Photo: Olaf Tausch (CC BY 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Planning the Atlantic Highway
The Atlantic Highway is the A39's greatest stretch: seventy-odd miles shadowing the north Devon and Cornwall coast, threading together harbour villages, clifftop castles and some of Britain's best beaches. It's short enough for a weekend and good enough for a week.
The joy of this one is that every stop is a holiday in itself — the places to stay below each stage let you turn any of them into your base.
The route
Atlantic Highway
🚦 Before you set off
Single-track roads and holiday traffic change fast — check conditions on the day.
Live incidents: National Highways ↗ Live traffic map ↗
⛽ Cheapest diesel along the route today: 191.7p — Asda, EX31 2BN (CMA open fuel price data)
Stage by stage
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1
Barnstaple
North Devon's market town and the gateway — pick up the Tarka Trail if you've got bikes.
Explore Ilfracombe →📸 Been here? Share your photo
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2
Bideford
Old port on the Torridge with the Lundy Island ferry.
📸 Been here? Share your photo
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3
Clovelly
The famous car-free cobbled village that tumbles down a 400-foot cliff.
📸 Been here? Share your photo
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4
Bude
Over the Cornish border: sea pool, surf schools and big beaches.
Explore Bude →📸 Been here? Share your photo
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5
Boscastle
A harbour like a fjord in miniature, plus the Museum of Witchcraft.
Explore Bude →📸 Been here? Share your photo
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6
Tintagel
King Arthur's clifftop castle and the footbridge between its two halves.
Explore Padstow →📸 Been here? Share your photo
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7
Port Isaac
Doc Martin's village — impossibly steep, impossibly pretty.
Explore Padstow →📸 Been here? Share your photo
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8
Padstow
Foodie harbour town; the Camel Trail to Wadebridge is the flattest cycle in Cornwall.
Explore Padstow →📸 Been here? Share your photo
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9
Newquay
Finish among the surf beaches — Fistral for the show, Crantock for the quiet.
Explore Newquay →📸 Been here? Share your photo
Community notes
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Good to know
- How long does the Atlantic Highway take?
- Around 2–4 days to do it justice — the stages on this page break the 70 miles into real days rather than a dash.
- Should I book accommodation in advance?
- Yes, especially May to September — beds along popular routes go early. Each stage lists places to stay nearby so you can book the whole trip before you set off.
- Do I book through this site?
- No — every listing links straight to the holiday operator and you book with them at their live price. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.