A few years ago when staying in Beer, my friend Mike Green, knowing I liked walking, told me about the East Devon Way.

When back home, in Surrey, I researched it, bought the booklet, but this can be downloaded, and bought the 2 explorer maps need for the entire route… 40 miles through a lovely part of East Devon.

The route starts in Exmouth and finishes in Lyme Regis. The booklet contains everything that you need to know when planning a long walk along with very clear information of the route and historical notes of certain features along the walk.

Having recently retired and now 62, I decided to make it a circular walk, taking in about 30 miles of the South West Coast Path, starting at Lyme Regis and picking up the EDW in Exmouth. Being alone and a good walker I decided to do the whole 70 miles in 4 days, planning my b and b stops accordingly.

After 2 lovely and invigorating days on the coast path I picked up the sign and start of the EDW by the estuary. What a beautiful and peaceful next 2 days. Weather was again kind… no heavy rain…. Although being born in Beer, I passed by places that I never knew existed or I had passed through by car.

The serene countryside was magic, especially Woodbury Common. Cannington viaduct, I never knew existed. Small and quaint Devon villages, so still and quiet. Following the river Coly, walking over Seaton tramway, then the real Devon farmland and woods as you arrive in Uplyme. The first glimpse of the sea knowing that you are getting close, then just the ideal finish walking down to Lyme Regis by the river Lin.

The entire route was well waymarked with the usual circular signs, the foxglove and pink direction arrows. A big thank you to the team for doing this, so helpful.

I would fully recommend the EDW for a stand alone walk, but combining it with the coastal path, I feel that you get the best of everything that is lovely in Devon, and of course a little bit of Dorset.

That walk spurred me on to then complete the Shipwrights Way in Hampshire, a 50 mile walk running from Alice Holt Forest southwards over the South Downs and all the way to the sea, finishing at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

From that I completed The Devon Coast to Coast, a composite route made up of the Two Moors Way from Ivybridge to Lynmouth and the Erme-Plym Trail, also marked on OS mapping, from the coast at Wembury to Ivybridge. This combined route was relaunched in 2016. An epic 120 miles, a must do for serious walkers.

All the best, happy and safe walking!