6 Best Walks Near Axminster

With three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty on its doorstep, Axminster is a fantastic base for walking with a huge range of scenic walks starting right in the town. Whether you are walking the dogs, the children, or just yourself, check out these six brilliant local walks near Axminster.

We asked our local walking group who meet every Wednesday at 10am, starting and finishing at 'Waffle' to tell us the six best walks around Axminster between 1-5 miles long.

The result is the following guide to the most interesting short Axminster walks. If you're looking for a longer hike, check out our guide to walking from Axminster to Lyme Regis.

1. The 'River Walk'

Difficulty: easy

Length: 1.5 miles

This is possibly locals' favourite short walk near Axminster as it gets you straight out into the countryside, showcasing the best of the the river Axe. Spot the kingfishers, swans, ducks, egrets (we've seen otters here recently!) and the friendly cows in the summer months. With the trainline following the river for much of this stretch, for all you trainspotters out there, there are plenty of opportunities to catch one pulling into or out of Axminster or shooting under the bridge. If you time it right (wrong?!) you'll have to wait at the level crossing for one to pass; a favourite for little ones!

The Route:

Basic Directions:

1. Start at Axminster Town Centre War Memorial opposite Archway Bookshop 

2. Head toward George Hotel – Lyme Road 

3. Bear left, Costa Coffee on left, walk along Victoria Place and down Castle Hill 

4. Cross railway and river and take first right signed footpath 

5. Follow footpath across small field, short track, gate to three fields alongside river 

6. Where path meets road, turn right on to road over white bridge. 

7. Cross railway bridge 

8. Take 1st right and follow lane to end where it joins North Street 

9. Stay on North Street to T-junction and turn left up Castle Hill and return to start
   

2. The 'Weycroft Loop'

Difficulty: easy/medium

Length: 3.88 miles

This is a great option for extending the River Walk to include the new cycle path and the hills around the Weycroft area, home to Weycroft Mill and Weycroft House; an important building for non-conformist Christians. There is a bit of steep climb as you go up from Weycroft Mill but the views on this Axminster walk are well worth the extra effort!

Basic Directions:

1. Start at Axminster Town Centre War Memorial opposite Archway Bookshop 

2. Head toward George Hotel – Lyme Road 

3. Bear left, Costa Coffee on left, walk along Victoria Place and down Castle Hill 

4. Cross railway and river and take first right signed footpath 

5. Follow footpath across small field, short track, gate to three fields alongside river 

6. Where path meets road, turn right on to road over white bridge

7. Cross railway bridge 

8. Take 1st left along cycle path footpath (skate park on right),

9. Continue past duck pond on right to path end at main road

10. Cross main road

11. Head briefly up lane and look for public footpath on left hand side adjacent to Weycroft Mill buildings

12. Go through gate on to woodland track

13. Follow path along edge of woodland with field on right

14. Enter woodland and follow footpath to stile that exits in to field 

15. Follow rough path straight ahead toward pylon. At pylon turn 90 degrees right walking up steep hill, with hedge bank on right

16. Cross gap in hedge on to road 

17. Turn right along lane (Lodge Lane)

18. Stay on lane back to Weycroft Mill

19. Cross road and return along cycle path to its end by skate park 

20. Turn right and then take first left and follow lane to where it joins North Street. 

21. Stay on North Street to T-junction and turn left up Castle Hill past The Castle Inn and return to start 

3. The 'Train Station Loop'

Difficulty: easy/medium

Length: 3.47 miles

This beautiful walk imitates the first part of the old Axminster to Lyme Regis branch line and takes you past the current train station, through the Carpet Factory buildings and out into the open countryside around the charming hamlet of Wyke. Abbey Gate lane is so named as it was the road to the 13th century Newenham Abbey, an important monastery the size of Exeter Cathedral, built on the site of an important yet mysteriously unknown battle! Expect views of horses, thatched houses and the East Devon countryside.

Basic Directions:

1. Start at Axminster Town Centre War Memorial

2. Follow West Street with church on your left, past Post Office and Guildhall downhill to roundabout

3. At roundabout, turn left by Pets at Home and walk uphill

4. Pass turning to station and then take next right in to Woodmead Road toward Axminster carpets. 

5. Pass Safar restaurant on left. At gates to Axminster carpets with Sheep on top of pillars look for narrow footpath left – it is a narrow alleyway. Alleyway bears right and opens up to path which meets a road called Gamberlake. Turn right and follow road

6. Ignore 1st turning to right (Dragon’s Mead) and continue, turning 45 degrees right downhill at next intersection

7. Go downhill for a short way and turn left on to Abbey Close

8. Abbey Close curves to the left and goes uphill. Take next right (still Abbey Close) to where it meets Musbury Road (A358). Turn right. There is no pavement here and you need to walk along grass verge until it becomes a pavement

9. Shortly past Axminster Carpet Factory outlet, carefully cross road to join Abbey Gate Lane. Road is by long white house

10. Soon after, where road levels out, it splits with an option to go straight on and 90 degree left. Take the 90 degree left turn

11. At riding stables on right and thatched cottage turn left on to Wyke Lane 

12. Follow road, goes under A35 and meets Woodbury Lane (at junction with Woodbury Lane there is a signpost to right saying Woodbury ¾ and a 30mph sign). Go straight ahead to join Woodbury Lane and head downhill

13. Passing allotments on right, take the next right – Dukes Way. Look for stone rendered bungalow on left (No.27) and take footpath just adjacent to property in to Boxfield park

14. Follow path along lefthand side of park to track that then meets Boxfield road. Turn left (hairdressers opposite)

15. At T-junction turn right on to Musbury Road (one way street in opposite directions)

16. Follow road to Complete Meats. Turn left on to Silver Street and bear right back to centre 

 4. The 'Fire Station Loop'

Difficulty: easy/medium

Length: 1.57 miles

If you want to get the quickest and most comprehensive view of Axminster, this is the walk to do! It climbs up the eastern slope of Axminster and offers great views straight down on the town with the rest of the Axe Valley laid out before you. This walk will also introduce to some key parts of the town including Silver Street and the site of the Old Cattle Market. In the early autumn, this is a great route for picking blackberries!

