Climbs 1,094 m and descends 1,094 m, topping out at 318 m and dropping to 2 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.
Through the dramatic Valley of Rocks and over the great hog's-back hills of the Exmoor coast, including the Great Hangman, the highest point on the whole path.
Places on this leg with a full history, and free audio guides you can read or hear.
Lynmouth to Combe Martin is 13.6 miles (21.8 km). Allow about 7 h 18 min of walking, before stops.
Stage 3 climbs about 1,094 m and descends about 1,094 m, with a high point of about 318 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 hard. Rated out of five: physical demand 3/5 (Moderate), terrain 3/5 (Moderate), navigation 2/5 (Modest), remoteness 4/5 (High). On the SAC hiking scale it is T2 — some steep, rough or uneven ground.
By distance the surface is footpath 84%, bridleway 1%, track 1%, road & lane 14%. 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.
Highlights on this leg are Valley of Rocks, Great Hangman (318 m) — highest point on the SWCP, Heddon's Mouth. It also passes 1 place we cover in depth: Valley of Rocks. There is 1 free audio guide between them.
Big ascents over the Hangman hills.