The Byes Sidmouth Walk: A Riverside Route from Sidford to the Sea

The Byes Sidmouth walk follows the River Sid from Sidford into the heart of Sidmouth, passing old meadows, woodland, parkland and some remarkable trees before reaching the sea at the Ham. It is an almost entirely level walk of around 4 miles when walked there and back, with surfaced paths for much of the route and several bridges that let you explore both banks of the river.

I walked from Sidford to Sidmouth, for the most part on the western side of the River Sid, continuing as far as the seafront beside the Ham. On the return, I took the eastern path from the Toll House, then crossed back to the western side for the walk to Sidford.

It was an absolute delight. Having lived in or near East Devon for most of my life, I was surprised that I had never properly explored the Byes before. Sidmouth is familiar to many people for its beach, red cliffs, Regency architecture and annual carnival, regatta and folk festival. Yet, this green corridor behind the town seems to be one of its best-kept secrets.

The route is not dramatic or demanding. Its attraction comes from the river, mature trees, open grassland and the gradual transition from village to countryside, park and coast. It is a walk I would happily repeat in every season.

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The Byes Sidmouth walk map

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What are the Byes in Sidmouth?

The Byes are a broad ribbon of fields, meadows, woodland and parkland surrounding the River Sid between Sidford and Sidmouth. The main green corridor is about 2 km long, although the riverside route continues into Sidmouth and reaches the sea beside the Ham.

The character changes as you walk downstream. The northern section feels more rural, with rough grassland and wooded riverbanks. Closer to Sidmouth, it becomes more formal parkland, with lawns, specimen trees, allotments and well-used paths.

Part of the middle section is maintained as a nature reserve by the Sid Vale Association. The association owns four parcels of land here, including Margaret’s Meadow, Gilchrist Field, Livonia Road Field and the Govier Orchard. Its volunteers manage the land for wildlife while keeping it open for the community.

This combination of public park, nature reserve and riverside path helps explain why the Byes never feels like a conventional town park. In places, Sidmouth seems much farther away than it really is.

Although a map is not essential for this route, I find that having one adds a useful sense of perspective and often reveals nearby places and points of interest that I might otherwise miss. I use the OS Maps app on my phone to plan and follow my walks. If you prefer a paper map, the route is covered by OS Explorer 115: Exmouth & Sidmouth and OS Landranger 192: Exeter & Sidmouth.

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Stage 1: Church Street car park to Byes Lane

I started at the Church Street long-stay car park in Sidford. It is quieter than central Sidmouth and, even on a hot July day, spaces were readily available.

You will find signs for the Byes near the south-eastern corner of the car park. Follow the road south through the housing estate, then turn left into Drakes Avenue.

At the end of Drakes Avenue, you reach Byes Lane. The playing fields are ahead, and a small children’s play area is on the left.

Turn right onto the metalled path shared by walkers and cyclists. This route is suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and bicycles.

The Sidmouth Rugby Football Club training grounds are on the left. At first, the path is some distance from the River Sid, so do not worry if the walk does not immediately feel like a riverside route.

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Stage 2: Gilchrist Field and Margaret’s Meadow

The shared path passes Gilchrist Field Nature Reserve before the footpath turns left into Margaret’s Meadow. Both form part of the land cared for by the Sid Vale Association.

Gilchrist Field covers more than seven acres and is managed as rough meadow and woodland. An old Victorian pond nearby has been adapted as a protected wildlife area, where moorhens, newts, toads and dragonflies have been recorded.

Margaret’s Meadow was stunning in the afternoon heat. Within the meadow, the Golden Copse is one of the few dog-free parts of the Byes. Its benches make it a restful place to pause, while the trees were selected for their golden foliage to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee.

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Crossing the Woolbrook to the River Sid

The meadow path eventually rejoins the shared cycle path. Shortly afterwards, one of the first footbridges crosses the water near the confluence of the Woolbrook and the River Sid, beginning a beautiful stretch along the river, past allotments on the right and through open parkland.

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The River Sid and its wildlife

The Sid may be short, but it supports an impressive range of wildlife. Atlantic salmon, sea trout, brown trout, European eels, lamprey and bullhead have all been recorded in the river.

These fish help support other species associated with the valley, including otters, dippers and kingfishers. Seeing any of them requires patience and luck, but the wooded banks, gravel riverbed and quiet pools make the river feel alive even when nothing obvious appears.

There are environmental pressures. Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed have both been found in the catchment, and volunteers continue working to limit their spread.

The Roncombe Stream joins the River Sid in Sidbury, the Snod Brook in Sidford and the Woolbrook in Sidmouth. It reaches Lyme Bay beside the Ham, although its route into the sea is not always immediately visible.

