not the distance, is what decides how long a day takes — the route repeatedly drops to sea level and climbs straight back out.
It is graded moderate. Rated out of five: physical demand 3/5 (Moderate), terrain 3/5 (Moderate), navigation 2/5 (Modest), remoteness 2/5 (Modest). On the SAC hiking scale it is T1 — mostly well-made path, falling is largely unlikely.
By distance the surface is footpath 40%, track 1%, road & lane 35%, other 24%. Percentages come from the mapped way types along the route.
March to October is the usual window for this leg. Outside it, daylight is short, some estuary ferries stop running and cliff-top wind and rain make an exposed route much harder work.
Water on this stage is scarce. We map 6 refill points on the leg — mostly pubs, cafés and taps in the villages the path passes through. Shade is minimal: this is open cliff-top walking, so carry more than you think in summer.
Yes — Instow–Appledore ferry. Seasonal ferry (Apr–Oct, ~2 h either side of high water) across the Torridge; when not running, the walk detours inland via Bideford bridge.
Highlights on this leg are Bideford Long Bridge, Appledore, Westward Ho! pebble ridge. It also passes 1 place we cover in depth: Appledore. There is 1 free audio guide between them.
Road sections through the towns.