Attractions and Places To See around Budleigh Salterton - Top 20

Budleigh Salterton offers a variety of walking trails. The Exe Estuary Trail provides a traffic-free path suitable for walkers and cyclists, offering fantastic views. You can also explore the South West Coast Path, which runs through Budleigh Salterton, with popular routes heading east towards Sidmouth or west towards Exmouth. For specific hiking routes, you can find options like the River Otter loop or the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve loop in the Easy hikes around Budleigh Salterton guide.

Yes, the Exe Estuary Trail boardwalk is mainly flat and well-surfaced, making it suitable for families, less fit individuals, and potentially wheelchair users. The overall Exe Estuary Trail is also well-surfaced and ideal for walkers. Many of the routes listed in the Easy hikes around Budleigh Salterton guide are graded as easy.

The Otter Estuary Nature Reserve is an excellent spot for birdwatching. The marshes around the River Otter support a significant population of wintering wildfowl and waders, including redshank, common sandpiper, curlew, and red-breasted merganser. There's even a birdwatcher's hut, and reed warblers, sedge warblers, and reed buntings breed on the site.

Budleigh Salterton is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. You can explore the two-mile pebble beach, known for its unique 'Budleigh Buns' pebbles and striking red cliffs. The red Triassic sandstone cliffs, particularly west of the promenade and at Otterton Point, are geologically significant. Further west, Orcombe Point and the Geoneedle mark the most westerly point of the Jurassic Coast, offering impressive red-colored steep walls.

Yes, cycling is a popular activity. The Exe Estuary Trail is a 22.5-mile (36-km), mainly flat cycle route and walkway linking Exmouth, Exeter, and Dawlish. It's predominantly off-road and offers fantastic views. For more cycling options, including moderate routes, check out the Cycling around Budleigh Salterton guide.

You can visit the Fairlynch Museum & Arts Centre, housed in a charming thatched-roof cottage, which showcases Budleigh Salterton's history, geology, and fishing heritage. The nearby village of East Budleigh is the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh, where you can see his pew in the local church. The Octagon, a distinctive dwelling in Budleigh Salterton, was once the residence of Pre-Raphaelite painter Sir John Everett Millais.

A short distance inland, Otterton Mill is a working watermill known for its artisan breads, cheeses, and crafts. Another unique site is A La Ronde, a quirky 16-sided National Trust property located between Exmouth and Lympstone, filled with items collected by two sisters from their travels.

Beyond the beach and easy walks, the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve is family-friendly, offering opportunities to spot wildlife. The Exe Estuary Trail is also suitable for families. For a dedicated family day out, the World of Country Life is a nearby attraction with over 30 acres of activities.

Budleigh Salterton is charming year-round. Summer offers ideal conditions for beach activities, swimming, and watersports like paddleboarding. Spring and autumn are excellent for walking and birdwatching, with milder temperatures and fewer crowds. Even winter walks along the coast or through the nature reserves can be beautiful and serene.

Many of the outdoor areas around Budleigh Salterton are dog-friendly, especially the coastal paths and the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths. It's always recommended to keep dogs under control, especially in nature reserves like the Otter Estuary, to protect wildlife. Specific routes can be found in guides like Easy hikes around Budleigh Salterton.

Visitors love the Exe Estuary Trail for its traffic-free path between Topsham and Exton, which is well-surfaced and ideal for any type of bike, as well as walkers and runners. The boardwalk section offers spectacular views of the Estuary and is noted for being suitable for families or less experienced cyclists.

The Otter Estuary Nature Reserve is special due to its rich birdlife, supporting a significant population of wintering wildfowl and waders. It's also a unique place to potentially spot beavers, which have been reintroduced as part of a conservation initiative. The deck route around the salt marshes and the birdwatcher's hut enhance the visitor experience.