Waves and longshore drift move pebbles along Sidmouth beach, periodically creating a shingle ridge across the river mouth. During periods of low flow, the river can filter through the stones rather than forming an open channel. Higher river levels following heavy rain may break through the ridge before the sea gradually rebuilds it.

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Stage 3: Byes Cycle Bridge, Salters Meadow and the Lawn

The next major crossing is the Byes Cycle Bridge. On the outward walk, I remained on the western side of the River Sid and continued through Salters Meadow.

There are benches and picnic spots throughout the Byes, but some of the most memorable here are formed from old tree trunks. Children in particular may enjoy discovering these natural seats.

The path eventually crosses the River Sid at the bridge known as Heart’s Delight. A short walk through the Lawn then leads to Salcombe Road and the old Toll House.

The Lawn is the most formal part of the Byes, with broad grass, mature trees and paths connecting the surrounding residential streets. At its southern end, Waterloo Bridge and Salcombe Road provided improved eastern access to Sidmouth from around 1817.

The nearby Toll House was built at about the same time in the fashionable Greek Revival style. The Turnpike Trust collected tolls to help maintain the road, although the scheme made little profit and ended during the 1870s.

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The Byes Tree Trail

This is also the setting for the Sidmouth Byes Tree Trail. The accessible loop is around a mile long and includes more than 200 trees representing over 50 species.

I know little about identifying trees, but their scale and variety are impossible to miss. The trail leaflet points out common limes, a Huntingdon elm, sweet chestnut, tulip tree, black poplars, willows, alders and an enormous horse chestnut.

Some beech trees are estimated to be around 120 years old. They date from about the time local philanthropist and suffragist Annie Leigh Browne purchased land for public recreation.

Even without knowing every species, the trees define this part of the walk. They create shade, frame the river and give the Byes a deep sense of age.

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A few trees to look for

The Sidmouth Arboretum leaflet provides a much better guide than I could, but several trees have stories that make them worth finding.

Near the Toll House entrance, two common limes dominate the approach to the Lawn. Their summer flowers are rich in nectar and strongly scented.

A Huntingdon elm nearby is particularly interesting because it has some resistance to Dutch elm disease, which destroyed many of the large elms that once dominated the valley.

Beside one of the weirs is a fast-growing black poplar hybrid, while riverside alders and willows are found closer to the water. There are also trees from much farther afield, including a tulip tree from the magnolia family, a North American robinia and a young giant redwood.

On the opposite side of the river, Lovers’ Walk passes beneath Norway maple, sycamore and silver birch. Several trees in the Byes have been planted in memory of local people, adding another layer to the landscape.

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Stage 4: The Toll House to Sidmouth Ford

Cross Salcombe Road and continue south along Milford Road. This road is fairly quiet, but there is no pavement, so listen for approaching vehicles and take care.

At Sidmouth Ford, cars can cross the shallow River Sid while walkers have a separate footpath.

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Riverside Road, the Ham and Alma Bridge

Continue south along Mill Road, then turn left into Riverside Road to regain the river on your left.

This is another slightly undiscovered part of Sidmouth. It leads past the Sensory Garden in the Old Boat Park, a community project created by Sidmouth in Bloom and opened in 2018.

Its raised beds are planted to engage sight, smell, taste, touch and sound. The garden reflects years of work by Sidmouth in Bloom volunteers, including Lynette Talbot and Peter Endersby, whose contribution to the town’s floral displays has received a South West in Bloom Lifetime Achievement Award.

Next is the well-equipped Ham Play Park. Its sea-themed equipment includes a zip wire, climbing wall, slides, swings, trampoline, boat activity centres and a sandpit with hidden fossils.

The Ham itself is the open recreation ground behind the eastern end of Sidmouth seafront. As well as providing space for play and community events, it forms the final green link between the Byes and the coast.

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Reaching the sea at Alma Bridge

The walk reaches the sea beside Alma Bridge. The first bridge here was built in 1855 and named after the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War, with timber taken from a wreck on Sidmouth beach.

The historic replacement was damaged by flooding, and the present 19-metre pedestrian bridge opened in 2020, about 40 metres inland from the earlier structure. Reclaimed bricks and other architectural pieces preserve a physical link to its predecessor.

Arriving here gives the walk a proper destination as the river corridor opens onto Lyme Bay. Salcombe Hill rises beyond the river mouth, while Sidmouth’s beach extends west beneath the red cliffs.

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Allow time to explore Sidmouth

The walk is short enough to leave plenty of time for Sidmouth before heading back. We love the town’s gentle refinement, its long esplanade and the sense that the seafront has changed more slowly than many other resorts.

The centre has a good selection of independent and more unusual shops. These include Fields of Sidmouth, a traditional department store that has traded in the town for more than 200 years.

