The best road cycling routes around Lympstone

If you enjoy a dramatic entrance, Jacob’s Ladder is Sidmouth’s version of a red carpet—just with more cardio! These iconic white wooden steps link the lush Connaught Gardens to a stunning pebble beach below. As you descend, you get a "bird’s-eye" view of the red Triassic cliffs that look like giant slices of rusty gingerbread. Reach the bottom and you’re in a world of rock pools and crashing waves. Legend says if you climb back up without stopping, you’ve earned an extra large Devon cream tea at the top. Challenge accepted?

you can easily end up walking in circles i followed a public foot path that leads to a dead end amazing looking houses

Large seating area over looking the water

The end of the canal perfect location to stop and have a refreshment or some food

nice view and tasty pub

Good beer and food.

Turf Lock marks the entrance to the Exeter Ship Canal, accessed from the River Exe estuary on England's south coast. Be sure to stop at the iconic Turf Hotel and Pub while you're here.

A fantastic green space so close to the famous seafront. Ideal for a quiet stroll just away from the busy beaches and a secret haven for wildlife. The warm, sandy soil at The Maer provides perfect conditions for insects. Many unusual solitary Bees and Wasps make their nest tunnels in the sand and get on with raising their larvae out of sight of the casual observer – look for tiny Bees flying out of holes in the ground. Skylarks are a species of British bird that have suffered a massive decline in recent years. However, there are still a handful of pairs that regularly use The Maer in the summer months for breeding. If disturbed a skylark will fly up singing loudly, filling the air with its beautiful call. The harsh soil conditions mean that specialised and rare plants can grow on this site. Many small, unobtrusive plants, including a number of tiny grasses, survive on areas of bare soil eroded by visitors. Sea Holly is locally rare, but grows very well on the seaward side of the nature reserve. Looking like a small blue-grey thistle, Sea Holly is actually a member of the carrot family! There are many different species of Clover growing here, including several nationally important species. Look out for the fluffy flower heads of Hare’s Foot Clover between June and September which, as its name suggests, resemble little rabbit feet – unmistakable.