Short answer: The Valley of Rocks, the Watersmeet walk and the Lynmouth esplanade are all free and superb. The cliff railway is the one thing genuinely worth paying for — and it saves the steep road. Bring cash: several places are cash only.
The Valley of Rocks is the highest-rated place in this whole guide — a dry valley of dramatic rock formations with wild goats and sweeping sea views — and it is free. There is an easy level path as well as the higher routes.
Watersmeet, a wooded gorge where two rivers meet, is free to walk. The National Trust tea room at the confluence is where you would spend money, and it is optional.
The cliff railway. A water-powered funicular running since 1890, climbing five hundred feet between the villages in about two minutes. Each direction is a separate ticket. It is an attraction in itself and it saves driving the steep hairpins between Lynton and Lynmouth.
Paid, and good — waterfalls, a hydro-power exhibition and water jets children operate themselves. Worth it with children who like pressing buttons. Cash only, with the nearest machine up in Lynton.
Glen Lyn Gorge is cash only, and Watersmeet's nearer car park takes cash with patchy phone signal. On a budget day, being stuck without coins is the most expensive mistake available.
The single biggest saving on any Devon day out is lunch. A picnic on a free beach or in a free park turns a £50 day into a £25 one, and the money you keep pays for the one thing actually worth paying for.
The Greenhouse in Lynton is open nine till nine with scones baked on site. The Ancient Mariner in Lynmouth does generous portions. The Old Bank is the best food in either village and not a budget choice.
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