Sidmouth is also home to some of East Devon’s most elegant hotels. Connaught Gardens and the famous Jacob’s Ladder are further west along the seafront, while the climb to Salcombe Hill brings wide views across the town and Lyme Bay.

There are plenty of places to eat. Rockfish has recently opened in the restored Drill Hall near Alma Bridge and the Ham, while the Salcombe Tap House serves breakfast, coffee, beer, cocktails and pizzas from its seafront terrace.

For more ideas, including beaches, gardens, walks, shops and places to eat, read our full guide to the best things to do in Sidmouth.

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Returning to Sidford by bus

If you would prefer not to walk back, regular Stagecoach 9 and 9A buses run from the Triangle to Sidford, stopping near Drake’s Avenue and the SPAR. The journey takes only a few minutes, although it is sensible to check the current timetable before setting out.

The Triangle is at the western end of the esplanade, close to the town centre. This option allows more time for Sidmouth while turning the route into a one-way walk.

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Returning along the eastern side of the River Sid

I chose to walk back, initially retracing my steps from Alma Bridge to the old Toll House. From there, I followed the eastern side of the River Sid through the Lawn, which made the return feel different from the outward walk.

The path passes the Community Orchard, the delightfully named Roly Poly Field and Sid Meadow. The opposite bank gives different views of the river, trees and parkland.

The Community Orchard incorporates the Community Food Forest, planted as a layered, food-producing space for people and wildlife. It is a dog-free area with paths and seating where adults can pause, and children can explore the planting without picking anything unless signs indicate it is ready.

After Sid Meadow, I crossed the river at the Byes Cycle Bridge and returned to the western bank. From here, it was simply a matter of following my earlier route towards Sidford.

Rather than turn back through Drakes Avenue, I continued along Byes Lane until it met Church Street. I turned left, resisted the smell drifting from the busy Bloaters Fish and Chip Shop, and followed Church Street back to the car park.

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The history behind the landscape

Before Sidmouth expanded, the land behind the town consisted largely of water meadows beside the River Sid. These supported dairy herds, with local dairies producing clotted cream for sale as far away as London.

During the nineteenth century, Sidmouth developed into a fashionable seaside resort, but the river valley retained much of its open character. Land was gradually protected and made available for recreation.

The Sid Vale Association grew from the Sidmouth Improvement Committee, first convened in 1846. It describes itself as Britain’s oldest civic society and was created to protect the landscape and amenities of Sidmouth and the Sid Valley.

That history of local conservation is still visible in the Byes. The open meadows, mature trees and public access are not simply accidental gaps between housing. They reflect generations of land purchases, donations, planting, and volunteer work.

The result is a green route running almost uninterrupted into the centre of Sidmouth.

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Is the Byes walk accessible?

The main shared path through the Byes is largely level and surfaced. It is used by people with wheelchairs and mobility aids, as well as families with pushchairs.

The most accessible section is around the Lawn and the Tree Trail, where approximately one mile follows mainly tarmac paths on level ground.

Some optional paths beside the river and through the meadows are narrower, uneven or muddy after rain. Anyone requiring a firm surface can remain on the principal path without missing the main character of the Byes.

There are benches throughout the route, including shaded seating in Margaret’s Meadow and tree-trunk benches in Salters Meadow. Milford Road has no pavement, and road crossings require care.

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Walking the Byes with dogs

Dogs are welcome across most of the Byes, but they should be kept under control around wildlife, livestock and other path users. The Golden Copse within Margaret’s Meadow and the Community Orchard are dog-free.

The river can be tempting, particularly in warm weather, but currents and water quality can vary after rain. Owners should also avoid allowing dogs to disturb wildlife along the wooded banks.

Because parts of the walk are shared with cyclists and runners, a short lead may be sensible in the busier sections.

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Parking and public transport

Church Street long-stay car park in Sidford is a convenient starting point. I found it much quieter than parking in central Sidmouth, with spaces still readily available on a hot summer’s day in July.

Charges apply, so check the tariff board or parking app when you arrive. From the south-eastern corner of the car park, signs lead through the housing estate towards Drakes Avenue and Byes Lane.

Sidford can also be reached by bus from Sidmouth, Exeter, Honiton and Seaton. Starting here and walking towards the sea gives the route a satisfying destination.

Stagecoach services 9 and 9A connect the Triangle in Sidmouth with Sidford. This makes a one-way walk possible for anyone who would rather spend longer in town than retrace the route.

Check current bus times and parking restrictions before travelling, as services and arrangements can change.

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Places to eat and drink

Sidford has a SPAR, Bloaters Fish and Chip Shop and the Rising Sun pub. The Blue Ball Inn and the Salty Monk Restaurant and B&B are also nearby.

