Coast & Country Parks Devon Devon

There’s a particular kind of tired that only comes from a good walk. Cold cheeks, muddy boots, a dog who’s finally stopped pulling. Then a fire, a pint and a table by the window.

Stay at Tamar View or Notter Bridge and you’re right on the border, with Dartmoor on one side and the Cornish coast on the other. That gives you a choice of moorland, woodland and sea, often in the same weekend.

We’ve picked five of our favourite pub walks across Devon and Cornwall. Each one comes with the distance, a rough time, what the ground is like, how hard it feels, and the pub waiting at the end. Every pub on the list welcomes dogs, so nobody gets left in the car.

Notter Bridge, North Saltash, Notter, Saltash PL12 4RN, UK

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St Ann's Chapel, Gunnislake PL17 8JA, UK

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The Walk: Rame Head & Cawsand, Cornwall

This walk takes you round Cornwall’s south-eastern tip. From Cawsand, the coast path winds through Penlee Woods to Penlee Point, where an old gun battery is now a nature reserve. From there it carries on to Rame Head and its little medieval chapel, licensed for Mass in 1397. You come back inland through fields and quiet lanes to the old smuggling village where you started.

Distance: approx. 9 km (5.5 miles) circular
Time: around 2.5–3 hrs for full loop
Terrain: coast path and woodland, a steady climb up to the chapel on Rame Head, then field paths and quiet lanes. Signposting is sparse once you leave the coast path, so take a map or walking app.
Difficulty: moderate
Start: Cawsand car park (pay and display)

The Pub: The Cross Keys Inn, Cawsand.

This rambling 17th-century pub on the village square was once known as the Smugglers Inn. Dogs are welcome.

Route sources: Cornwall Council – circular walks · South West Coast Path – Cawsand & Polhawn Forts · CAMRA – Cross Keys

The Walk: Princetown Railway & King’s Tor, Dartmoor

This route follows the old railway trackbed that once carried granite off the moor. The views open up the whole way. There’s a short detour to Foggintor Quarry, where rain has filled the old workings with a quiet lake, before King’s Tor and the loop back to Princetown.

Distance: approx. 8.7 km (5.4 miles)
Time: around 2 hrs 20 mins
Terrain: level old railway trackbed with loose stone ballast; open and exposed, with no shelter in bad weather
Difficulty: easy to moderate. Mostly flat, but keep children and dogs well back from the quarry edges, which have steep, unexpected drops.
Start: Princetown car park, by the National Park Visitor Centre

The Pub: The Plume of Feathers, Princetown.

A proper walkers’ pub in the heart of the village, and dog-friendly.

Route source: Pinns – Princetown walks

Image source: Dartmoor Explorations

The Walk: Wistman’s Wood & Crockern Tor, Dartmoor

Wistman’s Wood is one of the most atmospheric places on Dartmoor. It’s a small wood of stunted, twisted oaks growing among moss-covered boulders, with more than 100 species of lichen. The circular route follows the West Dart up to the wood, climbs to Longaford Tor, then returns along the ridge via Crockern Tor.

Distance: approx. 8 km (5 miles)
Time: around 2 hrs, not counting stops
Terrain: moorland paths, a steep climb up to Longaford Tor, and some high stiles (dogs may need a lift)
Difficulty: moderate
Start: Two Bridges. The car park is opposite the Two Bridges Hotel on the B3357.

If you’d rather just see the wood, a signposted path from Two Bridges makes a shorter out-and-back walk. Please admire the trees from the edge, though. The ecosystem is fragile, so it’s best not to wander in among them.

The Pub: Two Bridges Hotel.

It’s a hotel rather than a village local, but dogs are welcome in its cosy bar, which has log fires.

Route source: Two Bridges Hotel – Wistman’s Wood walk

Image source: Two Bridges Hotel

The Walk: Dewerstone & Cadover Bridge, Dartmoor

This is the most adventurous of the five. You head through ancient oak woodland beside the River Plym, then climb to the granite crags of the Dewerstone, wrapped in local folklore. The way back crosses open moorland with wide views over South Devon.

Distance: approx. 5.4 km (3.4 miles)
Time: around 2 hrs 30 mins
Terrain: waymarked footpaths and open moorland, with steep climbs. Expect tree roots and rocky sections that get slippery when wet.
Difficulty: challenging. Best for fit walkers and energetic dogs.
Start: Cadover Bridge car park, Shaugh Prior (PL7 5EH)

The Pub: The White Thorn Inn, Shaugh Prior.

It’s dog-friendly. The route itself doesn’t pass through the village, so it’s a short hop to the pub afterwards.

Route source: National Trust – Cadover Bridge and Dewerstone Rock circular walk

Image source: National Trust

The Walk: Mount Edgcumbe to Kingsand, Cornwall

Now over the Tamar to the Rame Peninsula. You start at Cremyll and follow the South West Coast Path around the edge of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, which is free to enter. The path runs through woodland and deer park, with Plymouth Sound and Drake’s Island across the water. It passes Picklecombe Point and its 19th-century fort before dropping into the old smuggling village of Kingsand.

Distance: one way to Kingsand, 5.7km. The full circular route back via Maker Church is approx. 10.7 km (6.6 miles).
Time: around 3 hrs for the full circuit
Terrain: coast path, woodland, quiet lanes and field paths, with a few gates and stiles. Some stretches get muddy after heavy rain.
Difficulty: moderate
Start: Cremyll car park, or arrive on foot via the Cremyll Ferry from Plymouth

For a true pub-at-the-end walk, go one way and catch the number 70 bus from Kingsand back to Cremyll. Notter Bridge guests will find this one especially handy.

The Pub: The Devonport Inn, Kingsand.

It sits right on the beach and looks out over Plymouth Sound, and dogs are welcome.

Route sources: Walking Englishman – Cremyll circular · She Walks in England – bus 70 · CAMRA – Devonport Inn

Before You Set Off…

A few honest pointers. Dartmoor is beautiful, but it doesn’t do half measures.

Weather turns quickly on the moor. Pack layers and waterproofs, even if the morning looks bright.
Wear proper footwear. Several of these routes cross rocky, rooty or loose ground that gets slippery after rain.
Watch the daylight. The clocks go back on Sunday 25th October, so autumn and winter afternoons end early. Start in good time.
Keep dogs close around livestock. Ponies, sheep and cattle graze freely on Dartmoor, and there are deer at Mount Edgcumbe.
Check the pub before you go. Opening hours often change outside the summer season, so a quick call or a look online saves disappointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these pub walks dog friendly?
Yes. All five pubs welcome dogs, although at the Two Bridges Hotel that means the bar rather than the restaurant. On the moor and in the Mount Edgcumbe deer park, keep dogs on a short lead around livestock and deer.

Which is the easiest walk?
The Princetown Railway walk is mostly level along an old trackbed. Burrator is gentle too, with a few climbs. The Dewerstone is the toughest, with steep, rocky ground.

Can I do the Kingsand walk without a car?
Yes. Take the Cremyll Ferry from Plymouth, walk the coast path to Kingsand, and catch the number 70 bus back.

Are the pubs open all year?
Most are, but hours often change outside the summer season. Some close on certain weekdays in winter, so check before you set off.

Is all accommodation at Coast & Country Parks dog-friendly?
Yes. Every stay at Coast & Country Parks is dog-friendly, from our glamping pods and Stargazer Geodomes to our hot tub lodges and touring pitches. We were proud runners-up at the Dog Friendly Awards 2025, and four-legged guests are always welcome. There’s even dog wash stations dotted around our sites so no need to worry about getting muddy on your walks.