Basic Directions:

1. Start at Axminster Town Centre War Memorial 

2. Go along Silver Street with Banking Hub on your left and church on right

3. At Axminster Inn bear left on to Church Street

4. At Complete Meats, turn left. Cross road and take right-hand road (45 degrees to right - Coombe Lane - and then almost immediately turn right up Coombefield lane with car park on your left, houses on right.

5. Cross road going straight ahead to join path with staggered barriers at start. Follow path uphill – power sub station on right 

6. Path meets Lyme Close. Turn right and follow road to Fire Station.

7. At lower edge of fire station take footpath left. Follow path over wooden sleepers and in to field

8. In field, keep to right-hand side with houses on right, going uphill.

9. At top of small hill, turn left making sure you have hedge on your left. Walk uphill through field to its corner. 

10. Cut through gap in hedge following path slightly left in to next field and continue uphill now with hedge on right.   

11. Path bears right near summit to large gate. Join driveway and continue along it to where it meets Lyme Road. 

12. Turn left down Lyme Road back to town centre. 

 5. The 'Beavor Lane Loop'

Difficulty: medium/difficult

Length: 4.82 miles

This walk centres around the infamous Evil Lane and is the most testing of all these six walks near Axminster. Brace yourself for some steep and undulating muddy paths through quiet farmland, down tree-lined lanes and past historic properties. The reward at the top are some of the best views around and about as much peace and quiet as you could wish for!

Basic Directions:

1. Start at Axminster Town Centre War Memorial. Head toward George Hotel 

2. Follow main road toward Chard, past the hospital

3. At mini roundabout bear left continuing on main road

4. Take second right on to Beavor Lane 

5. Where lane turns 90 degrees left, go straight ahead through gate on to grass track called Evil Lane

6. Stay on track, through one gate, then uphill past barn on left to T junction

7. Turn left on to Cuthayes lane. Where lane turns left, take right hand turn on to stony track (gate to track may be closed) 

8. Track bears left. Do not stay on track but follow footpath sign going slightly left in to field and follow path in field. Renovated house on right

9. Path bears right and briefly becomes a track (house and outbuildings on right), through gateway in to field

10. Follow path in field to gateway in corner of field. Turn right on to rough track. Track exits on to road (Lodge Lane) 

11. Turn left and follow lane to Weycroft Mill

12. Cross road and follow cycle path to its end by skate park

13. Turn right and then take 1st left and follow lane to where it joins North Street

14. Stay on North Street to T-junction and turn left up Castle Hill and return to start

 6. The 'Trafalgar Way' Loop

Difficulty: easy

Length: 4.35 miles

Trafalgar Way is the route of the naval messenger who brought home the news from The Battle of Trafalgar. This walk begins and ends on the Axminster section of Trafalgar Way and, in between, takes you through the beautiful village of Kilmington. A quick breather at Millers Farm Shop if you need it and then picking up the public footpath around the Axe Valley Wildlife Park. Look out for glimpses of flamingos, love birds and wild cats. 

Basic Directions:

1. Start at Axminster Town Centre War Memorial 

2. Follow West Street with the church on your left, past Post Office and Guildhall downhill to roundabout

3. At roundabout go straight across joining Trafalgar Way. Stay on pavement on Trafalgar Way, crossing River Axe. Continue to where road crosses the river.  Soon after river crossing look for footpath sign on opposite side of road and carefully cross road to join footpath. 

4. Footpath winds through coppice. Path takes you to underpass – low head room, can be muddy.

5. At exit of underpass, rejoin footpath to right

6. The tarmacked footpath stays close to edge of fields, passageway past a small part of sewage works and exits on to road. Take road straight ahead

7. Follow road to T-junction and turn right

8. Follow road past Anglican and Baptist churches to A35 

9. Carefully cross A35 to lane toward Millers Farm Shop entrance. Pass shop entrance and almost immediately take signed footpath right. Bear left along concrete track 

10. Where track bears right toward private house adjacent to Farm Shop leave track left and follow path through tended grass area with a few trees. Head for stile out of grass area – it is quite hard to find

11. Take short path downhill to further stile and in to field. Walk downhill down middle of field. Field boundary to right opens wider but keep straight on down to where field narrows again to stile in hedge

12. Cross stile to join driveway and turn right with house on your left

13. Stay on road walking past light industrial units and farm buildings 

14. Keep going along road passing car park on left and entrance to Wildlife park on right

15. Road bears right and then joins Trafalgar Way. Turn left and return to town centre along Trafalgar Way
    

The 'Waffle Walkers' are a group run by a team from The Community Waffle House and meet every Wednesday at 10am to embark on a 1-5 mile adventure which sees them back in time for a free cuppa at 12pm. If you would like to find out more, please email: community@waffle.org.uk