Sidmouth has a much wider choice, with the Ham only a short walk from the esplanade, Old Fore Street and the town centre. Rockfish beside the Ham and the Salcombe Tap House on the seafront are two of the newest additions.

This makes the walk particularly convenient for lunch or coffee. Bringing water is still sensible in summer, as the open meadows can feel warm even when the wooded sections remain shaded.

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Things to do near the Byes

The walk can be combined with several places in and around Sidmouth:

• Sidmouth Beach and the Esplanade
• The Ham and Alma Bridge
• Sidmouth Museum
• Connaught Gardens and Jacob’s Ladder
• Blackmore Gardens
• Sidmouth town centre
• The South West Coast Path
• Salcombe Hill
• Sidmouth Arboretum tree trails

For more ideas, see our complete guide to the best things to do in Sidmouth.

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Helpful links for the Sidmouth Byes walk

• The Byes Tree Trail leaflet
• Sid Vale Association
• Sid Vale Association land in the Byes
• River Sid information
• Sidmouth town guide to the Byes
• Met Office weather forecast
• Traveline South West

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The Byes Sidmouth walk FAQs

How long is the Byes walk?

The riverside route from Sidford to the Ham is around 2 miles each way. Allow approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours for the 4-mile return walk, with extra time for stops or exploring Sidmouth.

Where does the Byes walk start?

This route starts at Church Street long-stay car park in Sidford. Follow the signs from the south-eastern corner, continue through the housing estate and turn left into Drakes Avenue, then right onto the shared path at Byes Lane.

Is the Byes walk circular?

The route is broadly linear, but bridges allow you to walk along both sides of the River Sid. Following one bank towards Sidmouth and the other for part of the return creates a partial circular route.

Is the Byes walk flat?

Yes. The main route is almost entirely level, with no significant climbs between Sidford and Sidmouth.

Is the Byes suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs?

Much of the principal route is metalled, level and suitable for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs. Some optional meadow paths may become muddy, while Milford Road has no pavement.

Can dogs walk through the Byes?

Dogs are welcome under control across most of the Byes. They are not permitted in the Golden Copse within Margaret’s Meadow or the Community Orchard.

Can you cycle through the Byes?

Yes. Much of the principal route is shared by walkers and cyclists. Cyclists should slow down around families, dogs and narrower sections.

Can I walk one way and return by bus?

Yes. Stagecoach services 9 and 9A run from the Triangle in Sidmouth to Sidford. Check the current timetable before travelling.

Does the River Sid reach the sea?

Yes. The River Sid runs for around 6 miles through Sidbury, Sidford and Sidmouth before reaching Lyme Bay beside the Ham. At times, a shingle ridge forms across its mouth and the water filters through the pebbles.

Are there toilets on the Byes walk?

Facilities are available in Sidmouth close to the Ham and seafront. There are also cafés, pubs and shops in the town centre.

What trees can you see in the Byes?

The parkland contains more than 200 trees from over 50 species. These include common lime, Huntingdon elm, sweet chestnut, black poplar, alder, willow, horse chestnut, tulip tree and giant redwood.

Is the Byes Sidmouth walk worth doing?

Yes. The Byes provides a peaceful and largely traffic-free route from Sidford to the sea, passing meadows, woodland, nature reserves, mature parkland and the River Sid.

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Helpful Links

These trusted resources can help you plan and book your trip, from transport and accommodation to weather and local information.

• Booking.com – for most accommodation needs. Look out for options that include free cancellation.
• Easy Tide – Free UK tidal prediction service, providing tidal data and tide times for the current day and 6 days into the future.
• Expedia – Good for flights and packages.
• GetYourGuide – Find and book things to see. Includes unusual things to do.
• Hostelworld – Hostel-focused booking platform that fosters backpack connections.
• MetOffice – Weather forecasts from the UK official meteorological office.
• National Express – UK-based coach operator providing long-distance bus services
• Omio – Book travel tickets by comparing trains, buses and planes in one search.
• Rental Cars– to search out and book hire cars.
• Rome2Rio – Great for comparing local transport options (and for locating bus stops).
• Ticketmaster – What’s On – Major Events – Venues – Bookings
• Trainline.com – our go-to online platform for booking train and bus tickets, offering route planning, price comparisons, seat reservations, and ticket sales.
• Traffic England – for live traffic updates on major roads.
• Traveline SW – Comprehensive public transport information from A to B by bus, coach, train, ferry in South West England and Great Britain.
• TripAdvisor – for reviews of… pretty much everything. Our go-to before booking anything.
• Vrbo – Great for self-catering and vacation holiday home rentals.

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