A Walking Itinerary

Pick a length, plot the river

If you've only got a day, the lower valley is the easiest to reach and the easiest to walk. Flat surfaced paths, a watermill café, the chance of a beaver sighting at dusk and the sea at the end — Budleigh Salterton to Otterton Mill is roughly 3 miles each way along the Otter footpath.

The route

2.5 miles · 1 leg

The River Otter itself is approximately 44 km / 27 miles long. Suggested walking, cycling or driving routes may differ — they follow public rights of way, lanes, bridges and access points rather than the river channel. The Otter Valley Trail is a curated guide, not a single continuous waymarked path.

Key

Food & Drink
Lodging
Cider
Orchards
Trees
Other

Route validation

Snapped against OS footpaths & OpenStreetMap

The backbone line is checked for loops, southward backtracks (the spine should run monotonically north of Queen Elizabeth Bridge), unnecessary detours, and unverified long hops between waypoints.

Last cross-referenced against OS Maps · 2026-06-10

✓ No loops, backtracks or unexplained detours detected. The spine runs cleanly from The Star to Otterton Mill.

Waypoints & turns

Budleigh → QE Bridge → Pynes → Otterton Mill

Cross-referenced against OS footpaths and the East Devon Way. Distances are cumulative along the line shown on the map.

01
The Star · Marine Parade
Start. Walk east along Marine Parade with the sea on your right.
0.0 mi
02
Lime Kiln Car Park & Toilets
Cross into the car park; pick up the East Devon Way / Otter path heading north along the river's west bank.
0.29 mi
03
Queen Elizabeth Bridge (west end)
Bear right onto the bridge across the River Otter.
0.66 mi
04
Queen Elizabeth Bridge (east end)
Off the bridge, follow South Farm Road north-east for ~250 m.
0.74 mi
05
Pynes Farm Shop
Farm shop & butchery. Leave the shop heading north — rejoin the riverside footpath at the gate behind the yard.
0.92 mi
06
East-bank footpath (Otter Estuary north)
Keep the river on your left; flat, level path through reedbed and pasture.
1.26 mi
07
Clamour Bridge meadows
Continue straight; the path runs parallel to the river, with beaver dams visible at low water.
1.74 mi
08
Otterton riverside approach
Cross the small wooden footbridge into Otterton village.
2.16 mi
09
Otterton Mill
Finish. Watermill, bakery and café on Fore Street.
2.48 mi

Leg I2.5 mi · 4.0 km

A Day on the Lower Otter

Budleigh Salterton to Otterton Mill

The most accessible stretch — watermills, wild beavers and the sea.

Start Budleigh Salterton · EX9 6NG

Start at The Star / Budleigh seafront, walk east to Lime Kiln car park, cross Queen Elizabeth Bridge, call at Pynes Farm Shop, then keep to the east-bank River Otter footpath all the way north to Otterton Mill. Return the same way or use the bus between Otterton and Budleigh.

Stops along the way

01
The Longboat CaféBudleigh Salterton
The seafront café marks the Budleigh end of the walk, close to The Star / Marine Parade start.
Address
Marine Parade, Budleigh Salterton EX9 6NS
Hours
Daily 9.00–17.00 (winter to 16.00)
02
Pynes Farm ShopBudleigh Salterton
Farm shop and butchery on South Farm Road, just after Queen Elizabeth Bridge.
Address
Unit 10 South Farm Court, South Farm Road, Budleigh Salterton EX9 7AY
Hours
Mon–Sat 9.00–17.00 · Sun 10.00–14.00
03
Otterton MillOtterton
Stoneground flour, a bakery and a café in a working watermill.
Address
Fore Street, Otterton, Budleigh Salterton EX9 7HG
Hours
Daily 10.00–16.00 (mill demos Tue & Thu, 11.00 & 14.00)
04
Otter Estuary Nature ReserveBudleigh Salterton
Boardwalks over the saltmarsh; the hide at the southern end is best at falling tide.

Where to stay

Day trip — no overnight needed. Mostly flat surfaced paths along the Otter footpath.

Side trip

Venn Ottery & River Otter Ramble

A four-mile circular from Tipton St John through quiet lanes, field footpaths and historic churches — with a coffee at Bowhayes Trees along the way.

Start / finish: Tipton St John village car park, opposite Tipton Garage — EX10 0AF
what3words: ///flattery.resists.play
Distance: 4 miles · 6.4 km (about 4.5 miles with the Bowhayes coffee stop)
Time: About 1.5 hours walking, longer with a stop
Difficulty: Moderate — one steady climb out of the valley
Terrain: Field footpaths, kissing gates, wooden bridges, quiet lanes and an uneven woodland path. The riverside section is muddy after rain.
Parking: Free
Access: No stiles, but not suitable for wheelchairs, mobility scooters or buggies

The way round

Tap a numbered step or a map pin — the two stay in step with each other.

01
From the car park, pick up the field path north out of Tipton St John and follow it towards Aylesbeare Common and Harpford Woods.
02
Through the gates and over the metal bridge, then along an easy-to-miss path through long grass with the river below you to the right.
03
Cross the meadow — a heron often lifts from the water here — and continue past the field edge towards Venn Ottery.
04
Coffee stop: turn aside at Bowhayes Trees for a coffee among rows of field-grown trees before rejoining the route.
05
Follow the lane to Venn Ottery Green, cross the bridge and pass St Gregory's churchyard, where the Saxon chevron doorway dates to about 1095.
06
Turn right at the lane, then left after Harbor for the byway north and back towards the start via the junction at Venn Ottery St John Primary School.
07
Finish at the Golden Lion in Tipton St John for a wisteria-shaded beer garden and a plate of something small.

Map preview

The loop is drawn approximately — use OS Explorer 115 on the ground.

Coffee stop

Bowhayes Trees, Venn Ottery — a specialist tree nursery in the red soils of the valley, a short detour from the halfway point. Bowhayes Farm, Venn Ottery, Ottery St Mary EX11 1RX. Opening times vary — check before travelling.

Route facts follow the published Venn Ottery & River Otter Ramble in one magazine (onemagdevon). Directions here are a summary — carry OS Explorer 115 and check field paths after heavy rain.