Valley of the Rocks: Exmoor's Greatest Amphitheatre

What is the Valley of the Rocks?

The Valley of the Rocks is a U-shaped dry valley running roughly parallel to the Exmoor coast, just 1.5 km west of Lynton in north Devon. Its castle-like crags — Castle Rock, Rugged Jack and the Hollow Brook Slabs — rise up to 130 m above the sea. The valley is unusual because rivers normally cut to the sea at right angles; here, an ancient river channel drained behind the coast, leaving a rock corridor stranded above the waves when sea levels rose.

Geologists classify the rocks as part of the Lynton Formation: fine-grained sandstones and slates laid down in the Devonian period, roughly 370 million years ago — fittingly, the epoch is named after this county.

Best walking routes

• Valley loop (1.5 km, easy, 40 min): the classic circuit from Lee Abbey car park along the valley floor, up past the goats and back via the cliffside path.
• Lynton ↔ Valley of the Rocks coast path (3 km one-way, moderate): follow the South West Coast Path from Lynton's harbour for vertigo-inducing sea views, returning via Hollerday Hill.
• Woody Bay extension (7 km, moderate): continue west past Heddon's Mouth to the hidden cove at Woody Bay — quieter, wilder, unforgettable.

The wild goats

The valley's most famous residents are a herd of feral goats, descendants of stock that has roamed these cliffs for thousands of years — possibly since the Mesolithic. They are expert climbers, often spotted on ledges that look impossibly narrow. Keep dogs on a lead: goats, lambing sheep and ground-nesting birds all share this coastline.

In spring, kids appear on the ledges; in autumn, males clash horns in noisy displays. Please never feed them — human food causes disease, and aggressive begging has led to restrictions in other goat-populated areas.

Parking, access & practical tips

• Parking: the main National Park car park sits at the eastern end of the valley (free, fills by 10:30 in summer). Lee Abbey car park offers the western access.
• By public transport: the 399 coastal bus stops at the valley entrance in summer; from Lynton it is a flat 25-minute walk.
• Accessibility: the valley-floor lane is level and mostly firm — one of Exmoor's best outings for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The cliff path above is not accessible.
• Toilets & refreshments: in Lynton; there are no facilities in the valley itself.
• Safety: cliff edges are unfenced and crumbly — stay on the marked path, especially with children.

Best photo spots & light

• Sunset lights the crags orange from the western end — the classic shot of Castle Rock against the sea.
• Storm days produce huge swell exploding against the rocks; shoot from the safety of the inland lane.
• Starry nights: the valley faces away from Lynton's lights, making it a favourite dark-sky foreground for astro-photographers.

Local tip: combine the valley with a ride on the Lynton & Lynmouth cliff railway — the world's highest and steepest water-powered funicular — and you have Exmoor's best single afternoon.