The Undercliff Nature Reserve, Axmouth, Devon
Part of the South West Coast Path, The Undercliff Nature Reserve should certainly be up there on your list if you’re looking for good walks when you’re on holiday in Devon. This is a good one to get a group of you together to do, kids and all; lace up your boots, pack a picnic or plan a stop at the end for food, enjoy the very unique landscape and the spectacular coastal views.
The Undercliff runs for 7.5 miles from Axmouth to Lyme Regis, but be warned, if you start from Axmouth you’ll have a steep climb up over the golf course to start with – downhill on the way back just seems so much better. Once you get into the thick of it, The Undercliff is like a lost world that’s lain undiscovered for years; paths twist and turn over tree roots, all around is dense laurel, rhododendron, native broadleaf trees and huge towering cliffs clad with ivy. You’ll see the ruins of cottages that once stood here, the tall chimney of a former pumping station and a historic sheepwash – it’s like there are surprises round every corner, especially when you suddenly meet an open vista of the coastline and sea.
The Undercliff was formed by one of the biggest coastal landslips in Western Europe, and incudes Goat Island and The Great Chasm, an area of chalk grassland that’s the result of a slip of clifftop farmland on Christmas Day in 1839. Linger long enough and you might spot common blue butterflies or the rare orchids that grow there.
It’s worth remembering that for inexperienced walkers this is definitely a fair weather walk; parts of it can become muddy and unstable after heavy rainfall, which is why it’s important to wear appropriate footwear and always keep to the path.
All information correct at the time of writing